News2010

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 * News Briefs 2010**

**December 2010** Evaluating collaboration across generations at the Biodiversity COP, Nagoya, Japan. The CEC Team at Nagoya, pictured below, consisted of 8 members, 3 senior professionals and 5 young professionals. I asked them about challenges, benefits, lessons, and stories from their experience of working as an intergenerational team. Summing up the feedback, one young woman wrote:

" It felt like we had just ran an obstacle/relay race and came out as winners! There is no greater feeling than knowing that someone appreciated what you do and that they've got your back."

See all responses here, in a table that compares perspectives from young and senior team members:



**December 2010** The Feather Project, launched by the Jacob Soetendorp Institute for Human Values and inspired by the Earth Charter , seeks to connect the life lessons of elders with the aspirations of youth intergenerational dialogue, collaboration, and action. In a short 6 months, Feather Project ceremonies have been part of international events in the Netherlands and India, and videos have been collected that give voice to elders' wisdom and youths' visions for the future. Watch videos and learn more here or contact Michael Slaby, Feather Project Manager, for more information.

**December 2010** Sharing power across generations, a youth engagement effort within the Sharing Power conference promoted below, was prominently featured in CEESP's December newsletter: "Organizers of the Sharing Power conference, described above, encourage young people to actively contribute throughout and to engage in intergenerational learning, decision-making, and collaboration at all levels." Scroll down to the fourth article in the newsletter to read the full text.

**December 2010** If you are under 35 and making outstanding contributions to protected areas management (a the local and/or global level), apply by 22 December for the annual Young Conservationist Award, organized by the International Ranger Federation, IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas, and others. Read more in English and Spanish, plus an extract translated into French by Abdallah Khazene, CEC Young Professionals Leadership Team member:



**November 2010** //Brief Reflections on Getting Young People into High-Level Decision-Making Roles// //From Dominic Stucker//

I was recently asked to reflect on how we succeeded in getting a young person - Grace Mwaura - onto the IUCN Council. Courtney Paisley, the Coordinator for the Young Professionals Platform for Agricultural Research and Development (YPARD) is interested in securing youth representation within CGIAR, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. This is what I wrote to her. Feel free to apply relevant points to efforts of your own!
 * "Research the history of youth engagement in the organization. What has worked and not worked. Build on successes.
 * Identify and work closely with key senior allies in the organization.
 * Learn about how the organization works, its governance and decision-making processes. Inform yourself and participate actively and respectfully in those processes.
 * Make the case for intergenerational partnership, not just youth involvement. For me, the spark, the innovation, occurs when people of different generations are exchanging ideas and working on collaborative projects. Always demonstrate effectiveness through examples of action. Actions speak louder than words.
 * Finally, always show up ready to be of support to the larger organizational mission and be persistent. Identify strategic opportunities - meetings, convening workshops, providing feedback on strategy documents, writing strategy documents, etc - that can move your effort forward.

Please understand that getting a young person onto the Council was not a stand-alone, nor end, goal. ...I feel that Grace's participation on the Council is enriched by having other young and senior people within IUCN already engaged in youth and intergenerational activities. Otherwise, she might feel quite isolated and, possibly, tokenistic."

**November 2010** The 75th IUCN Council Meeting was held in Gland, Switzerland. Read daily reports from Youth Councillor, Grace Mwaura. View CEC Chair Keith Wheeler's annual report slides online or download below. Includes slides on intergenerational partnership and strategy for the CEC in the coming year.



**November 2010** Learn more and register for CEESP's Sharing Power: A New Vision for Development conference to be held in Whakatane, New Zealand, 11-15 January 2011. Even if you cannot come, consider joining the Global Youth Network group on Facebook created especially for this event and beyond.

** October 2010** //Reporting from Nagoya//

Read IUCN's positive assessment of the Biodiversity COP: Nagoya Defines Future for Life on Earth. Here's the intro: "Governments meeting at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) have approved a step change for biodiversity: a new Strategic Plan for the next ten years to reduce the current pressures on the planet’s biodiversity and take urgent action to save and restore nature; an agreed new protocol on access and benefit sharing; and have pledged some serious new resources to bring the agreements to life."

Read Young CEC Professional Yvonne Otieno's report on her experience at the Biodiversity COP, including photos and video interviews of Keith Wheeler and Frits Hesselink. Five of CEC's 8-person delegation, at right, were young professionals.

** Be sure to watch CEC's 'Love. Not loss.' video, emphasizing messages not of extinction, but of love for nature, success stories, hope. View the animated slideshow of the CEC CEPA side event, created by young professionals Tania Moreno and Yvonne Otieno, and read the side event report. **

Check out these 'COP10 Voices ' from participants, captured on video:
 * Laurie Bennett, Futerra, young CEC member, United Kingdom
 * <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 3em;">Penelope Figgis, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, Australia
 * <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 3em;">Odilia, SPIRE, young participant, Norway
 * <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 3em;">Tom B.K. Goldtooth, indigenous leader, United States
 * <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 3em;">Yachay Wwasi, indigenous leader, Peru

<span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Read the Daily Diary from IUCN Delegation members in Nagoya. //Day 1// Bill Jackson, IUCN Deputy Director General, reports from Nagoya with the first live entry, including:

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">"Today I had the pleasure of meeting a group of young professionals who are poised to carry on the work we have started and their message to CoP is simple: approve the strategic plan, work towards finding ways to better fund conservation and make sure equity has a central role."

//Day 2// <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In the second diary entry, Keith Wheeler observes an example of intergenerational partnership:

"I was in the area with all the displays early in the morning in search of messages. I could not help notice the school children going from booth to booth learning about all aspects of biodiversity, taking pictures and asking questions. I also could not help but notice the grandparents helping the teachers guide the students through the maze of exhibits. It was then that it struck me that CEC member Laurie Bennett of <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Futerra Sustainability Communications was right: It is Love not Loss. That is the key message that we need to take from this meeting. This is the way to achieve the action that the world so desperately needs when it comes to stemming biodiversity loss."

**<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Read more on<span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;"> IUCN's official Nagoya page. **

**October 2010** Young professional, Laurie Bennett of Futerra Sustainability Communications, is part of the CEC Team going to the Convention on Biological Diversity conference this month in Nagoya, Japan. In a <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">recent blog entry promoting the <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">CEC side event on Communications, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA), he writes: " My challenge to communicators of all shapes and sizes will be:
 * Kill the extinction message
 * Reconnect us with our collective awe and wonder for the natural world
 * Give people a clear set of relevant actions that fit their lifestyles"

Part of the side event will focus on Futerra's Branding Biodiversity initiative. If you’re going to be in Nagoya, too, you are warmly welcome to participate in the event and bring a friend. If not, follow <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Laurie's blog, the <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">CEC website , and this Wiki for real-time reporting.

Communicating Biodiversity: Bringing Science to Life Wednesday 20 October — 13:00 to 15:00 CEPA Fair, First Floor, Building 2, Room 216 A

** October 2010 ** The number of young professionals from IUCN Commissions who are participating in the CBD in Nagoya is growing:

//Commission on Education and Communication// Rod Abson (Australia / Switzerland) Laurie Bennett (United Kingdom) Florence Clap (France) Tania Moreno (Costa Rica) Yvonne Otieno (Kenya)

//Commission on Environmental Law// <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Esteban Falconi (Ecuador)

//World Commission on Protected Areas// <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Andrea Michelson (Argentina) <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Edwin Sabuhoro (Rwanda)

Please contact me (<span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Dominic Stucker ), if you know of young people from the other three Commissions that plan to attend. This group plans to meet at Nagoya and also connect with the 35 young people from World Heritage Sites convened by IUCN, UNESCO, and GTZ in a parallel event at the base of Mt. Fuji, <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Go4BioDiv.

**October 2010** In a great example of intergenerational partnership, Alvin Chandra of Fiji recently became the Co-Lead for the Disaster Risk Reduction (DDR) Group of the Commission on Ecosystems (CEM) alongside Ms. Karen Sudmeier. <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The DRR Group helps to foster research and knowledge development initiatives and training and capacity building, both within CEM specialist networks and within target groups which make use of CEM products. It further helps in the identification of key conservation issues/opportunities in relation to the CEM priority areas of concentration. <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Read more about the DRR Group.

Furthermore, Alvin co-authored the chapter "<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Mainstreaming adaptation within Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – A case study of Nadi River Basin, Fiji Islands" with James Dalton for CEM's publication "<span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Ecosystems and Climate Adaptation ," edited by Andrade, Herrera, and Cazzolla. <span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The publication includes concrete examples of the impacts of climate change on different ecosystems, as well as ecosystem-based adaptation examples. It will be launched by the IUCN at the CBD COP 2010, Nagoya, // Japan ////.// <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">See other CEM resources.

Alvin is also a member of the CEC Young Professionals Leadership Team and holds Masters degrees in environment-related fields from University of Manchester (UK), University of Lund (Sweden), Central European University (Hungary) and University of Aegean (Greece). He previously worked as the Environment/GEF/Energy Associate for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) where he was largely involved in implementing the UN’s sustainable environment management strategies ,

**September 2010** Congratulations to all those CEC members working across generations to conserve biodiversity and promote sustainability! The <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">CEC September newsletter featured many of their stories. Read "Intergenerational Partnership: Achievements and Aspirations," Dominic Stucker's Guest Editorial. Many thanks to Susan Guthridge-Gould, newsletter editor, for compiling this robust publication.

**August 2010** The CEC Young Professionals Leadership Team (YPLT) congratulates all 11 young members who submitted applications for a place on the CEC's Team going to the <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Convention on Biological Diversity COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan in October. Candidates were from Argentina, Australia, Bhutan, Canada / France, Chile / New Zealand, China, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago. Many thanks, too, to all those who voted; the outcomes were very tight. See all applications here.

The YPLT is happy to announce that Yvonne Otieno of Kenya has been selected to join the CEC Team going to CBD! Yvonne received the highest number of votes from young CEC members and - without prior knowledge of individual vote totals - emerged successful after careful discussion within the YPLT of the top four candidates.

She will work closely with other CEC Team members to help fulfill CEC goals at CBD. Yvonne plans to integrate CEC young professionals' voices into the CBD and report back both during and after the event. Her application and CV can be downloaded here:

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**August 2010** The CEC's Young Professionals Leadership Team is excited to announce that the Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) is sponsoring two young professionals to join its team at the <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Convention on Biological Diversity COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan, from 18-21 October. Young professional Laurie Bennet of Futerra Communications in the United Kingdom has already been selected by CEC leadership to join the team. The second young person will be selected from among and with the help of the CEC young professional membership through a democratically-based process.

**July 2010** Laurie Bennett, young professional on the CEC, announces the latest thought leadership piece from his sustainability communications company, Futerra: <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Branding Biodiversity. Officially launched on 13 July at the Global Business for Biodiversity Symposium in London, the report is for campaigners, policy makers and media who are open to radically changing our biodiversity message, in order to radically increase action. It challenges communicators to stop talking about extinction and to distil a complex scientific concept into a set of values and promises that appeal to the masses. The main output is the formula of ‘Love’ + ‘Action’ that will inspire the public to act to conserve biodiversity. Download and disseminate the report through your networks!



Congratulations to young professional Cesar Ipenza of Peru for being awarded CEL's Alexandre Kiss Award! As a prize, we was hosted by the IUCN's Environmental Law Center in Bonn, Germany for one week. The award was created in memory of Professor Alexandre Kiss, an early and lifelong member of CEL whose life was dedicated to the advancement of environmental law. The purpose of the award is to encourage the work of young environmental lawyers, and is the result of a world-wide contest. Read the full article.
 * June 2010**

**June 2010**
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> New Councilor, Grace Mwaura - the first young person on IUCN's Council since its inception in 1948 - reported live from her first Council Meeting in Gland, Switzerland. Read her daily reports here. Also, download a schema of the Council and its members to facilitate understanding of the various Committees and Task Forces:



**// Day One – Preparatory Meetings //** It was an incredible day at the new IUCN Conservation Centre. This was the first time for me not only in Switzerland, but also the first time attending an IUCN Council meeting. Its quite evident that I need to still learn a lot, given the fact that I will be working with a team of experts who have been in IUCN for more years than I have been living!

//**Day Two - Opening of the Council Meeting**// Day two started off with the official opening of the 74th Council meeting, chaired by the President, Ashok Khosla from India. I was again welcomed to the Council and made a one-minute presentation of my work areas and myself. My general observation is that there is a very positive response from the Councilors on how to engage the youth in the IUCN Council.

//**Day Three - Shaping Policy**// Today has been the most tiring day, twice as long as any other working day I have had this year! All through the day we sat at the Council meeting, listening to the recommendations by the various Chairs of Commissions and Committees, discussing, commenting and passing them.

//** Day Four - Private Sector, IUCN Conservation Centre Launch, and Closure **// Tonight I am extremely energized! I wonder if this is how every Council member feels after every Council meeting. It has been such a long week, but I feel I have achieved quite a lot! Now I know what it means to be on the Council for the IUCN, a 63-year-old organization spanning the entire world!

Read Grace's full report her e:



**May 2010** A year ago the Joint CEC-WCPA Working Group on Intergenerational Partnership for Sustainability (IPS) was formed in Ecuador and, two months later, the Work Plan was finalized. Throughout the past year, we have remained motivated by our vision, mission, and primary goal: . Based on the above Work Plan, the WCPA compiled a detailed annual report, with a special focus on its Commission-related activities. Congratulations on their outstanding efforts! Read more about the WCPA YP Group.
 * Vision: A community of sustainability leaders of different generations, geographies, and genders learning and working together within and through IUCN for a just, sustainable, and a peaceful world.
 * Mission: Foster intergenerational partnership between established and emerging sustainability leaders to contribute in meaningful ways to the work of IUCN.
 * Goal for 2009-2012: Increase proactive and meaningful participation of emerging conservation and sustainability leaders in the work of WCPA, CEC, and other Commissions.



Dominic Stucker, at the April CEC Steering Committee, reported back on IPS milestones over the past year:


 * **May 2009** - convening of CEC-WCPA Joint Working Group on IPS by Svetlana Kopylova and Dominic Stucker;
 * **June** - convening of WCPA Young Professionals Group by Svetlana Kopylova;
 * **July** - initial Work Plan on IPS completed;
 * **August** - convening of CEL Young Professionals Group by Bruno Monteferri;
 * **September** - publication of article in SGI’s quarterly by Dominic Stucker on IUCN’s efforts to promote intergenerational partnership;
 * **November** - participation of WCPA young professionals in WILD9, Mexico, including facilitation of a workshop by Svetlana Kopylova, Emily Loose, and Marie-Eve Marcha, a plenary presentation on intergenerational partnership, and the adoption of a Resolution on YPs;
 * **November** - participation of Dominic Stucker as an observer in IUCN Council Meeting. Secured broad support from Commission Chairs for youth engagement and Council set process in motion to appoint young Councilor;
 * **February 2010** - Alasdair Harris, 30, selected as winner of the 2010 Young Conservationist Award for his work in Madagascar on fisheries and livelihoods;
 * **March** - convening of CEC Young Professionals Leadership Team;
 * **March** - first-ever appointment of a young person to the IUCN Council, 23-year-old Grace Mwaura of Kenya;
 * **April** - participation of Dominic Stucker in CEC Steering Committee meeting;
 * **April** - during the CEL Steering Committee meeting, the efforts of the YP Group were formally congratulated; and
 * **Ongoing -** expansion of IPS Wikispace, functioning as umbrella site for above YP Groups.

More information on all of these accomplishments is available below. The coming year holds promise for the formation of YP Groups in the CEESP, CEM, and SSC Commissions, and the transformation of our Working Group into an IUCN-wide Task Force on IPS.

**April 2010** The Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) held their Steering Committee meeting in Aviemore, Scotland from 14-16 April. A productive gathering, Specialty Group Leaders and Regional Vice Chairs articulated action plans, with many opportunities for youth involvement. Here is the draft report for young professionals from the meeting. It includes a summary, action opportunities, and next steps. For more information, see the full article on the CEC Young Professionals Group page. The upcoming May edition of the CEC Newsletter will contain other detailed reports.



**March 2010** Our efforts have been fruitful - the IUCN Council has announced the appointment of a young Councilor. Give a warm welcome to Grace Mwaura of Kenya!

Grace has been appointed to strengthen the voice of youth in the IUCN Council and to ensure that the concerns of the next generation are adequately addressed. Grace graduated last year as Bachelor in Environmental Sciences from Kenyatta University and is the former Secretary of the African Youth Initiative of the Climate Change. She is passionate about creating a global community of young people who are ready to work professionally and passionately to solve sustainable development challenges all over the world. Grace will serve until the end of Council’s 2012 term.

Keith Wheeler, CEC Chair, comments: "Great news! CEC, as part of its Driving Change efforts, has been successful in encouraging the IUCN Council to appoint a youth representative to the current Council. " <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Read the full article in IUCN's March issue of the Union Pulse.

**February 2010** Alasdair Harris, 30, was selected as winner of the 2010 Young Conservationist Award for his work in Madagascar on fisheries and livelihoods, an award by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the International Ranger Federation which honors outstanding achievements by young people in the world’s protected areas. <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Read more.

**January 2010** The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas' (WCPA) Young Professionals Group, led by Svetlana Kopylova, published their second newsletter. It reports on activities to increase meaningful youth engagement in their Commission and the IUCN in the final quarter of 2009, as well as plans for 2010. Great work, Svetlana and team! Download the newsletter here: