Youth Priorities for Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Plan
This blog is written by Bulimo Peter (INUKA Co-coordinator, Y4N) and Zuhura Ahmadi Shaweji (Global Ambassador, Y4N), with contributions from Kenya Youth Biodiversity Network.
The sixteenth session of the Conference of Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, was a pivotal moment for rethinking global biodiversity governance and defining the future of our shared planet. Amid a backdrop of ecosystem collapse, the hottest year on record, and pollution, the meeting —centred around the theme of “Peace with Nature”—brought together individuals, organizations, and nations united by a shared vision: halting biodiversity loss and fostering harmony with the natural world.
A cross-cutting and fast-emerging sub-theme from the global event is Nature-based Solutions (NbS), a transformative and customizable concept capable of accelerating progress towards achievement of the ambitious Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) with co-benefits for people and the planet
Why Nature-Based Solutions in National Biodiversity Planning?
Resolution 5 of UNEA 5.2 defines NbS as "actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, which address social, economic and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits."
While NbS is not a new concept, its recognition in the KM-GBF—and prominence at COP16—underscored its growing potential as a powerful, scalable response to complex and interlinked environmental challenges.
Against this backdrop, Youth4Nature, in partnership with the Kenya Youth Biodiversity Network (KYBN), hosted a dynamic session titled “NbS & Youth: Fears and Prospects in NBSAP Implementation.” This dynamic and interactive session explored global youth priorities for integrating NbS into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and the broader KM-GBF. This session built upon the NbS Youth Statement released in 2022 and Youth4Nature’s advocacy tool at COP15, both aimed at strengthening the role of NbS in biodiversity and climate action and elevating the place of youth as nature-climate leaders.
Here’s what the youth participants shared—their hopes, fears, and actionable recommendations.
1. NbS, NBSAPs, and the KM-GBF
In this fire session, participants identified NBSAPs as key tools for translating global biodiversity commitments into actionable national strategies. With the adoption of the KM-GBF, countries are revising their NBSAPs to align with the framework’s ambitious goals. This revision presents an unprecedented opportunity to integrate NbS into national strategies, directly contributing to targets such as:
Ecosystem restoration (Target 2)
Area-based conservation (Target 3)
Climate change mitigation (Target 8)
Enhancing nature’s contributions to people (Target 11)
Integrating NbS into NBSAP was also seen as essential in advancing rights-based approaches in the implementation of KM-GBF at national and local levels. Section H of the KM-GBF urges its implementation to “follow a human rights-based approach, respecting, protecting, promoting, and fulfilling human rights.” It also acknowledges the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. With NbS promising co-benefits for communities and nature, participants believed NBSAPs provide a strong backdrop upon which NbS can be implemented to advance rights-based approaches as envisaged in the framework.
2. Opportunities for NbS-NBSAP Integration
Participants highlighted that integrating NbS into NBSAPs offers significant opportunities to advance biodiversity conservation, strengthen livelihoods, and promote human rights.
Some of the key opportunities identified for integration of NbS into NBSAPs included;
Enhanced NbS Monitoring and Implementation at the local level: NbS integration provides an opportunity to develop and embed robust tools within NBSAPs to monitor, verify, and implement NbS effectively, ensuring alignment with national and global biodiversity targets.
Advancing Human Rights-Based Approaches (HRBA): Leverage NBSAPs to integrate HRBA into NbS implementation, emphasizing equity, inclusion, and the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
Mainstreaming NbS Across Biodiversity Targets: Positioning NbS as a cross-cutting approach within NBSAPs can help achieve biodiversity and climate goals while enhancing ecosystem services.
Bridging Traditional and Modern Knowledge Systems: Integrating diverse knowledge systems into NbS implementation through NBSAPs will enable the inclusion of Indigenous and local community practices in biodiversity management.
Simplification and Accessibility: Through NBSAPs, there is an opportunity to translate NbS concepts into simpler, actionable terms making them feasibly accessible and adaptable by policymakers, local communities, and other stakeholders.
Catalyzing Societal and Business Engagement: NBSAPs have the potential to scale societal and private-sector adoption of NbS, aligning conservation efforts with broader economic and social objectives.
Empowering Youth and Marginalized Groups: Integration and effective application of NbS within the NBSAPs is key to institutionalising the role of youth and underrepresented groups as key stakeholders in biodiversity governance.
Addressing Greenwashing, Co-option and False Solution Risks: Through NBSAPs, we are able to implement safeguards and accountability measures that will help reduce the risk of NbS misuse.
3. Concerns About NbS Integration
Despite these opportunities, participants expressed significant apprehensions regarding the future of NbS integration into NBSAPs, particularly due to resource constraints and governance challenges.
Key concerns raised by participants included:
Resource Limitations: Effective NbS implementation, especially through a rights-based approach, requires significant resources, which many participants feared would not be mobilized at the scale and speed needed. Only 44 out of 196 signatory countries had submitted their NBSAPs by COP16, with most submissions from the Global North. Many countries in the Global South cited financial constraints as a major impediment.
Exploitation of Youth Expertise: Concerns about young people being exploited by actors operating in bad faith under the guise of NbS implementation cast a net of doubt on the effectiveness of this intervention
Power Imbalances: Persistent inequities, particularly in financing mechanisms and decision-making processes, were identified as significant obstacles to the effective deployment of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). These imbalances also raise concerns about the potential for genuine NbS efforts to be co-opted or misrepresented, undermining their authenticity and impact.
Greenwashing Risks and False Solutions: Poor policy and regulatory frameworks including weak social safeguards could lead to NbS being misused as a facade for unsustainable practices including application as a substitute for emission offsetting emissions or delaying decarbonization.
The Commodification of Nature: There were ripe concerns regarding the unprecedented commodification of ecosystems and the use of NbS as an enabler.
Abstract Perception of NbS: Many quotas still perceive NbS as an abstract or overly theoretical concept limiting its adoption for practical use
Political Interference: Global geopolitics, including perceived inequities in NbS financing and implementation, as well as concerns over the political and technical implications of double-counting NbS outcomes, pose significant challenges to its widespread adoption
Limited Technical Expertise: Inadequate understanding of the NbS standards and the lack of comprehensive Monitoring, Verification, and Reporting (MVR) tools.
4. Balancing Hope with Realism
Despite these fears, participants emphasized the potential of NbS to drive transformative change. Achieving this requires:
Strong policies and safeguards to ensure genuine implementation.
Equitable resource allocation to bridge the Global North-South divide.
Inclusive governance that empowers youth and marginalised groups in decision-making.
Call to Action
As a society, we have the opportunity to explore the full potential of NbS beyond the confines of theoretical models. By strategically embedding NbS into revised NBSAPs, nations can create actionable pathways to conserve biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, and champion equity and human rights. This requires more than just policy commitments—it demands meaningful collaboration across sectors, the inclusion of diverse knowledge systems, and adequate resources to address concerns and support implementation at all levels.
The integration of NbS into NBSAPs must be deliberate and accompanied by robust safeguards to prevent misuse and ensure genuine impact. Policymakers, youth, civil society, and the private sector must unite to establish NbS as a practical, transformative tool that bridges the gap between biodiversity goals and community well-being. This is the sign we have been waiting for to redefine our relationship with nature, let's seize it!