Youth at the Heart of Change: Reflections from the IUCN World Conservation Congress

By Tiffany Marcelle, Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN)

Attending the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) 2025 was a truly inspiring experience. It was a space where science, policy, and community voices intersected and where the role of youth in shaping the future of conservation was clearly visible.

I participated in five sessions covering topics such as sustainable and inclusive blue tourism, soil health and nature conservation, and land degradation neutrality. I also joined discussions on empowering civil society organizations (CSOs) and financing youth-led implementation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). Across all these sessions, one common thread stood out: the urgent need for integrated, locally driven action and the importance of ensuring that young people are both included and empowered in these processes.

The session on Sustainable and Inclusive Blue Tourism highlighted lessons from the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Western Indian Ocean, showing how coastal communities can balance conservation with livelihood security. As a Caribbean representative, I was proud to share how local youth initiatives, such as community-based eco-tours and marine conservation education, are helping to redefine what “sustainable tourism” means in our region.

In the Soil Health for Nature Conservation and Resilience and Drylands for Life sessions, we discussed how land degradation and soil loss affect biodiversity and food security. These conversations connected strongly with my own work on sustainable land management and reforestation in Dominica. It was a reminder that healthy soils are the foundation of resilient ecosystems and that youth-led innovation and traditional knowledge both have roles to play in restoring them.

One of the most enriching parts of the Congress was the Youth Summit and the networking breakfast that followed. This space brought together young people from across the globe to understand how IUCN operates; from decision-making processes to membership structures and to explore how youth organizations like the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) can engage more deeply. Although CYEN is not yet a member of IUCN, the interactions and guidance received have given us a clearer sense of how to bridge that gap and strengthen youth participation within global conservation frameworks.

Beyond the panels and sessions, what truly stood out was the spirit of collaboration between generations, between regions, and between ideas. The Congress reaffirmed that addressing biodiversity loss and land degradation is not only about policy or science, but about people particularly young people, who are ready to drive change in their communities. For youth networks like CYEN, the next step is clear: to continue learning, engaging, and leading because the future of conservation depends on the voices and actions of young people today.