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Vanuatu empowers young people to lead biodiversity action
Home / Recent news / Vanuatu empowers young people to lead biodiversity action
Vanuatu empowers young people to lead biodiversity action
- Around 70 young people registered interest in joining Vanuatu’s future National Youth Biodiversity Network.
- A dedicated booth showcased the newly launched Vanuatu NBSAP 2026–2030 and its role in advancing national biodiversity commitments.
- A regional youth panel brought together young leaders from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to share solutions to the triple planetary crisis and strengthen Pacific collaboration.
From 1–3 July 2026, the Pacific Innovation Forum on Climate and the Environment (PIFCE) brought together governments, communities, civil society and innovators in Port Vila, Vanuatu, under the theme “Champions of Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Futures: Harnessing Ideas and Knowledge to Advance Pacific Solutions.”
As part of its Facilitator Programme, the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership worked alongside the Vanuatu Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC) to increase the visibility of Vanuatu’s newly launched National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2026–2030 while creating new opportunities for young people to engage in biodiversity action.
Showcasing Vanuatu's NBSAP
A dedicated exhibition booth introduced Forum participants to the priorities of the revised NBSAP and highlighted how biodiversity contributes to healthy ecosystems, resilient communities and sustainable development. The booth also launched the concept of a National Youth Biodiversity Network, which will connect young people across Vanuatu and strengthen their participation in implementing the country’s biodiversity commitments.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Around 70 young people registered their interest in joining the future network, marking an important step towards building a new generation of biodiversity leaders in Vanuatu.
The visit by Prime Minister Jotham Napat highlighted national support for youth leadership in biodiversity conservation.
Young Pacific voices leading change
The Partnership also co-hosted the side event “Young Pacific People Tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis” with DEPC, SPREP, NBSAP AP and UNEP.
Young leaders from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea shared inspiring examples of action on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution—from community-based conservation and nature-based solutions to climate advocacy and innovative approaches to waste management. Their experiences reinforced a common message: the interconnected environmental challenges facing the Pacific require integrated, youth-led solutions.
The discussion also highlighted the value of stronger regional collaboration and growing youth networks, including the emerging Pacific chapter of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), to support implementation of national biodiversity strategies across the region.
Building the next generation of biodiversity leaders
The strong response at PIFCE demonstrated growing enthusiasm among Pacific young people to contribute to biodiversity action. Through the leadership of the Vanuatu Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation and support from the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership Facilitator Programme, the Forum helped lay the foundations for Vanuatu’s National Youth Biodiversity Network and strengthened youth participation in implementing the country’s NBSAP.
Read more stories from Vanuatu’s NBSAP journey here.
- Around 70 young people registered interest in joining Vanuatu’s future National Youth Biodiversity Network.
- A dedicated booth showcased the newly launched Vanuatu NBSAP 2026–2030 and its role in advancing national biodiversity commitments.
- A regional youth panel brought together young leaders from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to share solutions to the triple planetary crisis and strengthen Pacific collaboration.
From 1–3 July 2026, the Pacific Innovation Forum on Climate and the Environment (PIFCE) brought together governments, communities, civil society and innovators in Port Vila, Vanuatu, under the theme “Champions of Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Futures: Harnessing Ideas and Knowledge to Advance Pacific Solutions.”
As part of its Facilitator Programme, the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership worked alongside the Vanuatu Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC) to increase the visibility of Vanuatu’s newly launched National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2026–2030 while creating new opportunities for young people to engage in biodiversity action.
Showcasing Vanuatu's NBSAP
A dedicated exhibition booth introduced Forum participants to the priorities of the revised NBSAP and highlighted how biodiversity contributes to healthy ecosystems, resilient communities and sustainable development. The booth also launched the concept of a National Youth Biodiversity Network, which will connect young people across Vanuatu and strengthen their participation in implementing the country’s biodiversity commitments.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Around 70 young people registered their interest in joining the future network, marking an important step towards building a new generation of biodiversity leaders in Vanuatu.
The visit by Prime Minister Jotham Napat highlighted national support for youth leadership in biodiversity conservation.
Young Pacific voices leading change
The Partnership also co-hosted the side event “Young Pacific People Tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis” with DEPC, SPREP, NBSAP AP and UNEP.
Young leaders from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea shared inspiring examples of action on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution—from community-based conservation and nature-based solutions to climate advocacy and innovative approaches to waste management. Their experiences reinforced a common message: the interconnected environmental challenges facing the Pacific require integrated, youth-led solutions.
The discussion also highlighted the value of stronger regional collaboration and growing youth networks, including the emerging Pacific chapter of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), to support implementation of national biodiversity strategies across the region.
Building the next generation of biodiversity leaders
The strong response at PIFCE demonstrated growing enthusiasm among Pacific young people to contribute to biodiversity action. Through the leadership of the Vanuatu Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation and support from the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership Facilitator Programme, the Forum helped lay the foundations for Vanuatu’s National Youth Biodiversity Network and strengthened youth participation in implementing the country’s NBSAP.
Read more stories from Vanuatu’s NBSAP journey here.
The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership is a country-led initiative that supports the implementation of NBSAPs to collectively achieve the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It is co-chaired by Colombia and Germany, supported by the governments of Germany, Norway, Canada and France, and coordinated by a Global Coordination Unit hosted by the Secretariat of the CBD, UNDP and UNEP.
The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership is a country-led initiative that supports the implementation of NBSAPs to collectively achieve the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It is co-chaired by Colombia and Germany, supported by the governments of Germany, Norway, Canada and France, and coordinated by a Global Coordination Unit hosted by the Secretariat of the CBD, UNDP and UNEP.
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