We are an ecosystem that can thrive together!
February 23-25th – 16:00 – 18:00 CET
Who We Are & What We Stand For
The Balkan Youth Environment Assembly (BYEA) is a civil-society initiative organized by and for young people in the Balkans to learn and dialogue about the environmental issues that matter most to them. The regional youth assembly was supported by the UNEP Major Group for Children and Youth (UNEP MGCY) and was organized in the lead-up to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) – a gathering of representatives of 193 Member States of the UN, major groups and stakeholders taking place 50 years after the founding of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Young people gathered online on February 23-25th, 2022 to express visions for sustainable development in the region and to learn how to contribute to United Nations processes. With an emphasis on local actions to make a global impact, the event was part of the global mobilization of young people and youth organizations.
During the BYEA, the biological diversity of ecosystems was recognized as it continues to inform traditional ecological knowledge and cultural heritage.
Key Messages
We are all vested in the collective well-being of human and non-human life in this region.
There is no time to waste – climate action is needed in the Balkans now.
The interconnected nature of climate change, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, and air and water pollution, makes it is essential to cooperate within the region on implementing multilateral environmental agreements and environmental processes for our shared benefit.
Recognizing that resources are needed to make the transition to nature-positive rural and urban futures, we note that the prevention of environmental degradation is cheaper than remediation or the loss of ecosystem services, health, and tourism.
As young people, we affirm our commitment to our shared ecosystems and encourage the creation of high-skilled jobs that serve the environment and society.
Presentations and recommendations were drafted on the following themes:
- Climate crisis & natural disasters
- Natural heritage, biodiversity, & traditional ecological knowledge
- Environmental governance and pollution management
- Green energy & tech
Recommendations can be read in Albanian, Bosnian, Serbian, and English.
The birch, the oak, and the pine can grow in the same soil!
