Youth innovation for biodiversity, CAF's eLAB Impact at COP16

From October 7 to 18, the Virtual Innovation and Ideation Laboratory was successfully carried out within the framework of COP16, an initiative organized by CAF -development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean-, in alliance with OIJ, USAID, Movilizatorio, ECODES, ACDI/VOCA, Life Pachamama, ClimaLab, Human Power Hub and Just Game. This regional collaborative work space brought together young people from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to address specific environmental challenges from a youth perspective.

During the virtual laboratory, participants worked together on three major challenges: the implementation of the Escazú Agreement, the connection between climate and biodiversity, and the role of youth in environmental entrepreneurship. The 450 participants had theoretical and practical sessions with experts in agile methodologies, as well as master classes given by environmental experts, who guided them in the development of innovative ideas and solutions, both specific and applied. For example, the participants developed projects on creating a platform for local fishermen to promote the conservation of marine ecosystems and sustainable entrepreneurship, providing young people with the necessary tools to participate in a fairer economy, and strengthening knowledge and dissemination of the Escazú Agreement.

Among the highlights was the master class in which Pablo Brassiolo, Senior Economist of CAF's Socioeconomic Research Department, presented the Economy and Development Report (RED) 2023: Global Challenges, Regional Solutions, to broaden the range of perspectives and possible solutions that can be contemplated in the projects that the participants of the laboratory were developing. Jimena Niño Cáceres, Director of ACDI/VOCA Colombia, spoke about the role of youth in environmental entrepreneurship; Sebastián Herrán, from Life Pachamama, spoke about the implementation of the Escazú Agreement; and Jhoanna Cifuentes, Executive Director of CLIMALAB, spoke about the connection between climate and biodiversity.

Participants highlighted the richness of the exchange and the opportunity to learn new models of agile ideation, in addition to generating important connections to promote concrete actions in favor of the environment.

This virtual laboratory is the first step in the accompaniment process that CAF, together with the other partner organizations mentioned above, is carrying out with young environmentalists. In this sense, the result of this virtual process serves as a basis for the face-to-face laboratory "Diversity in Action: Youth Building a Green Planet", which is taking place in the city of Cali, Colombia, on October 24 at the COP16 Green Zone at the Colegio Ideas. This face-to-face meeting will give continuity to the work begun, as it seeks to contribute to the strengthening of youth participation in the construction of consensual solutions to articulate general lines of action to address global environmental challenges.

Finally, the process will culminate in the "Intergenerational Dialogue among Leaders: Opportunities from Youth for the Protection of Biodiversity", which will take place on Friday, October 25 in the COP16 Blue Zone. There, a conversation will be held between experienced environmental leaders and youth leaders to strengthen youth participation in the implementation of policies and practices that protect biodiversity.