Deadline: May 28, 2024
Applications are currently open for the IUCN Leaders Forum 2024. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is looking for the next group of young innovators advancing the global goals for nature. IUCN Leaders Forum Changemakers brings together young leaders and innovators who are designing or implementing innovative nature conservation or biodiversity action projects in their communities.
Selected young changemakers will join leaders from around the world at the IUCN Leaders Forum in Geneva in October 2024 to showcase innovations for transformative change; discuss concrete actions that include nature at the nexus of energy systems, food and agriculture, and human health; and advance nature-positive solutions. Young changemakers will have an exclusive opportunity to pitch their initiatives to influential global leaders from the private sector, government and civil society.
About the IUCN Leaders Forum
The IUCN Leaders Forum is an annual event, gathering leaders and changemakers from around the world, in-person, to discuss innovative solutions to critical global challenges, make bold commitments, build partnerships and catalyse action for impactful change in nature conservation and sustainability.
The inaugural IUCN Leaders Forum took place in Jeju Province, Republic of Korea, from 13 – 15 October 2022 and focussed on Building nature-positive economies and societies. The event brought together over 500 leaders and changemakers from national and subnational governments, the private sector, international organisations, and Indigenous and youth-led organisations.
The second edition of the IUCN Leaders Forum was held in Geneva, Switzerland in 2023, and focused on moving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted at the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP15) in December 2022, into action. The third edition of the IUCN Leaders Forum will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, and virtually from 8 to 10 October 2024 with the theme: “Harnessing innovation, enabling conservation”.
Benefits
- Delegate access to the IUCN Leaders Forum in Geneva, Switzerland from 8 to 10 October 2024
- An exclusive opportunity to pitch your environmental action project to influential global leaders from the private sector, government and civil society
- Hotel accommodation in Geneva from 7 to 11 October 2024
- Return travel to Geneva, Switzerland
- Meals and other expenses covered for the duration of stay in Geneva
Eligibility
You should apply to be an IUCN Leaders Forum Changemaker if you:
- Are aged 18 – 35.
- The One Young World team will consider applications from those who are older than 35, pending demonstration of appropriate personal impact, initiative, and willingness to engage. They are not able to accept applications from those who will be aged under 18 at the time of the IUCN Leaders Forum.
- Have a track record of leadership and innovation in the fields of nature conservation, biodiversity, climate change and / or sustainable development.
- Are currently working on an innovative solution that addresses the nature, climate and biodiversity crises; and has nature at the nexus of one or more societal challenges (e.g. energy-nature-climate nexus; food-agriculture-nature-climate nexus; transforming urban landscapes for nature and people etc.)
- They especially encourage candidates whose initiatives foster equity, inclusivity, intergenerational collaboration, and / or adopt a rights-based approach in the design and implementation of the project, to apply.
- They are looking for a diverse pool of global changemakers to participate in the IUCN Leaders Forum. Youth from the Global South are strongly encouraged to apply, as are youth from minority groups, Indigenous peoples and local communities and young female leaders and innovators from around the world.
Application
IUCN Leaders Forum Changemakers will be selected by IUCN from a shortlist created by One Young World. Complete the application form to be considered for One Young World’s shortlist.
For more information, visit IUCN Leaders Forum.
