October 2012: Convened in parallel to the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the International Youth Forum Go4BioDiv adopted a declaration on conserving coastal and marine biodiversity for sustaining life and livelihoods.

In the declaration, “Youth Messengers” from around the world highlight key messages, including that: marine and coastal biodiversity loss has profound implications on humanity; policy should be driven by scientific and traditional knowledge; wide participation in decision-making processes requires transparent information; the costs and benefits of biodiversity use should be shared fairly and equitably; strong legal regulations and their enforcement are necessary to protect marine and coastal biodiversity; strong emphasis on environmental education and communication is needed; and coordination, cooperation and unity among stakeholders are needed.

Go4BioDiv was initiated during CBD COP 9, held in 2008, in Bonn, Germany, and also convened during CBD COP 10, held in 2010, in Nagoya, Japan. [Go4BioDiv International Youth Forum Declaration] [Go4BioDiv Website]