#TheGreenTrack campaign, launched by the European Commission in collaboration with the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) and Biodiversity Action Europe (BAE), mobilised thousands of young Europeans ahead of the COP 15 UN Biodiversity Conference in December 2022.
As a major EU contribution to the European Year of Youth, #TheGreenTrack listened to concerns and recommendations from European young people on key topics, such as biodiversity and nature, circular economy, climate change, zero pollution, and lifestyle.
As a flagship initiative of the European Year of Youth 2022, the Green Track campaign provided a platform for young people across Europe to contribute to the debate on how to put the planet’s biodiversity on a path to recovery. The campaign also put a spotlight on their very concrete actions to protect nature, and the key role they are playing to make the European Green Deal a reality. We have been listening and watching carefully, and will carry the messages gathered from young people with us to COP 15 and in future discussions on how to protect and restore the planet’s biodiversity.
About the Campaign
Under the slogan ‘Ready to act #ForNature’, the Green Track campaign made 32 stops in 21 countries across Europe. Events took many different shapes, from public debates to outdoor activities, exhibitions and swap parties. Over 1,500 participants took part in these events, and over 21 million people were reached by the online campaign. Wherever it stopped, #TheGreenTrack helped amplify young people’s messages to a wider audience, and bring their needs and recommendations to the attention of policy-makers.
At #TheGreenTrack closing event, held in Brussels on 30 May as part of EU Green Week, the participants voiced their recommendations for progress towards a more sustainable future. These included continuing #TheGreenTrack initiative, but disseminating it more towards the general public; fostering dialogue between youth and policy-makers and between society, governments, enterprises and scientists; creating better structured communication pathways from youth to decision-makers; and involving activists and NGOs in environmental decision-making.