We have continued to promote youth engagement as a crucial part of environmental leadership at the world's biggest conference on wetlands. The 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15) took place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from 23 to 31 July 2025.
The Pacific Youth Wetlands Coordinator presented our work on youth engagement at a side event showcasing inspirational youth working on wetlands. The event was attended by the convention's Secretary-General Dr Musonda Mumba. During the event, the hosts shared a video we produced with our Pacific partners. It features participants from our Youth Action Group. They remind us of the importance of engaging future leaders in wetland management:
Two non-government experts joined DCCEEW staff in the Australian delegation. Jiarra Atkinson served as First Nations Cultural advisor. Christine Prietto attended as part of the convention's key education program. These roles are important for involving young people with wetlands. They also help make caring for country part of how we think about our aquatic environments.
Other meetings at COP15 focused on scaling-up on-the-ground action. Our delegates helped shape the next 5-year strategic plan. The plan aligns with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Victoria Falls Declaration was also adopted. The declaration talks about the importance of healthy wetlands for tackling environmental challenges. Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are all helped by better wetland management.
Check out our previous news articles to meet some of our inspiring delegates and learn more about their (and our) shared mission of global wetland conservation and wise use.
COP16 will be held in Panama in 2028.
