The role of IPBES is to compile and assess knowledge on the state of biodiversity and ecosystem services in order to build capacity to support policy making. The Nature Futures Framework is an IPBES tool to support the development of scenarios and models of desirable futures for people, nature and Earth. To particularly strengthen young people's engagement in the process and to bring IPBES results into current youth discourses, the idea for youth workshops emerged. At the first workshop of this kind on Vilm, participants had the opportunity to learn about IPBES processes and contribute their ideas in numerous group sessions. With the help of the Nature Futures Framework, different visions of the future for a harmonious coexistence of people and nature were developed and possibilities and ways to get there were discussed. They also discussed how youth representatives can better engage with IPBES, but also how they can help improve the communication of IPBES results in creative ways.

The young scientists went through an extensive application process. They were nominated by their state government or an institution/youth association. The 25 participants were selected from 260 nominations. As multipliers, they will now disseminate and work on the results of the workshop in their respective networks in order to inspire more young adults for the work of IPBES.

Further regional and international workshops of young adults and young scientists on IPBES at the International Academy for Nature Conservation Isle of Vilm are planned for the next years.

The results of the workshop will be published on the website of IPBES.