(Transformative, innovative yet grounded)
For 5 consecutive days, I was able to work with some of the most inspiring and knowledgeable individuals in the field of landscape. My fellow youth innovators, mentors and facilitators were as enthusiastic as I was in solving current environmental problems. Seeing people my own age being similarly passionate certainly restored my faith in the future, and motivated me to keep working towards my career goal: to work in the field of environment, and improve as many lives as I can.
This incredibly empowering and supportive atmosphere motivated all participants. As a result, we came up with a solution to one of the most challenging environmental problems– beautifully so, considering such limited time, as noted by the high-level expert panel. Aside from the environmental challenge, we also overcame our own challenges such as personal fears.
Through practice, teamwork and encouragement, we were able to step on the stage, and spoke directly to some of the most influential figures in the field, pitching our solution. Youth in Landscape Initiative 2015 offered what I needed, and a great deal more. It gave me the experience of writing up a transformative proposal, pitching to esteemed specialists, coordinating different ideas into a realistic yet transformative solution. It was difficult, yet incredibly exhilarating.
My group, ‘Rights and Tenure’ was mentored by Amy Duchelle, an experienced scientist working for CIFOR in Indonesia. With her experience in smallholders, social and environmental safeguards, to name a few, Amy gave countless invaluable advice that helped our group of 9 youths understand the real challenges, and the complexity of the situations at hand.
My group focused on the social safeguards not operationalised in REDD+ reporting mechanisms, resulting in information gaps and barriers that obstruct efficient data collection and national reporting on progress regarding Cancun safeguards. As we explored obstacles existing in status quo, we came to realise that the key to having a successful project, is to ensure the effectiveness, ease in implementation and incentives to act for all stakeholders involved.
Our solution in the end was framed within these conditions.
- First, we proposed that the data collection should be done at a municipal level, utilising the existing social networks, such as farmers’ unions and women’s cooperatives, to ensure inclusive and diverse representation of local’s voices.
- Secondly, our group strengthens the local involvement by allowing them to define indicators for measuring social safeguards applicable to their area. This is done so that measurements are locally relevant.
- Thirdly, the group would map the data on the existing interactive map online, such as those constructed by Global Forest Watch. It is essential that the map is accessible to all, from those on the international level to the district level. This way, the local realities will be available to all users to see and verify.
The high level expert panel gave favourable responses to our idea, stating that they can see it happening.
I explained about our problem – solution here, because I would like to highlight how realistic our challenge and solution were. I cannot stress enough how valuable of an experience it is to produce a solution with guidance from active experts, to be restricted by real limitations in the field, and to ‘pitch’ the idea to esteemed individuals who may genuinely invest in your proposal. It was this set-up that makes it drastically different from coming up with a solution for your university lecturer in class.
You get the taste of how it is like to struggle against the obstacles within status quo to make a transformative, innovative yet grounded solution for this landscape issue. It was because the environment truly reflects the reality on the ground, that makes the Forum and its workshop one of the greatest learning opportunities I have ever had.
It gave you a demonstration of how it is like to be in the shoes of individuals currently devoted to tackle these environmental problems. The week was exhausting and intense, yet I would not trade it for anything else. For I have learnt a great deal about the world I am determine to become a part of, about the obstacles I need to tackle in order to get there, and most importantly, about the hope all of us, be it youths or adults, be it mentors or mentees, carry – believing we can make the world a better place. It was a deeply inspiring experience, I am grateful that I was a part of it.
Praiya Uranukul is one of the 10 young champions who worked on the “ Rights and Tenure” Landscape challenge with Youth program’s partner: CIFOR.
Learn more about the Global Landscapes Forum Youth program, meet our 50 youth champions, discover the 5 Landscapes challenges they took up and the solutions they developed and pitched at the Dragon’s Den on 6th December 2015, in Paris.
