The IPBES platform was created in Panama City in 2012 and supported by 4 United Nations agencies (UNEP, UNESCO, FAO and UNDP) and 94 governments that joined the initiative at the time. Its aim is to strengthen—through scientifically-backed information and recommendations—public policies related to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and sustainable development.
Over time, the number of member countries has increased and its mission to promote dialogue among the scientific community, governments and other bodies associated with biodiversity and ecosystem services has been reinforced. But what do children and young people think? Are they being listened to?
In order to bring their voice to the event, EAFIT Children's University decided to hold a workshop to gather their proposals on responsible consumption as one of the main factors affecting our ecosystems. The attendees discussed topics such as the production chains of the things we use daily or the finiteness of raw materials.
This workshop gave rise to reflections such as Samuel Sanín's: "The Chinese produce many things because [people] go offshore to have goods made in order not to pay taxes and get cheap labor." To Samuel, it is necessary to look for more sustainable production methods.
Rosana Arizmendi, Ph.D. in Ecology and professor of the Process Engineering undergraduate program, also participated in the workshop. Rosana helped direct the children's discussions, analyses and proposals: "I was surprised because they know many things and have a lot of questions. I did not expect them to grasp so easily that, for example, what we use comes from materials that are in nature. It is something that adults find hard to understand."
To Arizmendi, drafting a manifesto is a way to raise awareness among participants in the event and, while she considers that "it is not going to change the decisions made at the IPBES or in the world in general, it is useful because their voice is made visible and makes an impression on decision-makers. It is a drop that is filling a glass in which all the things we all want to be done are collected. They are going to read it!"
Another workshop activity included a tour through the Universidad EAFIT campus, in which the children asked several university students about responsible consumption and wrote up their own findings: "It is very strange that people are not aware of what they eat or are interested in knowing, and sellers do not care either" said Simón Vélez.
To Ana María Londoño, head of the Children's University, this effort is justified because the decisions that are made "are related to the present and future of children, are connected with their habits; and they have the ability and the right to observe and give their opinion on these issues to propose solutions."
The ideas, criticism and proposals of Simón, Samuel, Mariana and all the attendees were finally compiled in this manifesto that was taken to the IPBES-6 Plenary.