The perspective of youth: envisioning transformative pathways and desirable futures for people and nature

Abstract This paper examines the pathways to desirable nature futures as envisioned by 22 young people from all United Nations regions and diverse cultural backgrounds who participated in the second edition of the IPBES Youth workshop (2022). The workshop employed the Three Horizons framework and the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) to describe the plurality of youth visions for desirable nature futures and transformative pathways to achieve these visions. Based on the outcomes of the workshop, we conducted a qualitative content analysis categorizing the ideas and quantitatively assessed commonalities and differences among workshop groups, which were based on the NFF perspectives (nature for nature, nature for society, nature as culture, and a group in between perspectives). There were important differences in the visions and pathways articulated by the groups, but also commonalities, such as the importance of governance, community-based approaches, and education for achieving desirable nature futures. We also discuss the importance of flexibility in the NFF to accommodate diverse perspectives and involvement of youth in shaping global sustainability agendas. While many ideas raised by young people during this workshop align with existing conservation narratives, the study reveals the need to foster new and innovative ideas to drive transformative change that is sensitive to diverse contexts, histories, and experiences.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Sustainability Science
Published
2025-05-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-025-01693-9
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.11

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

The perspective of youth: envisioning transformative pathways and desirable futures for people and nature

Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw, Brian W. Miller, A. Dumont, Lider SİNAV et al.
1 citations
Sustainability Science
Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
1.11
article

The perspective of youth: envisioning transformative pathways and desirable futures for people and nature

Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw, Brian W. Miller, A. Dumont, Lider SİNAV, Thomas M. Schmitt, Hana Vašková, Laura Pereira, V.C. Mathur, Yohana G. Jiménez, Nopparat Anantaprayoon, Juliette Aminian-Biquet, Jan J. Kuiper, Hye Jin Kim, Phạm Trung Kiên, Deign Frolley Soriano, Brenda Mwale, Sheila Koech, Kantuta Conde Choque, Polina Blinova
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines the pathways to desirable nature futures as envisioned by 22 young people from all United Nations regions and diverse cultural backgrounds who participated in the second edition of the IPBES Youth workshop (2022). The workshop employed the Three Horizons framework and the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) to describe the plurality of youth visions for desirable nature futures and transformative pathways to achieve these visions. Based on the outcomes of the workshop, we conducted a qualitative content analysis categorizing the ideas and quantitatively assessed commonalities and differences among workshop groups, which were based on the NFF perspectives (nature for nature, nature for society, nature as culture, and a group in between perspectives). There were important differences in the visions and pathways articulated by the groups, but also commonalities, such as the importance of governance, community-based approaches, and education for achieving desirable nature futures. We also discuss the importance of flexibility in the NFF to accommodate diverse perspectives and involvement of youth in shaping global sustainability agendas. While many ideas raised by young people during this workshop align with existing conservation narratives, the study reveals the need to foster new and innovative ideas to drive transformative change that is sensitive to diverse contexts, histories, and experiences.

Sustainability Science
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE), National University of Tucumán (AR), Global Development Network (IN), United States Geological Survey (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Stockholm Resilience Centre (SE), Czech Agrifood Research Center (CZ), Université de Perpignan (FR), École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR), Stockholm University (SE), University of the Philippines Baguio (PH), University of the Witwatersrand (ZA), Kasetsart University (TH), United Nations Environment Programme (KE), Richmond Hospital (CA), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (GH), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (GB), Agroécologie (FR), Universidad Indígena Boliviana Aymara Tupak Katari (BO), Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán (AR), World Health Organization - Malawi (MW), Institut Agro Dijon (FR), Hythe Hospital (GB), Université Gustave Eiffel (FR), North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Bayreuth (DE), Hacettepe University (TR), University of Reading (GB), University of Algarve (PT)
Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas, U.S. Geological Survey
Openalex Percentile: Top 24%
Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
1.11
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.