������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��

Diana Garlytska is a young expert who over 9 years of her career in academia has taught in more than a dozen of countries across Europe and Asia as a visiting lecturer. Diana has written several�� workbooks for BA level students and created her author course on ‘Sustainable Business Development’.

Diana Garlytska is ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) member since 2018 and ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� CEC West Europe Regional Vice Chair since 2022.��

Diana Garlytska has a solid track in global environmental youth movement. She was a Steering Committee Co-Chair (2018-February 2022) and has been on the steering committee of CoalitionWILD (2019-February 2022). She is now on Advisory Board of CoalitionWILD. In 2021 Diana Garlytska was a member of the youth workgroup for ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Global Youth Summit and co-authored ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� GYS Outcome Statement and had the honour to present it in ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France. In 2022 Diana was Youth Task Force member for Stockholm+50 and actively contributed to youth work in environmental policy development, participated at COY17 and COP27 including speaking engagements at these high level events.

In 2022 Diana attended SB58 and COP28 as well as the NATO Public Forum. Same year she co-organised RCOY East Europe under YOUNGO, UNFCCC that allowed youth in her part of the world to convene, network and cooperate. Later the same year Diana Garlytska also proceeded with her PhD research in environmental finance.

Thus, Diana’s greatest passions are youth engagement in nature conservation, storytelling and academic work. Diana takes great pride and inspiration in being part of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Youth Advisory Committee and her leadership role. Having started her journey as a Commission member Diana has experienced support of youth leadership in the Union. Hence, the establishment of YAC makes her confident that the implementation of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Youth Strategy will lead to even greater empowerment of young professionals.

��

Youth and community at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi –
a role she has held since June 2020. She first joined the organisation in 2018 as an Outreach Programme Co-ordinator, before promotion to Project Co-ordinator a year later.
The year after she was assigned as Project Manager for Sustainable Campus Initiative. She has been Green Youth Majlis Lead since 2019, EAD’s youth council member since 2022,and Youth Environmental Education Conference 2024 Youth Committee lead in 2023-2024.

With a strong passion for the environment and empowering the younger generation inworking towards environmental sustainability, Aisha possesses excellent knowledge of environmental sustainability and is well versed in managing projects and planning programmes and events. As well as strong writing and communication skills, Aisha is a highly capable problem solver and adopts creative learning approaches to help EAD achieve maximum results.

Prior to joining the Agency, Aisha interned as an Environmental Scientist at URSCorporation, an AECOM Company before being appointed as Business Coordinator atAreed IT Services.Aisha studied at Abu Dhabi University, completing a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, certification in Circular Economy and Sustainability strategies from Cambridge judge business school. Key projects that Aisha Managed is Baadr App.

Chiara Oberle is Swiss jurist with a professional and academic background in environmental law, international business law and human rights. She is currently a junior associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, specialising in complex cross-border litigation and white-collar crime. Previously, she clerked for the Honorable Judge Zünd at the European Court of Human Rights, served as legal officer at a foundation specialised in strategic marine protection, an in-house legal officer at a Geneva-based translation and software company and served as a research assistant in private international law at the University of Geneva.

Chiara holds a Bachelor in International Relations, a Bachelor of Law and a Master of Law from the University of Geneva. During her Masters she was selected to participate in an exchange program with Harvard Law School, where she provided legal advice regarding superfund sites to local NGOs as a student attorney at the Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic. In her free time, Chiara is passionate about supporting youth in climate activism. She is a Steering Committee member of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��’s Climate Crisis Commission (CCC) and represents the CCC within the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Youth Advisory Committee.

��

Program Officer Species Conservation, Eastern & Southern Africa

Faria Tarus is the Programme Officer for Species Conservation at ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��'s Eastern and Southern Africa Region. She is currently supporting the effective implementation of the species conservation programme under the SOS African Wildlife Initiative.

With a deep passion for wildlife conservation, Faria has 8 years of practical experience to the sector. Over the years, she has played a key role in implementing conservation projects, contributing to the organizational development of local conservation institutions, and engaging with members.��

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Dryland & Natural Resource Management and a certificate in Environmental Impact Assessment & Audit.

��

Based in Missoula, Montana, (USA) Gabriel Oppler is the International Policy & Partnerships Specialist at the Center for Large Landscape Conservation (CLLC), an NGO member of ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� whose mission is to advance ecological connectivity for climate resilience worldwide through science, policy, practice, and collaboration. Gabriel is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and helps coordinate the WCPA Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group.��

Gabriel completed his B.S. in Biology from Haverford College and M.S. in International Conservation & Development from the University of Montana. For his master’s thesis, he conducted research in Ecuador on the implementation of a large-scale ecological corridor in the country’s south-eastern Andes.

Prior to joining the Center in 2019, he gained experience in field ecology—studying botany in Wisconsin and tropical soils in Panama. Gabriel also served as an environmental educator in California and Colorado, where he worked to encourage natural science literacy and environmental stewardship among elementary and middle school students.

��

I am a conservation biologist and criminal law attorney dedicated to the conservation of threatened species, mitigation of human-wildlife conflict, protected areas management, and conservation networking. My research is focused in the behavioral ecology, population ecology and conservation of carnivores, particularly the biology and ecology of wild felids and canids.

I received my Law diploma in 2012, from Universidad Santa María. Then I finished my Criminal Law MSc. in 2016 at the same university. Later, in 2019 I received my Biology diploma from Universidad Central de Venezuela. In 2022 I finished my Biodiversity MSc at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. For the time being I’m pursuing my PhD in biology, and who knows what the future holds.

Since 2015 I’ve been working in jaguars and other felid species in Venezuela, at Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, first as an undergrad student, and later as an associated professional until 2021. Also, from 2019 to 2021 I was Research Coordinator at Instituto Nacional de Parques,where I implemented a group of activities for managing Protected Areas, setting the field for inter-institutional collaborations with universities and NGOs. Nowadays, I’m working as a Research Technician at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid on cattle ranchers-wolf conflict mitigation, focusing my research in chemical communication between canids.

I joined ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� in 2020 as a member of the Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG). Then, in 2023 I joined the Young Professionals Task Force (YPTF) and was nominated as Regional Coordinator for the America’s Chapter. Recently I was promoted as Co-chair of the YPTF, a position in which I’m working to give a voice for early career conservationists in the actions that are being taken to conserve biodiversity worldwide.

��

Manon is a passionate advocate for the environment and conservation, with extensive experience both nationally and internationally.

She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Montreal (2018-2021) and an MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics and Political Science (2022-2023).

From September 2021 to June 2022, Manon served as the Climate and Energy Coordinator at RESES. She represented youth at international climate negotiations as a YOUNGO delegate, participating in events such as Youth4Climate, COP26, and Subsidiary Body (SB) meetings. She also authored articles analyzing the progress of international negotiations and provided training for students on international negotiations and energy.

Before that, she interned at the office of Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Member of Parliament for Hochelaga, from December 2020 to May 2021. During this time, Manon wrote environmental reports and policy briefs for Ms. Martinez Ferrada, facilitated youth groups to discuss policy issues, and engaged in urban agriculture and food security projects in Hochelaga.

Since 2023, Manon has been working with the French Committee of ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��, providing crucial support to the team and participating in strategic meetings at the national and international level.��

Additionally, as a co-founder of l’Écothèque from 2019 to 2021, Manon organized educational events on global warming and created and managed a project on post-coronavirus life titled "Vision du Futur". She also produced podcasts on sustainable living.

Manon's dedication and skills make her a key player in the environmental field, committed to conservation and raising awareness of climate and energy issues.

Marina Venâncio is a lawyer with over eight years of experience in the field of environmental law research and practice. Marina is an environmental lawyer currently working as a programme officer at the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). She has previously worked with several international and civil society organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and holds a master's degree in law, environment, and ecological politics from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil). She has authored and co-authored more than forty publications in the field of domestic and international environmental law and was awarded in 2016 the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s Green Talents Award for her research on agroecological public policies.

During her free time, Marina is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to develop their capacities and meaningfully engage in international fora. She is the Chair of the Early-Career Specialist Group of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� World Commission on Environmental Law (������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� WCEL), a member of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� WCEL Steering Committee, and a member of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Youth Advisory Committee.��

��

I have a background in environmental sciences, agriculture, and rural development, focusing on land use dynamics, socio-economic systems, and biodiversity conservation. I have developed experience and grown a strong interest in scenario building and analysis, identifying pathways for socio-economic development, biodiversity restoration, and climate action. I am also passionate about participatory approaches to inform roadmaps that integrate diverse perspectives, including those of farmers, youth, and early-career researchers. Currently, I work as a researcher at Oxford University, contributing to conservation efforts compatible with sustainable resource use. Additionally, I am acting as co-coordinator for GYBN Europe, mobilising young people for biodiversity conservation advocacy and promoting biodiversity literacy.

I have a background in Environmental Policy to develop�� climate change policy and program design, administration and Environmental Negotiations

I am the current Climate Change Coordinator for the Foundation for the Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge (FPCI)�� in Panama, Food Sovereignty Program Consultant for the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), Founding member of the International Indigenous Youth Forum on Climate Change (IIYFCC) and technical team of IIYFCC, currently ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE (YAC).

We continue in the struggle to enhance the voices of indigenous youth for the mechanisms of the united nations and the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

��

Oumou is a young woman leader with over 6 years' experience in community life in Mali.

Born and raised in Dallah the center of MALI, located in the Douentza region, in the north of the country. She obtained her Diplôme d'étude fondamentale (DEF) there in 2014, where she was among the best students in her village. In 2018, she obtained a Malian baccalaureate diploma in literature.��

From the center to the capital, in 2023, she obtained a bachelor's degree in language and literature at the University of Letters sciences Humans in Bamako in the Faculty of Letters and Langue Sciences of Languages (FLSL).��

In 2022, given her commitment to her community and her love of the English language and American culture, she wanted to strengthen her capacity in the different training courses and the English language, hence the need to join the American center at the US embassy in Mali to learn the English language and also American culture to immerse herself in this diversity. She also ventured into various activities and training courses at the center, such as entrepreneurship, leadership, violent extremism, IT, etc.��

It was in recognition of her constant support for her civic commitment that she was selected by the US government through the Young Women's Economic Empowerment Exchange (SUSI) program, funded by the US State Department, for leadership and entrepreneurship training at the University of Delaware in the USA with 80 young women leaders from around the world.��

Oumou has a great love of nature and a wealth of experience in associative life, particularly in terms of leadership, good associative governance, team spirit and community involvement. These experiences enabled her to create an organization called Youth Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Environmental Protection (AJDHPE), which works to defend the rights of women and children and protect the environment.

In 2023, in view of the impact the association is making at communal level and its commitment to the environment, it took part in the African summit on climate change in Kenya, where it validly represented Mali among other countries, and in the same year in the 10th meeting of the facultative working group of the (LCIPP) and the COP 28, where it was solicited as a holder of indigenous knowledge.

��

Programme Officer, Climate Change, Global Team of Climate Change and Energy Transition Centre for Societal Transformation
International Union for Conservation of Nature.

After obtaining a PhD in Hydraulic Engineering from Tsinghua University (China) in 2016, Qiulin started her career in National Marine Data and Information Service, Ministry of Natural
Resources of China, serving at the Marine Forecast and Disaster Mitigation Division, S&T Planning and Management Division, and International Cooperation Division of Ministry of Natural Resources (secondment) successively.

She been engaged in the study on sea level rise, climate change in marine fields, marine numerical modelling, etc. As the technical investigator, she has participated in many national
projects such as Natural Science Foundation project, Key R&D Program project, Ocean Public Welfare project. She has contributed to facilitate bi/multi-lateral cooperation and programs on marine science and climate change, including China-EU Marine Data Network Partnership etc., and served as focal point of the Global Sea Level Observing System and Tide and Sea Level Committee, Chinese Society for Oceanography.

She served as the senior assistant to the former President of ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� from August 2020 to September 2021, committed in coordinating regular operation of the President Beijing Office, providing strategic and professional support to the President, organising, and participating in high-level meetings and conferences, communicating with relevant counterparts globally, etc. Also contributed to the collaborations that ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� has established with MNR, Huawei and Tsinghua University.

Qiulin joined the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Director General's Office as a Junior Professional Officer from March 2022, provide managerial and technical support to Programme Centres under DDG
Programme's leadership, as well as professional and administrative support to the DG and Executive Board as part of the DGO team. Some of the priorities include: supporting DG and
DDG engagement as required and contribute to the implementation of DG Strategic Objectives and the DGO work plan; assisting DDG Programme with content related tasks, including supports for PPC, CEM and CCC, etc.; proactively participating in the NbS scale
up and supporting the International Standards Committee (ISC); facilitating and coordinating the collaboration and cooperation between ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� and relevant China counterparts and
working closely with Beijing Office and Asian Regional Office.

She joined the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Global Team of Climate Change and Energy Transition in the Centrefor Societal Transformation since March 2024, focusing on renewable and energy transition work. She is a quick learner and team player, very good at communications and coordination, and has the ability to work under pressure and with multiple tasks. She likes reading, hiking and
travelling during her spare time.

Research Associate, World Resources Institute

Radhika is a Research Associate, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) & Climate Private Sector at the World Resources Institute, based in Washington DC, USA. Her work focuses on identifying and developing opportunities for the scaling of private finance for NbS.

Prior to joining WRI in 2023, Radhika worked as a campaign manager for farm animal welfare at Humane Society International/India. She led collaborations with businesses to implement ethical animal protein procurement policies, and engaged policymakers, the business community, scientists, and other stakeholders to foster the growth of the alternative protein sector in India.

Radhika holds a master’s degree in public policy with a specialization in economics & development from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Her graduate research work included analyses of carbon markets with the Energy Studies Institute, market-based governance in Southeast Asia at the Institute for Environment and Sustainability, and climate philanthropy opportunities at the Asia Philanthropy Circle.��

��

Sara Pineda is a Mexican biologist and National Geographic Explorer dedicated tobiodiversity conservation through community-based conservation, collaborative
networks, and environmental education in Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). Shehas coordinated participatory community projects in the Yum Balam Protected Area and the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve. In Yum Balam, Pineda led research analyzing Holbox Island’s vulnerability to hurricanes and its relationship with urban development, using participatory mapping with projection-augmented landscape models. In Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, an area that hosts 10% of Mexico’s flora, she and four other National Geographic Explorers are creating a women’s learning community with a participatory action research approach.

Her commitment to KBAs has also led her to contribute to Mexico’s roadmap for achieving Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, where she provided recommendations focused on equity and inclusion. Her understanding that local and national challenges must be addressed alongside global ones has led her to collaborate with international networks such as The Climate Reality Project and Global Choices. She has also participated actively in youth networks, highlighting her role in managing governance processes in Rellac-Jóvenes and coordinating the North American region of the Young Professionals Network of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��. In these organizations, she facilitated the mentorship program Genera-Acciona to strengthen the intergenerational community of professionals working in protected and conserved areas in Latin America and the Caribbean.

All these experiences have underscored the importance of involving diverse groups in addressing complex challenges and bridging generational gaps. As a result, Pineda has educated over 700 children and young people to raise awareness of these issues, becoming an advisor for environmental education projects and a National Geographic Certified Educator.

Shamma Saeed Alkhoori��is a highly motivated and experienced Analyst – Youth and Community at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), with a proven track record of success in developing and executing innovative environmental initiatives. She is passionate about environmental protection and inspiring future generations to protect our planet.

Shamma graduated from Zayed University with a bachelor's degree in environmental science and sustainability. She joined EAD in 2018 as a volunteer supporting the Agency’s outreach programmes and was quickly promoted to Outreach Programme Specialist – Schools. In this role, she led one of EAD’s flagship projects – the Sustainable School Initiative.

In 2019, she had the privilege of being selected as a UAE youth delegate to the Conference of Parties (COP25) in Madrid, Spain, in recognition of her outstanding performance in the Women in Sustainability ,Environment and Renewable�� Energy�� (WISER) Pioneers programme under the Youth 4 Sustainability initiative by Masdar.

One of Shamma’s most significant contributions to the field of sustainability was her involvement in developing e-Green – the first e-learning platform dedicated to the environmental sector in the Middle East. This platform provides students and teachers with access to high-quality educational resources on environmental topics.

Her work reflects her deep passion for the environment and the importance of building a sustainable future, and she is a role model for young people and an inspiration to us all.

��

Swetha Stotra Bhashyam, a wildlife biologist by training, has dedicated the past 12 years to empowering and mobilizing youth to take action for biodiversity. Serving as the Global South Focal Point for the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) from 2018 to 2023, she has played a pivotal role in representing and amplifying the voices of youth in the Global South. In 2022, Swetha was appointed as the Chair of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� CEESP Inter-generational Partnerships and Young Professional Groups and is also on the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� 20-year Strategic Vision Steering Committee.��

With over 11 years of experience collaborating with grassroots and international organizations, Swetha has been instrumental in building a powerful youth movement for biodiversity. She has supported the establishment of 50 regional and national chapters for GYBN, enabling youth across the globe to come together and make a significant impact.

Swetha's work focuses on forging strong partnerships and facilitating critical dialogues among various stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations, Indigenous Peoples, Governments, IGOs, and the private sector. She recognizes the importance of collaborative efforts and strives to create spaces for meaningful engagement and fruitful collaboration.

Driven by her passion, Swetha advocates for policy and advocacy changes under the UN system, with a special focus on the Convention on Biological Diversity. She envisions working closely with communities to foster a cultural change that, coupled with the right policy changes, can lead to a true transformation of our world's social and economic systems, enabling us to live in harmony with nature. Through empowering youth and advocating for biodiversity, she is committed to creating a just and sustainable future for all.

International Coordinator, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation

Ms. Yanjun Xu is the International Coordinator of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), a leading independent environmental NGO based in China.

She is also a member of ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� SSC Succulent Plant Illegal Trade Task Force, a member of the Secretariat of China Association for the Club of Rome. She actively participated in the translation of ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��’s publication Recognising and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures (2019).

Focusing on the theme of biodiversity conservation, she led the launch of the “CBCGDF Biodiversity Science Popularization Mini-lecture”, which provides a channel for the public to participate in global environmental governance, and effectively improving the public’s understanding of biodiversity conservation and environmental protection related knowledge.

��