IUCN has long championed the voice of young people. In 1956, the Union established and supported the International Youth Federation for Environmental Studies and Conservation, which united youth-led environmental organisations worldwide until the 1990s. During that period, and through the present day, IUCN has led youth-focused activities through its Programmes as well as Resolutions from multiple IUCN Congresses and events. The IUCN Youth Strategy and the emerging priorities of the YAC will build on decades of policy that continue to motivate IUCN Members, Commissions and the Secretariat to champion young people.
IUCN Youth Advisory Committee
The IUCN Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) oversees and provides guidance on the implementation of IUCN’s Youth Strategy.
Recognizing the importance of better integrating youth into the IUCN, the Youth Strategy for 2022-2030 proposed strategies for increasing meaningful engagement of youth in IUCN’s policies, processes and programmes. It called for the creation of a historic IUCN Youth Advisory Committee, to oversee and provide guidance on the effective implementation of Youth Strategy.

The YAC was officially launched in April 2024, led by and for young people, and will bring energy and dynamism to infuse youth perspectives and priorities into the Union’s work.
The newly-established Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) supports the implementation of the IUCN Youth Strategy across the Union, by:
- Promoting the IUCN Youth Strategy across all parts of the Union to support and synergise existing efforts, and catalyse new ones to achieve the intended outcomes of the Strategy;
- Measuring and communicating outcomes from the Youth Strategy, according to the 2030 Action Framework;
- Enhancing resourcing and capacity across the Union to ensure delivery of the Youth strategy outcomes through effective advocacy.
The YAC is comprised of diverse youth representatives from across the Union and beyond:
- 4 youth members from IUCN’s global membership, identified following a youth-led selection process across the IUCN membership
- 2 youth member proposed by IUCN’s IPO members
- 7 youth members of the IUCN Commissions, proposed on joint recommendation of the IUCN Commission chairs
- 2 youth members of IUCN staff (from two different regions) nominated by young professionals within the IUCN Secretariat
- 2 additional members to facilitate intergenerational dialogue and promotion of the Youth Strategy can be invited based on a majority from the YAC.