• Environmental advocacy

    Advocacy

Why do we do advocacy?

YEE believes there is a need to include the youth perspective in environmental advocacy.

We are advocating for ambitious, inclusive action to address climate change.

We call for business leaders, politicians and all decision-makers to finally take into account the concerns and demands of young people. They should address the consequences that climate change is taking on youth and our communities.

The YEE AWG tackles this through 8 topics: Green Europe, Climate Change, Environmental Governance, Biodiversity, Oceans & Arctic, Sustainable Energy,  Climate Crisis and Environmental Law.

Our portfolio

YEE Advocacy Team 

In August 2020, Youth and Environment Europe set up new Advocacy Working group – an ambitious initiative to ensure even stronger participation of young people in environmental and climate governance processes, building closer links with decision-makers and advocating for action on climate change.

Who are the advocacy officers?

While committed to specific and diverse tasks, the volunteer liaison officers effectively make a team – the Advocacy Working Group – intended to support each other. 

The team is currently made up of 9 Liaison Officers who focus on various themes, as well as an advocacy manager, an advocacy coordinator and a communications coordinator.

Nathan Méténier

Nathan Méténier

Advocacy & Partnership Manager
Pegah Maysa Moulana

Pegah Maysa Moulana

Advocacy Coordinator
 Agnes Gkoutziamani

Agnes Gkoutziamani

Policy Coordinator
Chloé ten Brink

Chloé ten Brink

Strategic Communications Coordinator
Aleksandra Tulusoeva

Aleksandra Tulusoeva

Liaison Officer on Sustainable Energy
Anna Clara Paranhos Botto Maia

Anna Clara Paranhos Botto Maia

Liaison Officer on Environmental Governance
Anna Maria Marino

Anna Maria Marino

Liaison Officer on Arctic and Oceans
Timea Tutto

Timea Tutto

Liaison Officer on Climate Crisis
Bonolo Madibe

Bonolo Madibe

Liaison Officer on Green Europe
Emma Pagliarusco

Emma Pagliarusco

Liaison Officer on Environmental Law

How does the advocacy team work together?

Our advocacy team is operating on a volunteering basis. YEE has been hosting volunteers for over ten years. With a decade of experience working with volunteers, we can ensure a positive and supportive work environment with many opportunities for professional and personal growth. We value diversity, learning from each other, and intercultural learning.

All advocacy officers report to and are directly supported by the YEE Advocacy Manager and Advocacy Coordinator. The team members have regular meetings, and attend also different YEE meetings and activities.

Concretely, the advocacy working group meets once every two weeks and in between, the Coordinator and Manager conduct one-on-one check-ins. While each Liaison Officer has a specific portfolio, team work is maintained by the joint projects and campaigns we lead, such as #ClimateOfChange or #LightsOnAarhus.

Advocacy team members are expected to be present at online meetings and to contribute within their capacities to the functioning of the working group. Since we are all operating on a volunteer basis, we are respectful of varying capacities as many of our volunteers are university students or young professionals. We always make sure to create a safe space for everyone to share opinions and experiences in a respectful way.

What does the team do?

Some of the work tasks of advocacy officers include: officially represent YEE in regards to partner organisations, attend external meetings and events, strengthen communication, and direct advocacy with some of our partner organisations. Together, the team aim to

  • Bridge the gap with policy-makers on environmental and climate European and international decision-making processes;
  • Ensure that young Europeans are present in climate and environmental decision making processes both at the UN level and the European level;
  • Coordinate our members organisations’ advocacy actions and supporting their advocacy work and campaigns.

Essentially, we are advocating for increased youth participation in environmental governance and processes, cleaner oceans, more ambitious climate goals and increased protection of biodiversity.

News from the Advocacy Working Group

A lot of finance is still not Green​ | Webinar

Together with April Merleaux and Noam-Pierre Werlé, we will discuss the relation of mutual interdependence between financial institutions and the fossil fuel industry.
24.5.2023/by YEE

Advocating for stronger legal protection of rivers in Europe

Rivers - anywhere you are in Europe, there must be a river not far from you. Ancient Greeks would marvel at rivers like Gods. How have we now come to a point in which up to 60% of European water bodies (including rivers) are highly polluted?
18.5.2023/by YEE
Intersectional Ecofeminism

Intersectional Ecofeminism

We have all heard activists and seen studies claim that women lead better and are peacemakers as they favour intuition and collaboration, so, could ecofeminism really be the ultimate solution for the environmental debacle we are facing?
4.5.2023/by YEE

European energy policy | Webinar

Learn about the liberalisation process of the energy sector in the EU since the 1990s and its impact on end consumers.
6.4.2023/by YEE

COP27 Reflections – Together for implementation?​

COP27 wrapped up after negotiations which continued far into the night in the last days of the conference in Sharm el-Sheikh. Despite some positive outcomes, such as the Loss & Damage fund, there is still a lack of recognition of the need to phase out fossil fuels and a general lack of ambition. The motto for this COP was “Together for Implementation” - but have we been able to pass it to action? And are the parties truly “together” in the face of the climate crisis?
7.12.2022/by YEE

Networking session for European Youth: Building the bridge towards intergenerational equity | COP27 Side-event

Networking session for European Youth: Building the bridge…
13.11.2022/by YEE

Intergenerational Dialogue of Continents on Climate-induced Migration | COP27 Side-event

Intergenerational Dialogue of Continents on Climate-induced…
3.11.2022/by YEE

Energy crisis and ecological emergency: is the REPowerEU plan THE solution? 

If exiting from the Russian fossil fuels, gas and coal import is a necessity, should it be then done at all costs? This ambitious REPower EU plan will challenge the EU more than any other plan before. Indeed, this plan should combine a rapid transition to decarbonised energy with the building of strong partnerships between democratic countries while keeping energy affordable and secure for all citizens.
3.11.2022/by YEE

Policy Brief | COP27

Youth is one of critical groups to whom it is crucial…
27.10.2022/by YEE

Aarhus Diary – 26th WGP & ExMoP3, 22-24 June 2022

15.8.2022/by YEE
Youth Greenoble Summit - How did it go

Youth Greenoble Summit – Reflections!

5.8.2022/by YEE

Public participation in planning processes | Handbook | Legal Seeds

The aim of this handbook is to provide a starting point to help you navigate planning processes and how you can participate in them.

Sub-granting scheme

The opportunity to support 7 grant projects by a YEE member organisation, aiming to mobilise and empower young people on a local or national level.

Public participation & environmental impact assessment | Workshop | Legal Seeds

23.6.2022/by YEE

Farewell Letter from Nathan – What a journey: thank you!

21.6.2022/by YEE

Two years in YEE – from volunteer to board member

14.6.2022/by YEE

Underprotected & Underrepresented – Youth & Ocean issues in Europe | Article

7.6.2022/by YEE
haila in YEE office

Farewell Letter by Haila Amin from Stockholm+50

6.6.2022/by YEE

Environmental Impact Assessment and Public Participation under EU Law | Legal Seeds

Explore public participation in decision-making concerning individual large development plans.
12.4.2022/by YEE

EU Environmental Law – A Simple Introduction | Handbook | Legal Seeds

With this handbook, we want to go back to the basics and provide a common ground to help us understand the available tools and mechanisms at the EU level.

Public Participation, a way to be at the heart of environmental democratic governance | Legal Seeds

What is public participation and how is this related to environmental law?
18.3.2022/by YEE

Local Youth Environmental Assembly | Online event

YEE will be hosting a total of two events, scheduled for 8th and 9th of March 2022. The aim of the first round of workshop will be to open general discussions within European youth and stakeholders on UN mechanisms and how they can be best involved. The second round of workshop will then take the opportunity to dive into specifics of UNEA 5.2. including inviting YEE UNEA 5.2. delegates and respective UN agency representatives to help us in understanding the outcomes of the conference and how this will impact youth and youth organisations across Europe.
7.3.2022/by YEE
Biodiversity Conservation Workshop

Biodiversity Conservation: our Past, Present and Future | Workshop for MOs

9.2.2022/by YEE

EU Environmental Law 101 | Workshop

7.2.2022/by YEE

Climate litigation and what follows – Putting climate litigation outcomes into practice | Legal Seeds

31.1.2022/by YEE

EU Nature Restoration Law | Position Paper

6.1.2022/by YEE

The UN Human Rights Council recognition of a Right to a Healthy Environment 

16.12.2021/by YEE

Environmental Governance and Energy Liaison Officers | New Opportunities

13.12.2021/by YEE

A Week Later… Our reflections on COP26

22.11.2021/by YEE

COP26 Policy Brief | YEE’S POSITION

3.11.2021/by YEE

Policy Paper | G20

29.10.2021/by YEE

YEE at COP26 – Toolkit and more!

26.10.2021/by YEE

MOP7 Side Event | Young and marginalised | Webinar

30.9.2021/by YEE

Convention on Biological Diversity | Workshop 

How can young people take an active role in international biodiversity…
23.9.2021/by YEE

Understanding the G20 – Behind the slogans | Webinar

What?
The G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will be held…
22.9.2021/by YEE

Open Call for Advocacy Officers!

Youth and Environment Europe’s Advocacy Working Group (AWG)…
1.3.2021/by YEE

Law and Climate Action | Lights on Aarhus Webinar

Could law make climate change illegal? Can we use existing environmental…
16.2.2021/by YEE

YEE Liaison Officer on Environmental Governance named Regional Facilitator for Europe in the UNEP MGCY

Cathal Swan, YEE’s Liaison Officer on Environmental Governance,…
25.1.2021/by YEE

YEE Liaison Officer on Climate Change named European Climate Pact Ambassador

With the rise of the youth climate movement, YEE plays a tremendous…
16.12.2020/by YEE

Online Panel Discussion on Climate Change and Public Health | #ClimateofChange

On the 12th November, YEE co-hosted second webinar of the  #ClimateofChange…
21.11.2020/by YEE

YEE Advocacy Working Group 2020/2021

7.10.2020/by Tetiana Stadnyk
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