Initiative
European Fund for Youth Action on Pollinators
Co-funder
This initiative is co-funded by the European Union and will run until 2027.
The European Fund for Youth Action on Pollinators aims to foster the engagement of young people in implementing the actions outlined in the revised EU Pollinators Initiative: A New Deal for Pollinators, and advance the next generation of conservationists.
This initiative funds on-the-ground conservation action and research projects to protect pollinators across Europe through two simultaneous calls for proposals, that will be open to youth-led civil society organisations or non-governmental organisations which have a youth section and are active in pollinator conservation in the EU. It aims to improve knowledge of pollinator decline, its causes, and consequences while enhancing conservation efforts and addressing key threats. Additionally, it seeks to mobilise individuals by fostering collaboration at multiple levels and raising public awareness of pollinators’ vital role in biodiversity and food security. It also aims to increase youth capacity in conservation by facilitating knowledge exchange, best-practice sharing, and policy influence at national, European, and international levels.
The current status of pollinators in Europe
Pollinators in Europe include a wide range of species, from insects such as bees, butterflies, and hoverflies to birds, bats, and small mammals. However, their populations have seen a significant decline in recent decades due to unsustainable land use, intensive agriculture, pesticide exposure, invasive alien species, pollution, and climate change. This decline poses a serious threat to ecosystems, food security, and human well-being, with pollinators contributing an estimated EUR 5 to 15 billion to the European Union’s agricultural economy.
To counteract this crisis, the European Commission adopted the revised EU Pollinators Initiative in 2023, outlining a set of actions aimed at improving knowledge on pollinators, strengthening conservation efforts, and mobilising society, particularly youth, to take action.
The important role of youth in conservation
Young people are pivotal to the future of conservation, serving as innovators, leaders, and changemakers in an ever-evolving world. Empowering them to participate in conservation action is essential to delivering on conservation goals. The IUCN Youth Strategy also recognises this, and aims to both support initiatives led by young people and to include youth at all decision-making levels of the Union.
Furthermore, as part of the broader Youth for Pollinators Pilot Project initiated by the European Parliament in 2022, this initiative plays a central role in putting its objectives into action by establishing strong connections with a Youth Assembly and providing future training opportunities for young conservationists.
Empowering the next generation of conservationists
The European Fund for Youth Action on Pollinators is committed to strengthening conservation capacity by fostering a network of young practitioners and facilitating knowledge exchange. Grantees will join a dynamic peer network, enabling them to share experiences, best practices, and resources. Capacity-building webinars will address specific learning needs, providing a platform for discussions on effective conservation strategies, while successful project approaches will be documented as best practice examples on the PANORAMA Solutions platform. Additionally, an interactive lesson learned workshop at the end of the initiative will bring grantees and stakeholders together to reflect on project outcomes, share insights, and refine conservation methodologies for greater impact.
As a key actor in European pollinator conservation, IUCN has played a leading role in supporting these efforts, from assessing species through Regional Red Lists assessments to developing action plans for threatened pollinators. Through the Species Conservation Cycle, composed of “Assess”, “Plan”, “Act” and “Communicate” modules, IUCN has helped identify priority conservation actions and is now spearheading efforts to maximise on-the-ground-action and develop conservation action plans.