Waves for Change – Young Voices for a Sustainable Sea

A Forum for the Future

The event Waves for Change – Youth Forum for a Sustainable Baltic Sea was organised within the framework of the SI-funded project Biosphere for Baltic – Future Generations, a cooperation between biosphere reserves in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany. The project aims to strengthen the role of young people in sustainability work and create a common platform for learning, influence, and cooperation.

Biosphere reserves are model areas for sustainable development designated by UNESCO within the global Man and the Biosphere Programme. The purpose is to promote cooperation between people and nature, and to test and spread solutions for sustainable societal development.

“Young adults are a prioritised target group in UNESCO’s global strategy. Involving them brings new perspectives, knowledge, and hope for the future – but the target group is not always easy to reach,” says Åsa Pearce, project manager for the project.

At the forum, 32 young adults from six EU countries around the Baltic Sea took part in discussions about the  environmental challenges of the Baltic Sea and how youth can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Creative Solutions and Visions

During the forum, participants delved into the challenges of the Baltic Sea and explored possible solutions. Using the “What if” method – a creative process for formulating visions for the future – the youths worked in groups to develop ideas for how we can live in harmony with nature.

The result was both paintings and a written statement, which were presented to representatives from, among others, Helcom, the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO, and the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment. The paintings depict a sea in balance – with clean, fresh water and rich biodiversity. Here, eelgrass and bladderwrack sway, full of life. They symbolize a future where we live in harmony with nature, in a way that benefits both people and ecosystems.

Young People as Agents of Change

Inspiration, cooperation, and nature-based solutions were highlighted as ways forward – from solar panels and reuse to citizen science and education. It became a concrete example of how young people can contribute both knowledge and engagement to issues that concern the entire Baltic Sea region’s future.

During the forum’s final presentation, participants emphasised the importance of showing that behaviours can actually change – through education aimed at decision-makers, sustainable urban planning, and by including ocean literacy in school curricula. They also stressed that young people need to be involved in decision-making to create real change.

“We love what we know and we protect what we love – was one of the quotes from the forum’s participants. And that perhaps best sums up what Waves for Change was all about: creating an emotional connection to the sea, and giving young people the tools to make a difference”, concludes Åsa Pearce.