Small Money, Big Impact

On September 6th, 2019, wethe Pollinator Ambassadors spoke at the Directorate General Environment (DG-ENV) of the European Commission in Brussels on the topic of small grants for biodiversity projects.

As young beekeepers and conservationists, we have encountered many hurdles to protect biodiversity. Because of these experiences, we make it our mission to make the field of biodiversity conservation more accessible, especially at the local level.

Young people, and women in particular, face many barriers to make a sustainable living from nature-based work. Governments and organisations set countless targets to halt biodiversity loss, and much of the work on the ground is carried out by unpaid interns and volunteers. Despite having a university degree, many young people cannot get stable employment in the nature based industry. Beyond being a wider societal issue, there are hurdles which could be overcome by EU level policy. For instance, the introduction of small, accessible grants for individuals making a positive impact for biodiversity.

Through our presentation and engagement with the European Commission DG-Environment, we have shown that it is possible for young people to reach out to policy makers and demand change.