In 2022, empowering the youth to take action in conservation has been a key focus of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, with activities not only in the Wadden Sea, but also on the global scale.

In the framework of the Partnership Hub project “Sharing and developing knowledge to strengthen the contribution of shipping to a well-protected Wadden Sea World Heritage”, NGOs, ports, ship owners and the Wadden Sea Forum work together.

After the conclusion of the Trilateral Youth Conference in September 2022, young adults from Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands continued with their exchange to increase youth’s influence on the conservation of the Wadden Sea.

The 19 site managers came from four nature reserves and national parks that make up the World Heritage Site.

In November and December 2022 two workshops on nature- and climate-friendly ferries took place in Leer and Oldenburg (Lower Saxony). Experts and stakeholders from the national park authority, environmental NGOs, water police, academia, tourism, as well as commercial and recreational shipping came together to discuss sustainable ferries in the Wadden Sea.

The Trilateral Dark Sky Initiative is an example of the intensive involvement of partners and the enlargement of the existing Wadden Sea network.

“Young Climate Action for World Heritage” is a youth project combining the topics UNESCO World Heritage and climate change with a focus on sustainable action.