Online forum for youth to talk about environment

NEW DELHI, INDIA: What do young people think about the state of the environment? They can now tell the world through www.connect2earth.org.

Supported by telecom giant Nokia, two of the world's largest environmental groups - World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - launched Wednesday the interactive website meant for people between 13 and 35.

The site will be a new online community where young people can have their say on the environment by uploading videos, pictures and comments, the three organisations said in a joint statement to the media.

'The site will also allow people to rank other entries, discuss the issues that matter most to them, and share smart ideas and solutions from their own communities. Each month users will vote on a winner who will be rewarded with a Nokia mobile phone.

"The overall winner, selected by a panel of prominent conservationists, will get the chance to participate in the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona this October and present his or her ideas directly to political, environmental and business leaders from around the world," the statement added. 

The connect2earth site is optimised for using mobile phones to create short films, capture photos and submit comments.

IUCN director general Julia Marton-Lefevre said: "We live on an amazing planet - we need to protect it. We want to encourage young people to be involved in environmental issues and take action. With connect2earth they have the chance to influence real decision makers."

James Leape, director general of WWF International, said: "Connect2earth is a truly global space for young people to connect, share, express their concerns and their hopes about the environment online - and win some prizes in the process. This new community allows them to tell the world why they care about the environment and why it should be protected." 

Kirsi Sormunen, vice president of environmental affairs at Nokia, said: 'Young people feel increasingly strongly about protecting the environment because, for them, it represents their future. We wanted to support WWF and IUCN in this exciting initiative to create a way for young people to express and share their ideas and connect with their peers in a new way.'