Youth Climate Summit 2020: Schools set to make zero carbon pledges
Greenhouse
The Youth Climate Summit 2020 kicks off today
Today, hundreds of schools are gathering for the Youth Climate Summit, the UK’s largest online youth climate event. Organised by environmental charity Global Action Plan, the week-long Summit is happening entirely online on the Transform Our World teacher resource hub and will see UK schools unite to learn and make pledges for the planet.
Organisations including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Tesco, LEGO and the Britain’s Got Talent stars SOS From the Kids choir will be joining students and teachers at over 160 virtual events for primary and secondary ages, designed to get schools and young people thinking about how they can protect the planet. Each day focuses on a different theme, including travel and pollution, food and farming, and fashion and consumption. Today kicks off with nature, oceans and water, and includes events run by the Marine Conservation Society and Sussex Wildlife Trust.
The Youth Climate Summit also sees the launch of the Let’s Go Zero campaign, spearheaded by climate solutions charity Ashden, which is uniting schools working to become zero carbon by 2030 and calling for government backing for zero carbon schools. In the week that leaders should have been meeting for the now-postponed COP26, schools will make their own pledges for the planet, presenting them to the UK’s High-Level Climate Action Champion, Nigel Topping, at the Summit’s closing ceremony.
Promoting the event among schools are a group of passionate Youth Ambassadors, a handful of whom will be interviewing a range of sustainability professionals in lunchtime slots throughout this week. Their guests include Shailja Dubé, who leads the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion, and Caroline Lucas MP.
Erko Sakhiyeva, Youth Ambassador, said: “Schools’ primary goal is to educate a generation of future leaders and doers, global citizens – so it’s vital to make sure that pupils have the resources, knowledge and experience to take action and create a better, more sustainable and inclusive world. Participating in the Youth Climate Summit is a substantial step in this direction.”
Nigel Topping, UK High Level Climate Action Champion said: “Every one of us has a role to play in addressing climate change and young people all over the world are leading the way. I am particularly inspired by the Youth Climate Summit – designed by young people, for young people, who are coming together to take action on climate change and encouraging their schools and families to join them. I’m delighted to be a supporter of the summit.”
Greenhouse PR has provided communications support for the Youth Climate Summit and this week The Sussex Wildlife Trust will be featured on CBBC Newsround, to talk about their involvement in the Summit and how schools can transform their grounds to support nature. The Week Junior also included a feature of the Summit, calling on schools across the UK to include a meat-free Monday in the school lunch halls reduce carbon emissions.
Top influencers including nature campaigners Chris Packham and Mya-Rose Craig (Bird Girl) have also shared the campaign on social media.
The #YouthClimateSummit2020 is open for bookings, with a packed schedule of inspiring online sessions for both primary and secondary schools. Explore what's on from 9-13th Nov & book your free tickets now! https://t.co/Hpq0UWehho @YouthOurPlanet @Strike4Youth @bristolYS4C
— Dr Mya-Rose Craig (@BirdgirlUK) November 6, 2020
If you want to get involved in the Summit, or you know a teacher or a student who might, it’s not too late! Visit the Youth Climate Summit website to register for free and gain access to all 150 events. There’s something for everyone, from a seashore safari to an event run by Fairtrade that chocoholics won’t want to miss. To keep up with all the action, follow Transform Our World on Twitter.
Greenhouse PR is committed to supporting youth movements and schools, who are taking action on the climate emergency. In 2019, we worked with the UK Student Climate Network to mobilise support for the Global Climate Strike and this year the team launched the UK’s first virtual harvest festival for Jordans Cereals to bring the countryside into the classroom.
Whether it’s education, food, fashion, finance or farming, if you’ve got a great story and need our help to tell it, get in touch with the Greenhouse team on 0117 214 1250 or email info@greenhousepr.co.uk.
