SCHOOLS from across Leicester have taken part in a conference exploring the action needed to tackle the global climate emergency.
Pupils from 10 city schools took part in the Secondary School and College Climate Conference, held at Leicester’s City Hall, as one of the highlights of the national Great Big Green Week campaign.
The conference was designed as a way for young people to engage with the build up to the COP27 climate summit in November.
It gave students the opportunity to reflect on the issues around climate change, to discuss the environment and the policies put in place to protect it across Leicester.
It was also a chance to engage in questions, debates and discussions on matters such as responsibility for climate action, the perspectives of young people and vulnerable nations, and the collective effort needed to bring about meaningful change.
Students worked together to look at some of the key issues around energy use, emissions, the natural world and the Earth’s oceans, before selecting one vital climate action to post on the conference display board.
The afternoon session focused more locally on how the actions set out in Leicester City Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan will impact the lives and businesses of city residents, and included a chance for students to question directly the senior councillors and council officers about the action plan.
Schools taking part included Madani Girls School, Leicester High School for Girls, Cedars Academy, Martin High School, Avanti Fields School, Jameah Girls Academy, Rushey Mead Academy, Lancaster Academy, Moat Community College and WQE College.
The conference was part of the wider programme of Great Big Green Week events.
A further 15 schools across the city were also given £100 each for schemes involving activities such as cutting plastic use, growing fruit and vegetables in their school grounds, community litter picking, seed bomb making and bike repairs.
Leicester deputy city mayor for transport, clean air and climate emergency, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: “The challenges presented by the climate emergency facing all of us require global collaboration and innovative thinking, and events like this are an opportunity for our young people to play their part in that, by discussing and putting forward ideas of how things can and should be done better to safeguard all our futures.
“I’m very proud of the students for taking part in this event and bringing their own perspectives and ideas to such a vitally important topic.
“With the COP27 climate summit taking place next month, it’s a timely reminder of the significant steps and we can all take, locally or globally, to limit the impact of climate change.”
Leicester’s Climate Emergency Strategy sets out an ambitious vision for how the city needs to change to move towards becoming carbon-neutral and adapting to the effects of global heating by 2030, or sooner.
More details of The Great Big Green Week are available here: https://greatbiggreenweek.com
(Ends)