Members of Warwickshire’s Youth Council are encouraging other young people in the county to speak up about climate change and convince others to take action to reduce their carbon emissions.
In the discussion, recorded as part of the Sustainable Warwickshire podcast series, Riyasa Uprety from Rugby High School and Adam Ratcliffe from King Edward VI Sixth Form College in Nuneaton talk about the importance of young people making their voices heard on the behaviours and actions that we can all do to influence climate change.
Listen to the latest Sustainable Warwickshire podcast episode here:
As members of Warwickshire’s Youth Council, Riyasa and Adam are well used to discussing some of the most pressing issues for young people in the county. In their conversation about climate change, they share their worries for the future of our environment and in particular their fears that it will be the current generation of children and young people who will be left to live with many of the consequences of climate change.
As a result, they recognise the need for young people to be better informed about the importance of climate change and protecting biodiversity, and the challenge of having sufficient time and space to focus on these issues within schools and colleges. Amongst their call for global governments to take the issue of climate change more seriously, they also urge other children and young people in Warwickshire to change their own behaviours in smaller ways, such as choosing active travel or public transport over using cars for short journeys.
Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture said: “It’s so important to listen to our children and young people on issues such as climate change, which will impact on their future quality of life and career choices. Children and young people make up 22% of the population in Warwickshire and they are likely to be left to deal with the consequences of what we all do today. It’s great to see that our young people are increasingly aware of the challenges and risks from climate change and that more of them are taking action to do something about it.”
The Sustainable Warwickshire podcast series is for those people living and working in Warwickshire who care about climate change. It features conversations with people from across the county who are taking action to reduce carbon emissions and support biodiversity. It covers subjects such as energy, waste and recycling, transport, infrastructure and the green economy, whilst also giving Warwickshire residents ideas on how to get involved and play their part.
You can find the Sustainable Warwickshire podcast on Spotify or Apple by searching for “Sustainable Warwickshire”. All episodes are also available at: https://sustainablewarwickshire.podbean.com/
For more information on climate change, visit https://www.sustainablewarwickshire.co.uk