Footprint Friends attended a briefing on 2nd March this year to discuss sustainable development and young people. Part of the day was devoted to our collaborative efforts towards the Copenhagen talks. Since then, the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) have been in discussion with Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) about the best way to feed children and young people’s views into Copenhagen, and the government’s policy on greenhouse gas reduction / climate change more widely.
DECC have said that they would like to receive an ‘ambition statement' which sets out the views and opinions of children and young people on climate change.
DCSF have put forward 3 questions that they would like young people to consider. The three questions are:
1. What do you think that you can do about climate change?
2. What can people in your local community, government, and the international Copenhagen conference do about it?
3. What worries you the most about climate change?
Supporters and teachers - If you would like your students to be involved with this, you can return your responses to: feedback.sd@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk or encourage your kids to join the VIP forum and post their views there.
We need all answers back by 01 July so that we can collate the responses and provide the ambition statement to DECC.
Thank you for your help with this, it will provide a powerful vehicle for engaging Ministers and policy makers on children and young people’s views at a national and international level.
This is your chance to encourage young people to have their say.