Member Article

North East Youngster Sought To Champion Climate Change

The search is on for a young person in the North East who will act as the voice for climate change in the region. The North East climate change champion will assume the role for one year, carrying out activities to encourage their local communities to take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The North East region produces 7.9% of all the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, which impact on climate change.

The chosen candidate will also take part in a number of engagements throughout the year, including a fact-finding tour to Switzerland to witness the effects of climate change at the Gurschen glacier. They will also have the opportunity to meet with a senior Government Minister to discuss climate change and their ideas for how to communicate about this issue. The search for nine young climate change champions for the UK is part of the Government’s Climate Change Communications initiative - a three-year drive to communicate the threat of climate change. The initiative was launched by Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett and Mr Morley last month.

The youth competition is open to any young person aged between 10-18. Entrants will be required to submit their own communication about climate change together with why they believe they should be selected as a champion to Defra. Entries may be in the form of a news report covering how climate change is affecting the UK, why it is important that everyone should know about the issue and how can we work together to tackle it.

The deadline for entries will be March 31, 2006. Full details are available on the new CCCI website - http://www.climatechallenge.gov.uk or from the Defra website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051201c.htm

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .