Sheffield school hosts groundbreaking climate summit for pupils

Faced with the seismic task of having to stop – or at best, slow down –the devastating impact of climate change, it is no wonder that Generation Z – today’s teenagers - enjoy a reputation of being fierce campaigners, the most well-known being Greta Thunberg, whose school strikes for climate sparked a global movement.

And on Wednesday, 1500 pupils from across the UK came together in Sheffield to brainstorm together solutions for change – as well as hearing from some of the UK’s most influential campaigners.

The second annual Schools Climate Assembly took place at the King Edward VII Upper School in Sheffield.

BBC TV presenter Chris Packham, Nadia Whittome MP and Miriam Turner Joint CEO of Friends of the Earth were among those who addressed pupils attending the event.

Following a day of interactive workshops and talks the pupils and speakers came together with three key demands of the UK Government.

Top of their list of demands are a commitment to 100 per cent renewable power by 2030.

Students have also asked for climate education for everyone with support and time for teachers to deliver this, and investment in training, apprenticeships and jobs that tackle the climate crisis.

Students from 40 schools from all over the UK including Ashford, Wakefield, Chester, Abingdon, Doncaster, Kendal, Huddersfield, London, Stockport, Coventry and Birmingham converged for the event.

Gregory Nasmyth, the founder of the Assembly, said: “SCA is an essential space to empower and educate our next generation helping them to navigate the changes that will be coming in the next months, years and decades.

"The idea behind the assembly was one of positivity, a platform that would inform rather than terrify tomorrow's opinion formers. The Schools' Climate Assembly has been created to educate and encourage the next generation to enact change.

"This student-led movement attracts pupils from all walks of life and speakers who are at the very heart of the climate change debate. Everyone attending the assembly is passionate about the health of the environment and determined to make a positive change to reduce our carbon footprint.

Climate justice activist Mikaela Loach, who presents the YIKES podcast. said: “In the midst of a cost-of-living scandal and hundreds of new oil licences being given out by the UK government just before COP27, bringing over 1500 UK school students together for the Schools Climate

Assembly could not be more timely.

"This urgent event will empower and equip young people to be part of

the necessary climate justice work to transform our world.

Speaking ahead of the event, the school’s headmistress told parents how vital the Assembly was.

Linda Gooden said: “Hosting the Schools’ Climate Assembly 2022 is a significant, national event for King Edward VII School, our students and all the participants because climate issues are at the forefront of our

collective minds.”

Climate education is not currently a statutory subject on the curriculum, althouugh many schools do explore the topic through other lessons including Science and Geography.

The then Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi announced plans on the back of COP26 last year to introduce climate as a core part of the Science Curriculum by 2023.

But the status of plans is unclear due to Governmental changes including there being a new Education Secretary, Kit Malthouse.

Speaking about climate change earlier this year, Mr Malthouse said: “Britain may be unaccustomed to such high temperatures but the UK, along with our European neighbours, must learn to live with extreme events such as these.

“The government has been at the forefront of international efforts to reach net zero, but the impacts of climate change are with us now.”

COP27 will take place in Egypt next month.