APPLICATIONS OPEN: Youth, Ocean & Climate Summit!
We need to discuss some burning issues.
We are searching for the next generation of activists to come together at the Youth, Ocean and Climate Summit, on 8th of June 2021 for World Ocean Day.
With world leaders congregating in the UK this year, for two of the most substantial talks on the climate crisis, the G7 Summit and COP26, this is a chance for people aged 11-18 years old to project their voice of power to the people in power.
We are at a pivotal point in tackling the ocean and climate emergency. Even if we act now and cut our emissions immediately, the impacts of the climate crisis will continue but they will be unimaginably worse if we sit back and do nothing.
Over the last two years, young people have driven the climate movement, building incredible momentum and initiating necessary change. The Summit will provide a platform for you, your friend or family member to combine your passions, experiences and ideas on the most pressing issues of our time. The Summit will be an action packed, one-day virtual event, that will cover a range of exciting and engaging activities; driven by some of the nation’s leading, influential youth activists, who will make up the Summit Advisory Panel and Keynote Speakers:
Amy & Ella Meek: Amy and Ella are the teenage founders of the environmental charity, Kids Against Plastic. Since founding their youth-led organisation back in 2016, the girls have worked hard to inspire kids and adults alike to take action to reduce their use of single-use plastics – or become ‘Plastic Clever’ as they call it. Their Plastic Clever scheme has since been adopted by over 1000 schools, as well as by cafes, businesses, councils and festivals around the UK. Amy and Ella have spoken internationally, including giving their own TEDx talk at the ages of 14 and 12 in 2018, and at the UN Geneva in December 2019. They are also published authors, with their book Be Plastic Clever released by Dorling Kindersley in May 2020.
Finlay Pringle: Finlay is a 13-year-old marine conservationist, plastic pollution campaigner, Sea Shepherd Global Shark Ambassador and climate activist. From the North West Highlands of Scotland, Finlay has always had a love for the marine environment; especially sharks. Since the age of 10, he has campaigned relentlessly to raise awareness about sharks and why they need to be protected not feared. In 2018, Finlay became the first school child in Scotland to start climate striking, joining the Fridays For Future movement started by Greta Thunberg. He has travelled to the Scottish and European Parliaments to speak directly with politicians about climate change, giving numerous talks, television, radio and newspaper interviews about these pressing issues.
Dominque Palmer: Dominique is a climate justice activist from England. She is an organiser in Fridays for Future International and the launch coordinator for Climate Live. She works on organising climate strikes and actions, mobilisation for climate action, and international campaigns. She is a public speaker on environmental justice that is interlinked with social issues and has spoken at events such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2019. She has also featured in Forbes 100 UK Leading Environmentalist List for her work. For her, achieving climate justice that protects people and planet is crucial. This includes protecting and taking-action for our oceans.
Abigail Tang: Abi is a member of the Youth Parliament for North Tyneside. She represents the voices of 11-25 year olds locally in North Tyneside, as well as regionally and nationally. Abi has also been part of the Youth Panel speaking at Surfers Against Sewage’s Ocean Conservation APPG virtual meeting in November 2020, on ‘The True Solutions to Plastic Pollution: Listening to the Next Generation’. She is extremely passionate about the environment; particularly getting young people involved in the fight against the climate crisis.
Mhairi McCann: Mhairi is the Founder & CEO of Youth STEM 2030 and is passionate about empowering young people to use STEM to tackle the big challenges in our world, including those facing our oceans. When not working on Youth STEM 2030, Mhairi represents Scotland as a member of the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council, and since the start of 2020 has taken over 38,000 pieces of plastic out of the river Clyde through weekly beach cleans. Mhairi advocates for young people having a meaningful voice in decision making and being treated as stakeholders in ocean conservation. She has a particular interest in rocky shores, which stems from doing scientific research in this area, and believes that systemic change is needed to protect our oceans as a critical global resource for a sustainable future
The aim of the Summit is to produce a clear and impactful Youth Ocean and Climate Manifesto, outlining key, innovative solutions that will combat the ocean and climate crisis. The headlines of the manifesto will be presented by youth activists to high profile leaders and decisions makers live and direct at the end of the day.
The applications are open to anyone and everyone aged 11-18 years old, who has a desire to make positive change! No prior experience or extensive knowledge of the ocean and climate crisis is needed to apply. All we ask is that you answer two questions, either in writing, via video or a simple voice recording.
Applications will close on the 2nd May. The leaders of the world are listening. It’s time to send them a message! >>>> FIND OUT MORE