Agenda item

Motion Submitted by the Conservative Group - Youth Council for Climate Change

 

Egypt COP27 was just finished last week (November 2022). If there is one thing we learnt, that is that fact that “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator”, said by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

 

The year of 2022 is unforgettable, not only because of the energy security, but also because of the UK’s first ever red heat warning in July. This was followed by drought across much of England at the same period as flood alerts were issued as the heatwave broke up with thunderstorms and torrential rain in Aug.

 

Trafford Council declared the “Climate Emergency” in Nov 2018. It is now the Council’s duty to cut emissions, increase biodiversity, protect our communities and adapt services to minimise the impact of climate change, adapt waste collections, protect more vulnerable including those receiving adult social care, women, children and young people.

 

What we have found is that young people have been underrepresented and their voices are largely missed in Trafford. Young people are more vulnerable to climate emergency than older adults who have better paid work, more qualifications and capital, and stronger networks. The ramifications include increasing anxiety about climate related disruption, food poverty and energy poverty.

 

Furthermore, we also found that young people can be powerful motivational speakers, but they are often tokenistic and continue to be excluded from decision making. That’s why we are calling on the Council to work urgently with families, schools and communities to deliver a fresh approach to ensure young people’s voice can be heard by creating a Youth Council for Climate Change by the end of March 2023 where young people can speak up about the issues that affect them and for adults to listen and take their views seriously.

 

All children have the right to live in a safe and clean environment, and we know that the climate crisis is an issue children and young people are passionate about. Meanwhile, we also know that youth leadership is a largely untapped resource for climate actions. When genuine youth leadership happens, it can mobilise communities at speed and at scale. That’s why we believe it is vital for them to have a platform, and one where we can engage with them, to understand their needs on climate actions and work with young people together and in a meaningful way on this profound challenge.

Minutes:

 

It was moved and seconded that:

 

Egypt COP27 was just finished last week (November 2022). If there is one thing we learnt, that is “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator”, said by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

 

The year of 2022 is unforgettable, not only because of the energy security, but also because of the UK’s first ever red heat warning in July. This was followed by a drought across much of England, at the same period as flood alerts were issued, as the heatwave broke up with thunderstorms and torrential rain in August.

 

Trafford Council declared the “Climate Emergency” in Nov 2018. It is now the Council’s duty to cut emissions, increase biodiversity, protect our communities and adapt services to minimise the impact of climate change, adapt waste collections, protect more vulnerable including those receiving adult social care, women, children and young people.

 

What we have found is that young people have been underrepresented and their voices are largely missed in Trafford. Young people are more vulnerable to climate emergency than older adults who have better paid work, more qualifications and capital, and stronger networks. The ramifications include increasing anxiety about climate related disruption, food poverty and energy poverty.

 

Furthermore, we also found that young people can be powerful motivational speakers, but they are often tokenistic and continue to be excluded from decision making. That’s why we are calling on the Council to work urgently with families, schools and communities to deliver a fresh approach to ensure young people’s voice can be heard by creating a Youth Council for Climate Change by the end of March 2023 where young people can speak up about the issues that affect them and for adults to listen and take their views seriously.

 

All children have the right to live in a safe and clean environment, and we know that the climate crisis is an issue children and young people are passionate about. Meanwhile, we also know that youth leadership is a largely untapped resource for climate actions. When genuine youth leadership happens, it can mobilise communities at speed and at scale. That’s why we believe it is vital for them to have a platform, and one where we can engage with them, to understand their needs on climate actions and work with young people together and in a meaningful way on this profound challenge.”

 

It was moved and seconded as an Amendment that:

 

At the recent Egypt COP27, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered a powerful message was just finished last week (November 2022). If there is one thing we learnt, that is that “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator”, said by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

 

The year of 2022 is unforgettable, not only because of the energy security, but also because of the UK’s first ever red heat warning in July. This was followed by a drought across much of England, at the same period as flood alerts were issued, as the heatwave broke up with thunderstorms and torrential rain in August.

 

Trafford Council declared the “Climate Emergency” in Nov 2018. It is now the Council’s duty to cut emissions, increase biodiversity, protect our communities and adapt services to minimise the impact of climate change, adapt waste collections, protect more vulnerable including those receiving adult social care, women, children and young people.

 

This Council believes that young people should be represented in Trafford and their voices should be heard.What we have found is that young people have been underrepresented and their voices are largely missed in Trafford. Young people are often more vulnerable to climate emergency than older adults who have better paid work, more qualifications and capital, and stronger networks. The ramifications can include increasing anxiety about climate related disruption, food poverty and energy poverty.

 

Furthermore, this Council believes we also found that young people can be powerful motivational speakers. However, but they are can often tokenistic and continue to be excluded from decision making. That’s why we are calling on the Council to work urgently with families, schools and communities to deliver a fresh approach to ensure young people’s voice can be heard by engaging with them and identifying how best they wish to raise their concerns about our climate emergency creating a Youth Council for Climate Change by the end of March 2023 where young people can speak up about the issues that affect them and for adults to listen and take their views seriously.

 

All children have the right to live in a safe and clean environment, and we know that the climate crisis is an issue children and young people are passionate about. Meanwhile, we also know that youth leadership is a largely untapped resource for climate actions. When genuine youth leadership happens, it can mobilise communities at speed and at scale. That’s why we believe it is vital for them to have help design a platform that best works for them, and one where we can engage with them, to understand their needs on climate actions and work with young people together and in a meaningful way on this profound challenge.”

 

Following a debate on the matter, the Amendment was agreed with Council’s unanimous consent. The Substantive Motion was then put to the vote and was unanimously carried.

 

RESOLVED: That at the recent Egypt COP27, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered a powerful message that “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator”.

 

The year of 2022 is unforgettable, not only because of the energy security, but also because of the UK’s first ever red heat warning in July. This was followed by a drought across much of England, at the same period as flood alerts were issued, as the heatwave broke up with thunderstorms and torrential rain in August.

 

Trafford Council declared the “Climate Emergency” in Nov 2018. It is now the Council’s duty to cut emissions, increase biodiversity, protect our communities and adapt services to minimise the impact of climate change, adapt waste collections, protect more vulnerable including those receiving adult social care, women, children and young people.

 

This Council believes that young people should be represented in Trafford and their voices should be heard. Young people are often more vulnerable to climate emergency. The ramifications can include increasing anxiety about climate related disruption, food poverty and energy poverty.

 

Furthermore, this Council believes that young people can be powerful motivational speakers. However, they can often be excluded from decision making. That’s why we are calling on the Council to work urgently with families, schools and communities to deliver a fresh approach to ensure young people’s voice can be heard by engaging with them and identifying how best they wish to raise their concerns about our climate emergency.

 

All children have the right to live in a safe and clean environment, and we know that the climate crisis is an issue children and young people are passionate about. Meanwhile, we also know that youth leadership is a largely untapped resource for climate actions. When genuine youth leadership happens, it can mobilise communities at speed and at scale. That’s why we believe it is vital for them to help design a platform that best works for them, and one where we can engage with them, to understand their needs on climate actions and work with young people together and in a meaningful way on this profound challenge.