In June, Brannel School and CELT hosted a virtual Eco Conference to coincide with the G7 Summit.
Young activists like Greta Thunberg, and the millions of people they inspire, are campaigning to bring about political and social change in order to help save our planet.
The mobilisation of young people is one of the strongest catalysts to force politicians to understand that things have to change.
Cornwall’s Schools’ Eco-Conference
Cornwall’s Schools’ Eco-Conference, an event spearheaded by Brannel School, focused on providing an opportunity for school councils and student eco-committees to unite and take actions – small and big – to build a future that is greener, cleaner and fairer.
30 schools attended from across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Schools from other parts of the UK and Sweden also attended the virtual event, which was timed to coincide with the G7 summit. The conference brought together current and future changemakers from across the world to discuss the global climate crisis and climate justice priorities.
With the ethos ‘think global, act local’, the aim was to motivate young people and provide them with the tools to become changemakers. Guest speakers and panellists – including student mentors from Exeter University, Hugo Tagholm from Surfers Against Sewage, Dr Kelly Haynes of the Environment Agency and Emily Stevenson from Beach Guardians (to name just a few!) – were invited to inspire the student delegates with their changemaker stories.
We also had considerable support from local businesses and not-for-profits who sent in video messages.
Changemakers
During the Eco Conference, students and their eco lead teachers were challenged to come up with strategies for change that they could take back and deliver in their own schools and communities – ensuring that real change was delivered as a result of the conference.
We’re really excited to see the initiatives that come out of the conference. We are planning to organise more collaborative projects across the county e.g. joint schools’ beach clean as part of the Surfers Against Sewage Million Mile Beach Clean initiative. This will focus on encouraging young people to raise awareness of plastic pollution – again, empowering students as agents for environmental change.
Cornwall Green Schools
For more details on the priorities and themes that came from the 2021 Cornwall Schools’ Eco-Conference, please watch our Doodly and visit Cornwall Green Schools.