“That youth voice is what we’re looking for.”
She said the symposium brought together students from throughout the Taranaki and Manawatū-Whanganui regions.
“Climate anxiety is a big thing for our young people and this event empowered them and how rather than shying away from the realities, being part of the positive change.”
She said students were interested in the science behind climate change.
“They wanted to know how it will impact them and future generations and also what other organisations are doing and what they can do.”
Taranaki students who participated in the submission came from Green School NZ, Spotswood College, Matapu School, Stratford Primary School, Highlands Intermediate, Pātea Area School, Coastal Taranaki School, Bell Block School, Oākura School, New Plymouth Girls’ High School, Midhirst School, Mangorei School, Puketapu Bell Block School, Waitoiriki School, Te Paepae o Aotea and Ōpunake High School.
Students from Tararua College, Whanganui Girls’ College, Norsewood School, Brunswick School and homeschoolers from Whanganui also wrote for the submission.
Stratford Primary School pupils Addison Moore, 12, Elliotte Chadwick, 11, Avik Tate, 12, and Emma Smith, 11, spoke to the submission at the regional council meeting on Monday, May 6.
The school is an Enviroschool, a national initiative that teaches pupils about sustainable living. The programme works in an award system, with schools working through the ranks to achieve the top beyond green-gold award. Stratford Primary School is working towards the final award.
Elliotte said their submission supported the council’s option of allocating more funding to climate change initiatives and to act now.
“We need to act now as climate change is happening right now. We discussed what we need to change as individuals to help our planet and what we currently do at our school. It’s about thinking globally, acting locally and responding personally. We are the next generation and we need to be listened to.”
Classmate Emma said change must happen now because there was only one planet Earth.
“We may be young and small, but we know what we need to do to save our planet.”
As well as reading out the submission, the students brought along an example of what Earth would turn into, Addison said.
“We had one big, shiny apple and a smaller, dried-up apple. We asked them what they’d prefer their planet to look like and explained if we don’t take action now, our planet will end up just like the dried apple.”
Avik said educating others was the first step to stopping climate change.
“We need to communicate and get the message out there. We are the ones that will deal with the consequences.”
Stratford Primary School enviro lead Marlene Lewis said she was proud of the students for speaking to the submission.
“They are very knowledgeable and were inspired by the Beyond COP21 symposium. It’s thanks to Enviroschools Taranaki and the Green School all the students at the event had the confidence to speak up. These students are doing great at paving the way to change.”
Taranaki Regional Council adopted its LTP on Tuesday, May 14, and allocated additional funding to safeguard the region’s biodiversity, deliver freshwater improvements, and address climate change.
