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UK Schools Sustainability Network
UKSSN is taking over 20 teenagers from 12 UK regions, all from different schools, to Glasgow for COP26 from 4-7 November. Students will be featuring in the blue ministerial and green civil society zones with partners PPL PWR, Ucell and Climate Psychology Alliance, supported by Global Action Plan, the Royal Society of Chemistry Outreach Department and UKSSN member schools. A further 35 UKSSN students from Years 10-13 will be spreading the word about COP in their schools and regions, and involved remotely in online events and communications.
Calling delegates and organisations involved in COP26!
We are still looking for other opportunities so that every one of the UKSSN students - both those in Glasgow and those working remotely - has a memorable experience of this once-in-a-lifetime international climate conference. If you're involved in COP as a delegate or organisation and looking to give a platform to authentic youth voice - particularly if you'll be in Glasgow from 4-7 November - then do get in touch as it would be great to collaborate. We'd also love to meet up with any other youth groups.
Pre-COP student training
Students have been taking part in sessions on energy storage, climate anxiety, sustainable finance and valuing our green space with PPL PWR, UCell, Climate Psychology Alliance and FareShare. They are also leading their own media training session and receiving media interview practice from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change, Imperial College.
Here is a snapshot of the UKSSN schedule for COP26 so far:
- Friday 5 November: as part of the Youth Empowerment Day in the COP26 Ministerial Blue Zone, one of our students will be on a livestreamed youth panel organised by Defra-DCMS about the role of young people in nature-based solutions and two others will be at an event hosted by the Secretary of State for Education announcing a new Climate Leaders Award and an Education Nature Park.
- Saturday 6 November:
- three students will be at an event showcasing a Gen Zero newly built classroom with the Secretary of State for Education
- we will be joining our COP partners PPL PWR, Ucell and the Climate Psychology Alliance for a Pupil Power Roadshow covering energy storage, green space and climate anxiety topics in the COP26 Civil Society Green Zone in the Glasgow Science Centre. Do come and visit us if you're in Glasgow on that day! Read this news story from PPL PWR for more information: We’re going to COP26!!! – PPL PWR
- UKSSN students will be taking part in Park Runs in Glasgow and around the UK - led by the Mersey Region Schools Sustainability Network - to raise awareness of the need to take drastic climate action and involve everyone.
- three students will be at an event showcasing a Gen Zero newly built classroom with the Secretary of State for Education
- A showreel of UKSSN, PPL PWR and partner projects will feature on a dedicated COP26 Google Arts & Culture site.
- Students from the Mersey Region Schools Sustainability Network founder- St Vincent's School for Sensory Impairment - will be bringing wildflower seeds from their school meadows to distribute to COP delegates in Glasgow.
- Artwork and poetry from a creative anthology project organised by Planetary in partnership with UKSSN will be screened in the blue and green zones during COP and UKSSN students will form a roving gallery around Glasgow by wearing t-shirts printed with anthology entries.
- UKSSN students will also be attending fringe events in Glasgow, including actions led by our partners Students Organising for Sustainability and Force of Nature.
- Students are due to meet students from Nigeria and Nepal, as well as the National Education Union's Co-leader Kevin Courtney, UN youth climate envoy Nisreen Elsaim and Future Foundations.
- Throughout November UKSSN students will be leading assemblies, mock COP events and awareness raising campaign in their schools.
- Students are also being invited to take part in online panels connected to COP during the month of November, such as a Habitat Matters webinar, NEU COP26 webinar, and the Transform Our World Youth Summit (including a COP26 debrief on 10th November at 2pm).
- UKSSN has also been supporting youth climate activists from Haiti, Nigeria and Nepal with living expenses through fundraising events
Look out for us in Glasgow and online!
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