During November, our Junior and Senior Debating Societies, formed of pupils from Loughborough High School and Loughborough Grammar School have been discussing some key issues focused on the impacts of climate change and the effectiveness of the annual Conference of the Parties (COP 30), now in its 30th year.
The Junior Debating Society were given the debate question: ‘This House believes that COP 30 is powerless without all countries present.’ The statement generated some interesting arguments but overall, the house voted in opposition of this statement.
Representing the proposition, one speaker said: “COP 30 should not happen without the big three – USA, India and China. Together, they produce over 52% of global CO2 emissions. This means that three countries pollute more than the other 190 countries combined.”
Although a valid argument was made that the largest polluters should be the ones who drive the change, it is important to understand that a large amount of the greenhouse gases are being emitted because of the demand for and consumption of goods in countries across the world, including the UK, with ‘high-carbon’ lifestyles greater than countries like India and China. This highlights the cyclical nature of climate change issues and reinforces the position that all countries, regardless of size, have a responsibility to measure not only their own emissions, but also the emissions they are responsible for in other countries as a result of its population’s consumption.
Ultimately, the House was swayed by the argument of the opposition. The opposing speaker’s key point was: “Most countries do attend, and these are still countries that do emit greenhouse gasses and use fossil fuels meaning that it is still important for them to speak up. If multiple countries agree that they are going to limit the amount of fossil fuels that they use, the demand for these resources will lower, causing an impact on larger countries and encouraging them to follow suit due to profits and cost.”
Speakers at both our Junior and Senior debating societies prepare their arguments independently, conducting their own research based on their interest and passion for the topic. The quality of the arguments produced is testament to their understanding of how a debate is structured and the best ways in which to convey a clear message.
Senior students were faced with the debate question: ‘This House believes that climate change is the biggest emergency of our time.’ While the opposition argued that focusing all global funding on climate change diverts attention and resources from the root causes of suffering – weak healthcare, poor governance and inequality – the proposition raised some particularly important points.
One speaker said: “According to the inter-governmental panel on climate change in 2023, global temperatures have risen by about 1.1 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times – a serious and gradual change that requires sustained global action.” This sentiment was echoed by a question from the audience. The audience member raised the point that the planet is already experiencing things like flash floods, tsunamis and other major weather events, which are events that should not be occurring. When they do, they create critical situations that require a global, fast-action response.
The lively and engaging debates that have taken place across campus this term reflect the importance of young people being able to voice their opinions about wider global issues. This is a topic, Loughborough High School alumna, Laura Gelder-Robertson (LHS, 1995) is passionate about. After returning to the University of Cambridge in 2020 to study the Climate Science and Sustainability Solutions, she became an Assessor at the Institute for Sustainable Leadership there, alongside running her own business to educate and enact profound change and transformation tackling the climate emergency across business, government, society, communities, and schools.
Why is it important for young people to understand and talk about climate change?
The first thing to say is that you aren’t alone in trying to solve the climate crisis. There are many leaders across schools, communities, business, charities and government, who are taking responsibility and leading on how we respond and adapt to a changing climate. Young people are an important part of the puzzle, with unique skills and capabilities too.
I am conscious that there are lots of stories in the news and we can see the effects in the natural world around us of a changing climate and you will likely have an awareness of how the effects of climate change are being felt in communities around the world who are already experiencing first-hand impacts, which can impact on the way you feel and make you feel unsettled or anxious.
If you’re worried about the climate emergency, I’d recommend taking a look at ‘Force of Nature’, Clover Hogan’s incredible global initiative to channel eco anxiety into action and unite young people to actively shape the future they wish to see by providing the mindset, skills, and community to take action. Clover has spoken at many previous COPs and is a really powerful and positive youth leader to follow.
How can young people make a difference now to contribute meaningfully to the climate emergency?
My start point would be to ask yourself what you’re passionate about? If you’re into art, film-making, storytelling, music, debating, designing, sport, or something else, then there’s a role for you; climate action is about building a happier, healthier, more connected, enlightened and conscious society that lives in harmony with our planetary home, not by accident but by design. So, everyone has a role to play and there are thousands of great projects across the UK you can get involved with.
Secondly, if you want to dream big, check out the Earthshot Prize*. It’s an annual environmental award, founded by Prince William, to support and scale innovative solutions for the world’s greatest environmental challenges based on five goals, or “Earthshots.” Each Winner receives £1 million to scale their idea. Looking through this year’s list of winners gives you a sense of just how many initiatives there are already working towards tackling climate issues.
What can COP 30 teach young people about the future of sustainability?
There was good news and bad news from this year’s Conference or Parties. Before I share some of the key takeaways, it’s worth saying that one thing to remember about COP30 is that you have not one, but 193 governments trying to agree on how they solve a whole multitude of complex problems together and that will always require trade-offs. There is no simple, elegant answer to the problems we face, but here are some of the steps forward I believe were made:
Nature restoration: One of the most significant outcomes is the setting up of the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), a major financial initiative worth $125 billion aimed at protecting and expanding tropical forests and including funding for direct support to Indigenous peoples. A key theme was the need for climate action and nature restoration to work together, recognising they are inseparable and interdependent.
Business action and accountability: The Leaders Forum underlined that climate risk is increasingly being treated as an economic risk, accelerating business action and stressing the need for rising accountability and clearer mechanisms to track progress better.
Fossil fuels phase out: More than 80 countries at COP30 supported a call for a formal roadmap to fully phase out fossil fuels. However, the final negotiated agreement did not include this language due to opposition from oil-producing nations. One of the flaws of COP decision-making is that it requires everyone to agree rather than acting on a majority vote.
Youth leaders shaping the agenda: One of my highlights of COP30 was the Youth-led Climate Forum, where young leaders from around the world made a collective statement representing 30,000 young people across 100 countries to demand a “full, fast, fair fossil phase-out. Victoria Elizabeth Whalen spoke about young people’s frustration at being told what’s best for them by ‘institutions who have caused the climate crisis’. Brazilian Youth Leader, Marcele Oliveira spoke about how important it is that governments focus on adaptation (the process of adjusting to the current and future effects of climate change to minimize harm and capitalize on opportunities) and Bangladeshi Youth Leader, Sohanur Rahman, asked that young people be ‘at the heart of climate solutions, not sidelined in discussions about our future.’
My closing top tips would be:
- To get out into nature and connect as often as you can. Nature connectedness is one of the best resources we have for wellbeing and improving mental health, especially if we feel anxious about our changing world.
- Pick your passion. Check out what projects are happening on your doorstep that link solving real-world problems with activities you enjoy and get involved.
- Channel your emotions into being part of the solution. It always feels 100x better to take action, big or small, and feel part of building the brighter, healthier, fairer, more connected future we all dream of.
