A select number of Yorkshire’s youth climate activists that will be attending the COP26 summit to show the world how climate change impacts young people.
As the COP26 kicks off in Glasgow this week, leaders from around the world are discussing what can be done about the climate crisis.
Here in Leeds, we may not have the Greta Thunberg to share inspiring speeches and start a movement against carbon emissions, but we do have young people aplenty that could rival her presentations.
The Regional Youth Climate Assembly (RYCA) for Yorkshire and the Humber are fuelled by young climate activists ready to take the world on.
Inspired by the work of 18-year-old Greta Thunberg, members of these organisations, amongst other enthused teenagers will be travelling to the COP26 to ensure that the message of working locally to solve a global problem is addressed.
Many of these activists believe that climate change is one of the most important challenges for young people to navigate.
According to a Bath University study, almost 60% of young people are either very or extremely worried about the climate crisis.
The study of 10,000 people found that over half of participants believe “humanity is doomed” and fuels much of the anxiety and fear within society today.
The RYCA is made up of teenagers from every corner of Yorkshire, with a particularly strong presence in Leeds, Sheffield and Doncaster.
Speaking out about their organisation, representatives have explained that they are not “just the typical A star students“. There are plenty of typically disengaged teenage boys that want to get involved and often ask the RYCA how they can make a difference.
The presence of both the RYCA and other local climate activist groups like Youth4Climate Leeds have made Leeds into a prominent city for climate activism, holding strikes and sharing endless petitions online to make the public aware of their responsibility to the planet.
However past workshops and events will soon be considered a small step compared to the RYCA’s venture to the COP26 this week.
The Yorkshire activists will be showing their project entitled ‘The Ripple Effect’, a film that showcases young people’s voices across the world.
The project will allow young people to share their personal experiences of climate change: from the droughts in South Africa to 10-year-olds sharing the life-changing effects of flooding.
Regional climate meetings are more prominent in Yorkshire than any other county, according to the RYCA.
There are currently no similar groups in Cambridgeshire or Kent, areas that have been previously known for activism.
To follow RYCA’s journey at the COP26 summit, visit their Instagram page.
Feature Image- RYCA Official
