OTTAWA (January 1, 2010) - British Council in India has invited University of Toronto Schools student Amy Jiang of Oakville, Ont. to go to a camp (Jan. 27-Feb. 3) to study climate effects on the mountain ecosystem of the Western Ghats. Amy is one of the British Council’s International Climate Champions, a network of students across Canada.

The camp will be based around the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Southern India which is one of the world’s  “biodiversity hotspots” and is now increasingly impacted by the effects of climate change. The area has been witnessing an increase in forest fires, landslides and deforestation and threatening the endemic flora and fauna like the Shola Grasslands  and the Niligiri Tahr. Increased urbanisation and human – animal habitat conflict have added another dimension to the Nilgiri ecosystem.

The international team of Champions will also be part of a high profile event in Delhi on 2 and 3 February organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) called the Annual YUVA meet (Youth Unite for Voluntary Action) where participants from several commonwealth countries will participate.

For information, please contact: Margret Brady, Programmes & Communications Manager, British Council, tel: 1(613)364-6237 or cell: (613)301-5922, margret.brady@britishcouncil.org.

Amy Jiang is a grade 12 student at the University of Toronto Schools. Amy is on the Green Street Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). Last May, she travelled to the World Environmental Education Congress Montreal with the YAC, where she presented a workshop on effective ways to engage youth, and delivered a message from youth at the closing ceremonies. Amy is also currently spearheading the Green Street Youth Mentorship Program, a youth environmental network. In school, Amy is the founder and co-chair of the EcoCouncil, as well as the co-president of the Roots & Shoots club. She also enjoys travelling, reading, and playing sports. She plays field hockey and volleyball competitively, and enjoys biking and hiking. Amy became an International Climate Champion last January, and has since travelled to Ottawa to take part in meetings with prominent Canadian politicians, and to San Diego, where she attended climate camp. Amy is currently treasurer for the ICC’s ICCommit campaign, through which she hopes to inspire other youths to take action against climate change.