The majority of the world's scientists and leaders agree that the Earth's climate is changing because of manufactured greenhouse gases. The result will be a substantially altered climate which poses one of the greatest threats to society as we know it and the biggest challenge facing the young people who will inherit and manage our world in the future. It is vital to raise their awareness of the issues and to equip them to collaborate across cultures in seeking solutions.

The British Council recognises the need for urgent action to prompt behaviour changes, both nationally and internationally, towards reducing carbon emissions in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. This is in line with the Stern Review, which concludes that the benefits of strong and early action far outweigh the economic costs of not acting, and that action is required immediately.

Climate Cool, co-organised by the British Council, the HKSAR Education Bureau and UniServity, aims to engage students, initially in Hong Kong and the UK but ultimately around the world, in raising awareness and understanding of the impact of climate change in their own and different countries and in exploring realistic solutions. It will:

• prompt students to take a lead in reducing their own carbon footprints
• give them a voice to influence key decision-makers, locally and globally
• prompt their own responsible decision-making and citizenship as they approach adulthood
• support education reforms and pedagogy related to personalised learning

Find out more on our Climate Cool online learning platform. If you are interested in joining this cool community, e-mail us at climate.cool@britishcouncil.org.hk.

Let's help secure the future of our world!