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Three International Climate Champions (ICC) from each of the G8+5 countries met the UK’s Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, in London in March.
During their week’s visit the ICCs developed three challenges. One of these, known as the Kobe Challenge, was presented to the G8 environment ministers’ meeting in Kobe, Japan, in May 2008.
They want concerned young people around the world to vote for the challenge to go to Kobe. (Visit the British Council climate change web pages to see the choice.)
During their meeting with the Environment Secretary, the ICCs discussed their plans for Kobe and the year ahead. The Secretary welcomed the efforts of the champions and took the group to 10 Downing Street, where he personally gave the Kobe Challenge options to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
Young climate change activists delivered an urgent message at the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting in Kobe on Saturday 24 May as part of the International Climate Champions initiative.
Addressing the ministers of the G8 countries and the European Commissioner responsible for the environment, they spoke passionately of the need for urgent action: ‘This and future generations will inherit a poisoned legacy if, collectively, we cannot work together to limit emissions which threaten the eco systems we rely on for our very existence.’
‘We as human beings claim to be the most successful species on earth. This claim is being tested now and will be challenged in the years to come by the problem we have mostly created ourselves’, they said.
The International Climate Champions initiative is part of the British Council’s three-year Climate Change programme of activities to provide an international platform for young people, local partners and leaders around the world to build an international consensus around action on climate change.
The Climate Champions programme has been set up by British Council project managers in each of the G8+5 countries (Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA) to help give young people aged 12-18 a voice on the issue and to improve understanding and, all importantly, to inspire action on the ground.
Visit the International Climate Champions site on YouTube.
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