Lizzie set to give young people a 'moral voice' at climate conference

FOR Lizzie Gawen, next month's Copenhagen summit has the potential to be a crucial step in the battle against climate change.

And the 21-year-old environmentalist says the British youth delegation she heads has the power to influence the decisions of political top brass at the event.

The ex-University of Derby student, who lives in Mount Carmel Street, Normanton, will be a major cog in a 2,000 strong group of young delegates at the 12-day talks.

The summit's aim is to draw up a new global climate treaty to replace the UN's 1997 Kyoto Protocol which meant that 37 industrialized countries, including the UK, agreed to reduce their carbon emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels by the year 2012. If finalised, a new treaty would set new targets for industrialised nations to reduce emissions, and other targets for poorer nations to limit greenhouse gases.

It would also organise funding for developing countries to reduce their emissions and deal with the changing climate caused by the greenhouse effect.

Miss Gawen said pressure from young people was vital in making leaders work harder towards a resolution.

The group will speak to Britain's secretary of state for climate and energy change, Ed Milliband, at the summit.

Miss Gawen said: "I really think we can make a difference. If negotiations are pushing for 20% reduction in emissions instead of 25% we will be there saying we really need this for our futures and for our children's futures.

"Our main purpose is to give a moral voice for young people."

She said the importance of youth had grown since the last climate change summit she attended as part of a youth delegation in Poznan last year.

She said: "Last time the different groups had to pay for themselves but now the Dutch Government is funding our involvement.

"Our delegation has also been able to pay for 10 young people to come from Kenya. In Poznan (where the last summit took place) there was only one black representative in a group of 500 young people which is a bit of a disgrace."

Miss Gawen will be heading the British delegation of 18 young people, aged 18 to 26, who will attend a week-long youth event and then the climate summit itself from December 7 to 18.

She could be among the speakers from the youth coalition who would take the floor and address the heads of state.

Miss Gawen said: "A lot of the speech making will be reactionary – responding to what the delegates are saying.

"It was similar at Poznan. There was a speech when we became concerned that countries were not taking the rights of indigenous peoples into account when they were discussing deforestation."

Miss Gawen's interest in climate change began at Park College, Eastbourne, one of only 20 places in the country to offer World Development Studies at A-Level.

She then went to the University of Derby where she became more heavily involved in environmental campaigning.

Following her work at Poznan, she was selected to head up the Copenhagen youth delegation, organising transport, insurance and finances for the trip.

She said: "I'm so excited. Making young people into new climate change campaigners is really important.

"I don't want young people to look back and say they didn't do anything."

Miss Gawen said many of the changes the coalition would be calling for could be seen as important by anyone, even those who don't believe in climate change.

The Derby Telegraph has reported on how East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer has spoken out against those believe human activity is responsible for climate change.

He said "climate hysteria" is "based on very suspect computer models", and driven by media hype and money.

Miss Gawen said: "The steps we would like to see taken benefit everyone by being good for the economy as a whole.

"Things like renewable energy and green jobs – employing people for example to install solar panels and compost waste."

Miss Gawen is also a member of the Derby Campaign Against Climate Change which is sending three older members to take part in the summit.

One of them is chairman Peter Robinson who agreed that recent articles in the media suggested an overall resolution might not be reached at the summit.

Despite their huge levels of carbon emissions, the USA, China and India are yet to commit to sending delegations to the event.

He said: "It seems unlikely that they will reach a resolution but things are moving in a number of ways – just not fast enough.

"There's an amazing change in awareness of climate change but we have a long way to go."

The group is calling for Derbyshire people to join a march in London ahead of the main event.

Derby Preparing for Copenhagen Coalition, which includes the group, has arranged for coaches to take people to the rally in London on December 5.

Tickets can be bought from Sound Bites, Morledge, and Wesley Owen bookshop, Queen Street, for £3 and £6.