Y9 students participate in model UN COP26 Conference

 Six Year 9 students from Chesterfield High School have recently taken part in a model COP26 conference alongside ten other Sefton schools. Our school represented Australia and debated with different countries, from  the world’s largest economies to the vulnerable island nations.

First, the groups delivered opening speeches introducing their countries current issues with climate change the potential solutions they are using to tackle the issues. Then it was time for global negotiations. “It was an exciting but tense experience,” says year 9 student, Will Smith. A heated debate took place involving quick fire questions and students had to think on their feet.

Following this, students went into break out rooms and Australia was grouped with China and the EU. The discussion theme was the problems faced by the world’s oceans. Ann-Marie Clegg, Sefton’s Environmental Education Officer facilitated so the country teams to cooperate with ideas on raising climate ambition. Our Australia team offered the world their expertise on protecting coral reefs against ocean acidification.

The second part of the conference was a special Q&A panel which included representatives from local sustainable businesses and an independent rapporteur from Hungary, Balazs Nagy, sharing what local action looks like in his country. Students were able to see how they could take action on a local scale to help create change.

Each school gave a closing pledge for action against climate change, evaluating their experience of the conference and looking into what further actions they can take.

“Our year 9 team will form some of the first members of our Youth Sustainability Council who will be working on projects such as tree planting, recycling and building climate awareness,” says participant Alexandra McLeod.

The experience has inspired an upcoming event in which students will take part in an online conference with a new partner school in Mombasa, Kenya, sharing their experiences globally.