Pupils stage mock Copenhagen summit (From This Is Local London)

Pupils stage mock Copenhagen summit

5:55pm Monday 23rd November 2009 in

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A MOCK Copenhagen summit will be held at a Southgate school tomorrow to help educate pupils about climate change.

Pupils from Broomfield School, in Wilmer Way, Bishops Stortford School, in Brick Lane, and St Ignatius College, in Turkey Street, will transform themselves into world leaders for the day and try to solve the globe's most pressing environmental problems.

The mini summit is part of ActionAid’s "CountDown to Copenhagen" campaign, which invites schools across the UK to take an interest in green issues.

Pupils aged 16 and 17 will be divided into members of the security council, representatives from organisations such as ActionAid and delegates from low lying nations.

Teacher Martha Braggins said: “The Copenhagen summit is probably going to be the most important climate change meeting of this century.

"We thought it essential we give our students the opportunity to actively engage with, and debate the issues, surrounding climate change and we hope these will be brought to life on the day."

Activities undertaken by the students will include making sand and glue messages to represent the land turning to dust in East Africa, which they will send to MP Ed Miliband, cabinet member for climate change, who will be representing the UK in Denmark.

The schools have also agreed to sign up to the 10:10 campaign, which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by ten per cent in 2010.

Janet Convery, head of schools and youth at ActionAid, said: “We are very inspired to see how school children really do care, not only about their environment but also how climate change is already having such devastating effects on the lives of their peers in the developing world.

"I am sure that with the help of the CountDown to Copenhagen resources, thousands of young people will be able to add their voice to this debate in the run up to what is possibly the most important summit this decade.”

It is hoped that talks at Copenhagen, from December 7 to 18, will result in a new global climate treaty to supplant the UN's 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

Delegates from 192 countries are due to attend, but there are doubts over whether the biggest polluters will commit to emissions reduction targets.

For more information on the CountDown to Copenhagen campaign visit www.actionaid.org.uk/countdown or call ActionAid on 01460 23 8000.