The Transform Our World Youth Summit is currently taking place alongside COP26 and I had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah and getting an insight into young peoples' role in fighting climate change.

Ice caps are melting, the temperature is rising, and sea levels are rising. Due to the ever-increasing demand for the earth’s natural resources, climate change is a more apparent issue than ever. However, the generation that has to face the consequences of the damage to our environment is not in a position to make any important decisions currently. One way young people are making sure their voices are heard is through the Transform Our World Youth Summit, which is a 4 day event with different showcases on the topic of climate change. I had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Boughton, program officer for Global Action Plan, and get an insight into what led to the creation of the platform for the youth to share their views. When asked what her first experience regarding climate change was, she replied “Personally, when I was younger, I always loved nature, animals, and David Attenborough. However, it was only when I got to University that I truly understood the extent of the issue of the climate crisis. I studied Business Management and learned a lot about the damage some businesses were having on people and the planet, and this upset and angered me, leading me to do my independent research around the topic. In turn, I decided I wanted to do something that had a positive impact on our world and make a change.”


A recent survey conducted by Bath University showed that nearly 60% of the young people approached said they felt very worried or extremely worried regarding the prospect of climate change. The rise of eco-anxiety is prevalent today and will only get worse as time goes on. I asked what inspired Hannah and her colleagues to organize the summit and she replied “Here at Global Action Plan, we wanted to provide a great opportunity for schools to come together online to join in a journey of climate learning, discovery, and action. We are constantly inspired by young people’s passion, care, and knowledge of the climate crisis and are always keen to support them in calling for change and show they are not alone in their concerns and that they can make a difference.”


I also asked Hannah what is hoped to be achieved through the youth summit to which she replied “Our hopes and aims for the Transform Our World Youth Summit is that young people will learn practical actions that they can do to make a change at an individual level as well as influencing those in power. We also want to help young people to feel they all have a role to play in tackling these big issues and that they’re united in compassion with others who care as they do.”


We ended the interview on a hopeful note after I asked Hannah what advice she had for young people. “My advice to young people is to not be afraid to show you care and speak up for what you think is right and important, as more people than you think, care just like you. Even just opening up and having these important conversations has a positive impact. Your voice and efforts, no matter how small or big, are powerful.”


The Transform Our World Youth Summit (Global Action Plan) is now live and free to watch for the thousands of students who want to make a change in the world.