hopeful earth conference

Environment Matters

Last October, Ditcham Park School hosted a Hopeful Earth Conference for Youth. Students from 9 local schools attended this event which was reported by the BBC. Students listened to presentations from Dr Tony Whitbread CEO of the Wildlife Trust, Philip Lymbery Chief Executive of Compassion in World Farming and Extension Rebellion activist Jack Harries. The purpose of this conference was to inform students about how they could take responsible and meaningful action to offset the climate crisis.

Global warming and the associated extinction crisis is the most important issue of our time. We are scared about the damage we are doing to our planet and how climate change will impact our future but we are hopeful that work can be done to make things less harmful.
We recognise that those who are least responsible for the crisis are affected the most. As we learn to change we will care for the most vulnerable and strive to create a more just and equal world.
This pledge affirms our strong and positive commitment to protect life on earth and to take action on climate change now. We pledge to act, to educate and make a change daily.

At the 2019 Hopeful Earth Youth Environment Conference, ten schools in Hampshire and West Sussex made a strong commitment to pledge action on climate change. Here is our pledge.

Our Pledge

We pledge to act; to change; to hope.

We demand positive action from our schools to:

  • Play a leadership role for our community to model how we would like others to act
  • Develop a curriculum that teaches pupils about the urgency, severity and scientific basis of the climate emergency and adequately addresses the profoundly unequal ways the crisis is manifesting itself throughout the world
  • Empower students to develop confidence and passion when it comes to making a positive difference in society, and come to see themselves as activists and leaders for social and environmental justice – and to support them when times get tough
  • Change the way food is provided for students, by introducing more vegetarian food to school menus (and having days when there are no meat options), reducing food waste and sourcing as much food locally as possible
  • Commit to reducing plastic use in school and to the eradication of single use plastics within school
  • Incorporate youth views into school environmental policy
  • Develop transport policies designed to reduce carbon emissions
  • Global warming and the associated extinction crisis is the most important issue of our time. We are scared about the damage we are doing to our planet and how climate change will impact our future but we are hopeful that work can be done to make things less harmful.
  • We recognise that those who are least responsible for the crisis are affected the most. As we learn to change we will care for the most vulnerable and strive to create a more just and equal world.
  • This pledge affirms our strong and positive commitment to protect life on earth and to take action on climate change now. We pledge to act, to educate and make a change daily.
  • Review all spending decisions in an environmental context
  • Include an environmental programme in the school development plan
  • Publish an ambitious, funded and time-based environmental policy
  • Celebrate our successes to help spread the word that change is possible.
  • As individuals – and together with other students and our local and global communities – we pledge to:
  • Listen to and respond to scientific evidence
  • Talk about climate change with our families and friends and share our knowledge
  • Think about what we buy and eat and to help our families reduce consumption and cut waste
  • Explore ways to save energy in our homes and at school
  • Reduce fossil fuel use by choosing more efficient ways of travel
  • Help nature, to organise green initiatives and volunteer to protect and restore the environment
  • Lobby local and national government to reform our climate education system and to incorporate youth views into policy making

We pledge to act; to change; to hope.

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