SOMERSET CAN is happy to announce that a small number of young folk in Somerset have stepped forward to be a part of the first Somerset Youth Climate Action Network on May 24.

They are ready and willing to engage with active democracy in order to voice their concerns.

Their first action has been to invite all of the newly elected county councillors and the Somerset MPs to attend an online conference to hear their concerns about the climate and ecological emergency.

There are so many related areas of concern to discuss in such a short space of time but the young people involved have wisely decided that there is a common theme - Health & Wellbeing, which brings all of these concerns together. Indeed the World Health Organisation has stated that climate change is the biggest health threat facing humanity.

The online conference will happen in tandem with the youth conferences being organised by Wiltshire Climate Alliance and Dorset Climate Action Network.

Our young people will also be asking questions about why our neighbouring counties are performing better than us in certain areas of Climate Action and how we hope to learn from others.

The group would like to invite any students who may not be able to attend because of exams but who would still appreciate the chance to voice their concerns to send in a statement or questions (or both) which could be read out on the night to somersetcan@gmail.com

They are asked to think about how current practices in any of the following areas are having a negative impact on our climate: Built Environment (e.g. homes, schools, businesses etc), Energy Use, Farming and Food, Industry and Business, Natural Environment, Transport, Waste Management, Water and how these negative impacts affect our Health & Wellbeing?