Young people discuss climate change at Holyrood

October 29, 2021 11:14 pm

Pupils from Holy Rood RC High School in Edinburgh met with the Presiding Officer and the Children and Young People’s Commissioner on Friday to discuss their views on how to tackle the climate emergency ahead of the COP26 summit taking place in Glasgow.

Ten S3 pupils led the roundtable discussion, which is taking place as part of an initiative called The Moment, which is being organised in partnership with the Children’s Parliament, the Scottish Youth Parliament and GLOBE International.

Pupils from Holy Rood RC High School in Edinburgh today met with Presiding Officer the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP and the Children and Young People’s Commissioner, Brice Adamson to discuss their views on how to tackle the climate emergency ahead of the COP26 summit taking place in Glasgow. Ten S3 pupils led the roundtable discussion, which is taking place as part of an initiative called The Moment, which is being organised in partnership with the Children’s Parliament, the Scottish Youth Parliament and GLOBE International October 2021. Pic- Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

This meeting was one of many taking place across the country, with The Moment bringing together hundreds of children and young people with their elected representatives to make their voices heard on one of the most important issues for their future.

Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone MSP said: “There has rightly been a lot of focus on how we tackle the climate emergency in the run up to COP26. As part of this, it’s essential that children and young people can explore the issues and develop their own thoughts and ideas to articulate their hopes for their future.

“It was inspiring to hear the solutions proposed by young people and to learn more from their perspective about what needs to be done to tackle the climate emergency.”

Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland said: “It was significant to be with children today, sharing their views on climate justice and challenging power. The Scottish Parliament’s commitment to hear from, and listen to children and young people on such issues is an important part of its role as human rights guarantor. Children have shown incredible leadership on the issue of climate justice, acting as human rights defenders for everyone’s rights across Scotland and internationally, and we should be thanking them.”

The outcomes of The Moment will be presented by children and young people to MSPs and international parliamentarians at a Summit being organised by GLOBE International and hosted by the Scottish Parliament on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 November.