Letters: Listen to them, not us
[Re: Cop26, yesterday]
Cop26 is considered “the world’s best last chance to get climate change under control.” In Glasgow yesterday, Boris Johnson said we were at “one minute to midnight” to save ourselves. He was one of dozens of world leaders taking the stage at the climate change conference.
As an insurer we’ve already seen the devastating effects of climate change across the globe. But ultimately it is young people who are going to feel the biggest impact of the crisis.
So why are their voices not being heard or acted upon?
For many years now, young climate-activists have been doing a phenomenal job in the fight to save our planet. And it should be recognised that their activism has been more successful than any Government in increasing awareness of the severity of the crisis.
At Zurich UK we brought together five prominent youth-climate activists for our Youth Against Carbon Conference. It was a chance for them to brainstorm and debate solutions and have their voices heard.
We are now using our influence to champion their voices to UK Government and spur greater action.
We can’t afford to deny young people their voice. It’s those voices which we should listen to the most over the next fortnight.
If we want to see lasting change, we must give them greater power and influence as a matter of priority.
Lawrence Vousden