Buxton students to hold climate summit on next steps in town's transition

On Thursday, November 10, as world leaders meet in Egypt for the COP27 United Nations (UN) climate conference, students from local schools and from Buxton and Leek college will meet at the Octagon in Pavilion Gardens for the Together For Our Planet Student Conference.

The conference is organised by Transition Buxton with funding from the National Lottery communities fund, and spokesperson Frances Sussex said: “Transition Buxton believes it is vital that the views of young people are sought and listened to so that we can all support a sustainable future for Buxton and help protect our planet.”

The conference is intended to give students a voice in deciding what urgent and longer-terms steps the community needs to take in response to the climate and ecological crises.

Students will share their existing projects and discuss new ideas and initiatives with representatives from civil society groups and council officers who are already working on environmental issues in and around the town.

COP27 has been preceded by heated debates about the likelihood of effective outcomes, with a UN report last week saying there was no credible pathway in place to limit global heating to the international target of 1.5C.

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish activist who inspired school students worldwide to go on strike over climate inaction, has said she will boycott the event, saying: “The COPs are not really working, unless of course we use them as an opportunity to mobilise.”

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