Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Climate ambassadors earn national praise
North Lanarkshire’s youth climate ambassadors have received recognition for their environmental work at a national ceremony.
The group was highly commended in the community learning and development category at the Learning for Sustainability awards run by Education Scotland.
Members produced a short film entitled Dear World Leaders setting out their requests for action on climate change, addressed to the delegates who attended the COP26 conference in Glasgow.
It calls for increased education about climate change and awareness of simple actions which can be taken by individuals.
It also calls for sustainable farming and food production, encouraging easy and accessible recycling, investing in green energy and ending deforestation, with major companies planting trees to assist with carbon offsetting.
Ambassadors showed the film at a special local screening and also took part in a question and answer session with council officials, as well as meeting with environment minister Mairi Macallan.
Group members, who are aged 13 to 18, will also take on projects relating to issues such as sustainable fashion, children’s rights and weather systems.
The awards are held by Education Scotland in partnership with the Advertiser’s sister paper the Daily Record and recognise the achievements of those who have “demonstrated passion and commitment to building a socially-just, sustainable and equitable world”.
Congratulating those
honoured, Education Scotland chief executive Gayle Gorman said: “The awards have given us an opportunity to celebrate the amazing determination and effort, especially in this past year – more than ever, our education professionals and learners have been inspirational in their efforts.
“The eyes of the world were
on Scotland during COP26 and everyone nominated deserves to be a Learning for Sustainability ambassador for our country.”
Education secretary Shirleyanne Somerville added: “Young people in Scotland are driving forward the cause for climate action and it is vital we listen to their views and harness their
passion as part of COP26 and its legacy. Learning for sustainability opportunities are embedded in our curriculum and will help ensure our pupils not only have a strong voice during COP26, but also have a say in what should happen after.”
North Lanarkshire Council officially declared a climate
emergency in 2019 and is now working towards achieving net zero by 2030; and will be creating new woodlands with primary school pupils helping with planting at Strathclyde and Palacerigg country parks, and 20,000 trees to be planted at Calderbank in Airdrie and Low Wood in Cumbernauld.