Grove pupils’ Lords link-up

PUPILS from Grove Academy are joining the fight against climate change in a special link-up with the House of Lords.

The Broughty Ferry school is just one of six across the UK, selected from more than 100 that applied, to take part in a new scheme.

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Select Committee is working with schools and colleges to help examine UK Government policies on climate change.

Grove Academy will be part of a one-year pilot programme during which youngsters will be invited to share their views and offer ideas on making the country greener.

Pupils will also have the chance to learn about the work of the committee and the House of Lords, attend virtual meetings and influence the questions the committee asks of ministers at future sessions.

Baroness Kate Parminter, chairwoman of the committee, also plans to visit Grove Academy when possible, as part of the initiative.

“It’s great to see so many young people keen to get involved with efforts to combat climate change and protect the natural world,” Baroness Parminter said.

“We look forward to hearing from and working with the students who’ll help us to do our job of holding the government to account and ensuring that policies meet climate targets.”

This week, experts highlighted that climate change has overtaken the pandemic as the biggest global concern, as the COP26 conference in Glasgow and major protest movements across the world have brought the issue back into focus.

The annual World Economic Forum survey of global risks found that three environmental risks – climate action failure, extreme weather, and biodiversity loss – are what worried experts most.

Climate change was also the biggest concern in 2016, in a survey after the Paris Agreement talks.

Grove Academy was selected to take part in the climate change project with the House of Lords.

Baroness Kate Parminter.