Teesside University empowers students at Youth Climate Summit

Hundreds of college and sixth form students visited Teesside University to join the first Tees Valley Youth Climate Summit 2021, to inspire young people to make a difference in the climate change crisis.

The University hosted the event to deliver a day of thought-provoking activities and sessions around climate change by bringing together students, industry and academics ahead of the highly anticipated UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021 (COP26).

Experts addressed key aspects of the climate emergency, exploring evidence and effects, as well as highlighting key research which is contributing to its mitigation.

Students also attended interactive sessions with Teesside University academics throughout the day to discuss everything from wasteful consumerism in the fashion industry to the promise of hydrogen energy as an alternative sustainable fuel.

Keynote speakers and industry guests included representatives from regional climate change organisations including Tees Valley Nature Partnership, Green Shoots, Climate Action Middlesbrough, Tees River Trust, Cultivate Tees Valley and Durham Wildlife Trust.

Geosciences students also exhibited their work around climate change at the event.

Peter Beveridge, a lecturer in the University’s School of Health and Life Sciences, said: ‘We feel extremely privileged to have hosted the first Tees Valley Youth Climate Summit. It has been an excellent opportunity to hear from experts and students alike on such an important global issue.

‘Young people have been leading the way in raising awareness about climate change for some time, and, as a University, we feel that it is our responsibility to empower students to make a difference and give them a platform to successfully drive change.’

As an anchor institution for the region, Teesside University is committed to taking a leading role in driving forward sustainability and fighting climate change, and has been delivering vital contributions to industry practice for many years, including recent plans for an ambitious, state-of-the-art Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre.

The University will continue to deliver these events to inspire and educate young people about the climate change emergency and use its influence as a leader in climate research to influence future developments.

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