Report Launch: An Account

The Youth Panel with Minister, Charles Hendry

The work of the past few months has come together, and we produced a hugely exciting document ( "Energy: How Fair Is It Anyway?"). We hope to have opened up many opportunities for young people to participate in the decision making process, especially when the decisions are to affect our and future generations.

The Launch

 

We started the day with meeting Charles Hendry (Minister for Energy and Climate Change) to discuss the report, the work and the future of the Panel within the Department. As ever, Charles Hendry was receptive and enthusiastic about us, and we look forward to working with him more closely in the coming months.

Rt Hon Charles Hendry with panellists Michael Furey and John Northall

The rest of the afternoon was spent preparing for the official launch event. Around 60 people attended from DECC, charities and relevant businesses.

The Launch was chaired by the ever-brilliant Kirsty Schneeberger, who has co-ordinated the Youth Panel over the past months to great success. David McKay, the chief scientific adviser at DECC, was first to speak delivering his thoughts on the panel. Then Panellists Luke Hughes, Alice Hemming and Tom Youngman presented the Youth Advisory Panel, our work, experiences and the findings of the report itself to the attendees.
 

Alice, Luke and David MacKay, DECC chief scientist

Afterwards, we went to communicate via live web links with groups that are attending the COP16 climate conference in Cancún – the British Council's 'Climate Champions' and the  UK Youth Climate Coalition. Also, there was a video-chat with members of Young Friends of the Earth Europe at another conference in Brussels (for European activists that couldn't make it to Cancún). It was great to feel that the work of activists in the UK was concurrent with others across the globe and that the solution we as a Panel are seeking in the UK is being resonated internationally.

Overall the event was a huge success. Our relationship with the people at DECC has strengthened and we are now starting to get a better understanding of where we fit in with the work of the department. We look forward to working with the department in the future.

The event was streamed live online and live-blogged - if you want to feel part of the action, you can view a replay of the live blog.

- Unkha Banda & Tom Youngman

The deed..

It is done..

Well done one and all, the futures near, the futures green, the futures young..!

Report Launch: Reflections From A Visitor

- Camille Rearden, Green Vision, Bath

As someone who has never experienced the DECC before I was initially nervous about coming to the report launch as I had no idea what to expect. When I entered the room it was great to have the opportunity to talk to so many interesting people who do so much work that is beneficial for our environment. The report presentation was very insightful and fills me with hope for the future. I am sure that it will provide inspiration needed to get the young people of Britain more involved in the decision making process for energy. Recently the protests against the University cuts have been widely covered throughout the country and i hope that this passion for the protection of our futures that people have shown can be channeled into environmentalism as well. This is a definite indicator of many great things to come!

Oh gooooood gosh!

Its Rose here, its been a little while since I last wrote and its a little while till something else too..

We have 40 hours and 7 minuets till the launch, everyone on the panel has worked over the last year towards this, and everyone that has contributed online, this is your climax!

In less than 40 hours it will come to a head, the report will be in hard copy and we will be rushing around various parts of the country and capital telling all sorts of people precisely what we think, what we've found and what they should do, as well as listening to what they have to say in response.

I haven't got too much to update you all on, but just know that this is the final 100m!!!!

As a panel member attending since the first pilot meeting on the 9th of febuary, I have seen how much work has been put in and I commend every member of the Panel.

I have enjoyed the last 12 months so much, and I cannot calm down in anticipation for Thursday...although equally, the day after will be just as nice..as will the future for the Panel, whatever that may hold, anyway, I'm off to try and focus enough to eat my dinner,

Thank you for reading and I'm sure we could well see some of you on Thursday!

Much love, the Climate Avengers**!

**Not yet an offical title :(

The Report

Pens are scribbling, fingers are typing as the panel gets ready for the launch of our report in time for the UN Climate Talks in Cancun...

In other news:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/25/youth-activists-cancun-climate

Students Gather to 'Reclaim Our Future'

by Tom Youngman 

Shared Planet is an annual conference, run by student campaigning network, People & Planet, and is the largest of its kind in the UK. People & Planet are behind potent campaigns focusing on climate change and corporate power, translating into tangible success, especially with their 'Transition Unis' project, taking positive practical action to make university education more sustainability and their 'Green League', ranking universities by their level of sustainability. When the Youth Advisory Panel were invited to run a workshop at Shared Planet, we were therefore quick to take them up on the offer! We used the opportunity both to gain feedback on our work and to hear other points of view on the various topics covered in our upcoming report.

The conference was opened by leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas MP, who delivered a powerful speech covering many issues of interest to the Youth Panel. Of particular interest was her use of the phrase 'intergenerational fairness' - which is very similar, if less binding, to the phrase we have considered key during when carrying out our activities, 'intergenerational equity'. Her assertion that 'you can't have infinite economic growth on a finite planet' was a key theme throughout the conference. Other notable speakers included Nick Dearden of the Jubilee Debt Campaign, Amanda Starbuck of the Rainforest Action Network and Aaron Porter, NUS chairman, who featured on the conference's closing panel.

Click 'read more' for the full story! 

National Grid: UK Energy Distribution

Image from 'Pylon of the Month'

by Michael Furey
 
The National Grid UK is responsible for the transportation of energy (both gas and electricity) from different sources (such as power stations; wind farms; gas fields) to end users (e.g homes, schools, business). Conceptualised during the early 1920s, the electricity grid was built in 1926 to reduce electricity costs, and deliver this incredible resources to the masses.

The day predominantly focused on the national electricity grid, starting with a detailed breakdown of the ‘wiring’ layout which is found across the UK. The presentations then focused on the technical workings of the grid, specifically looking at the efforts undertaken to maintain adequate electricity supplies in the face of a highly variable demand profile. This in itself presents the largest hurdle for many emerging generating technologies (especially renewables) as periods when these sources may be most active are not necessarily at times when the highest demand is experienced. Put in layman’s terms, unlike a traditional power station, you can’t tell a wind farm to suddenly start generating more energy to ensure adequate electricity supply is available for the end of 'The X Factor' when people get up to make a cup of tea. The ability therefore to capture periods of abundant energy production from these sources, and smooth existing demand variability, will practicality determine the future of these energy sources. The 'smart grid' is the proposed solution to this - look out for a blog post about this soon.