College students have say in major report into changing behaviours to meet climate goals

Evidence given by students from Birkenhead Sixth Form College has been used in a major report warning that the UK will not meet the 2050 Net Zero target without the Government encouraging people to adopt new technologies or change our behaviours.

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee’s report is calling on the government to learn from examples of where it enabled behaviour change, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide clarity and lead by example on how we travel, what we eat and buy, and how we use energy at home.

The College was one of six education establishments selected from across the UK that gave evidence to the committee as part of its inquiry into mobilising action for behaviour change. The students provided their insights on approaches to tackling the climate crisis through behaviour change from the perspective of young people.

Points raised by the students included the importance of communicating the scale of change required through a variety of forms of media, labelling food and clothing with information about their sustainability and carbon emissions resulting from their production and transportation, plus the Government leading by example and using regulation and taxation to encourage behaviour change.

They also stressed the importance of education on climate and environmental issues in both formal and informal settings.

Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, Baroness Parminter, said:“After a summer of record temperatures, fires and hose pipe bans, it has never been more apparent that the twin crises of climate change and nature loss demand an immediate and sustained response."

Baroness Parminter visited the College to speak to students earlier this year

“It is vital that young people have a voice in telling the Government what changes need to be made to ensure we achieve net zero by 2050.”
The College will continue to work with the Committee until January 2023 as part of its youth engagement programme.

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change committee report and recommendations can be viewed on the House of Lords’ website or by following @HLEnviroClimate on Twitter.