Last week, over 30 pupils from Highgate and four local schools gathered in the Sir Martin Gilbert Library to simulate climate crisis discussions from the UN Conference of Parties summit in Brazil.
Highgate’s fourth inter-schools Mock-COP event is an empowering opportunity for young people to raise their voices on global issues and engage more deeply in sustainable solutions of the future.
Pupils from Highgate, London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, Channing, Acland Burghley, and Parliament Hill schools worked in teams to represent 12 countries from the conference. As they mirrored the union of politicians, scientists and activists from all over the world, pupils were charged to consider global perspectives, listen to different points of view and collaborate across borders to put forward more radical motions to conference on issues including energy, forests, and climate finance.
Gabriel Roberts, Head of Environmental Sustainability for Highgate, who Chaired the event, said: “My hope is that the event will make pupils aware of the importance of climate change and international efforts to reduce it and of the role that negotiation, diplomacy, and compromise are likely to the play in the world becoming more sustainable.”
Y13 Highgate pupil, Phoebe, reflected, saying: “The Mock COP was a really great experience for me which broadened my understanding of the climate crisis and of the UN and international diplomacy. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to meet and work with students from other schools who are also passionate about environmental issues and hear their ideas. The conference format was a new experience for me and I felt that it pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me a lot about collaboration and debating my country, China’s, position.”
Earlier this half term, Highgate’s Environment Committee took to the streets around Senior School to campaign for cleaner air and urge car users to use a more sustainable mode of transport. Members of the Committee distributed leaflets to drivers each morning and afternoon with information about air pollution and alternative travel options, rewarding those pupils who travelled to school by bike or scooter with a pastry!
To coincide with National Green Careers Week, pupils received a lunchtime talk from Gleeds, a company working within the built environment sector, to learn about emerging trends and opportunities in sustainable construction and civil engineering.
Louise Shelley, Senior Deputy Head who chairs Highgate’s Environmental Sustainability Executive Committee, said: “As part of our School’s focus on Environmental Sustainability, we want to ignite young people’s interest in the climate crisis and encourage them to engage intellectually with complex global challenges. The next generation will be the problem-solvers of the future, so it’s been great to see them engaging in a range of green initiatives, raising awareness of some of the issues and exploring potential solutions.”
