• The Big Intro
• Who's listening?
• A - Z of Climate Change
• What's happening in Copenhagen?
• Fuel for Thought
• More Resources
• Climate Change Quiz

Who's listening?

The people below are the decision-makers that will be discussing the climate change issues with you on the forum.

Joan Ruddock MP

Joan is the Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change. She is looking forward to discussing the issues with you on the forums and will be feeding your views into the negotiations at the UN summit in Copenhagen.... here's what she has to say about the forum and climate change:

This is an excellent initiative and it gives me great pleasure to be involved with the Hansard Society.  They provide a hugely valuable service in engaging young people with the political system in the UK, and this debate on climate change promises to be both exciting and important.  Young people are the future and you must be involved in the international political debate about climate change, as it is you who will live with the consequences of decisions made today.  I have always been a strong supporter of young people’s involvement in political processes, and your enthusiasm, energy and ideas are a vibrant and welcome influence in international decision-making, particularly decisions as critical as climate change.

In December we will witness history being made.  Representatives of 192 governments will come together in Copenhagen, Denmark, to try to agree a new international deal to stop climate change.  But governments alone cannot hope to solve the problem of climate change – we need input from all parts of society.  By participating in this forum, you have the opportunity to add the unique and invaluable insight of young people on the question of how we should tackle climate change together.  This debate is a real opportunity for young people to get your voices heard at the highest political level – and I will ensure that your opinions are communicated to my ministerial colleagues in the Department of Energy and Climate Change and across Government.

The eyes of the world will be on us and all Governments as we seek to agree a new deal on climate change.  Do you think we’ll be successful?  How do you feel about the way decisions on climate change are reached?  Do you think the countries of the world are doing enough to tackle climate change?

I’m very much looking forward to hearing your views on these and the many other questions you may have on climate change – this could be a truly inspirational debate.
Joan Ruddock

Jo Swinson MP

Jo is a member of the Environmental Audit Committee which checks that the government is doing enough to tackle climate change. This is what she wanted to say about climate change and the forum:

'I’m delighted to take part in this initiative and I encourage you to get involved in the forums by reading the comments and posting your ideas.

As a member of Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee, which investigates what the Government and others are doing to tackle climate change, I am very concerned about the dangers we will all be facing if we do not halt global warming. 

Today’s young people will bear the brunt of the impact of climate change, so it is vital that the voices of this generation are heard.  I hope that through participating in HeadsUp, you can make your views heard to those in power.

Looking forward to hearing your views and answering your questions!'

Linda Gilroy MP

Linda is really looking forward to debating all the climate change issues with you. Here is what she thinks about climate change:

'I am delighted to be participating in the HeadsUp Climate Change Debate and would encourage as many young people to get involved as possible. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face but it is not my generation that will have to live with the consequences – it will be yours!

My interest in climate change relates to the part of the country I represent in Parliament. Plymouth is both a maritime city and a city of discovery. Charles Darwin left from here aboard HMS Beagle on his famous voyage of exploration. This spirit continues today, with marine scientists from Plymouth undertaking research into the effect of climate change on our oceans and coastlines, the results of which are truly alarming.  More promisingly, they are also involved with investigating some potential solutions, such as the role that algae and bio fuels could play in reducing the harmful effect of dangerous climate gases.

I was recently involved in creating a new law that pledges Britain to reduce its emissions of carbon by 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050. But politicians passing laws will not meet this challenge alone – businesses, society, communities and individuals all have their own role to play too.

P.S. I have signed up to the 10:10 campaign (http://www.1010uk.org/) - have you?  – any keen watersports fans might also like to look at http://www.theblueproject.org/thebluemile'

Linda McAvan MEP

Linda represents Yorkshire and the Humber in the European Union and she had this to say to you about climate change:

"No one nation can solve climate change. No one person’s actions are enough on their own. We are in this one together. That is why it was so important that European countries, working together through the European Union, were able to make concrete commitments to tackle climate change last year. A big part of my work in the European Parliament has been to make sure that we could get the political agreements necessary there so that Europe could lead the world in this climate change debate.

Now as we look to the Copenhagen discussions, Europe can say to the rest of the world that we have already planned cuts in our carbon emissions, a “cap and trade” system to make the polluter pay and reward green businesses, and binding targets to cut emissions from cars. But scientists are saying that global warming is happening faster than previously thought and that all nations need to do more.

That’s why I am really pleased to be able to join this discussion and I’m keen to hear what you have to say about what more we politicians need to do, and how you personally are making the difference in your own homes and communities."

Caroline Lucas MEP

Caroline Lucas is an MEP for the Green party and represents the South East in the European Parliament. This is what she thinks the priorities for climate change are:

"What gets agreed at the forthcoming climate summit in Copenhagen will decide whether future generations will live in a world where the climate is damaged beyond belief or is stable. This has consequences for food supplies, water supplies, where people can live, how diseases spread and develop, as well as more obvious things like how good or bad our summers are! The Green Party has always worked closely with young people, so I am delighted to take part in this online forum and look forward to hearing your thoughts on what action should be taken to tackle climate change.

I work mainly in the European Parliament, which is just one arm of the European Union or EU. The EU is uniquely placed to influence climate policy as it helps set targets and priorities for all the member states, including the UK. Getting agreement across all 27 member states is incredibly challenging and the role of Green Party politicians has been to press for very ambitious targets. We are active in urging other MEPs and the national governments not to cave into industry lobbying to water down action or exclude them from targets. We have also been working hard to make sure that the EU’s policies, and the representations they make at Copenhagen, include as many sectors as possible, so that industries like aviation and shipping do not wriggle out of having to control their greenhouse gas emissions. The EU has made a pledge to cut its own emissions by 20% of 1990 levels by 2020. I want us to go much further and cut our emissions by 40-50% at the very least.

Another big issue is how much money is made available to help poorer parts of the world cut their emissions and adapt to climate change. I feel very strongly that we cannot expect the rest of the world to bear the financial and other costs of responding to climate change. It is important that any agreement reached at Copenhagen is fair for everyone and that the EU shows real leadership. It must commit to provide adequate funding as well as not expect poorer countries to make emissions cuts far higher than those we make."

Stewart Stevenson MSP

Stewart is the Minister for climate change in Scotland. He had this message for you about what Scotland hopes to achieve at Copenhagen:
'I’m looking forward to taking part in this discussion on climate change, as the views of young people in Scotland, and across the UK and Europe are very important. When I go to Copenhagen, I’ll be talking to other countries and telling them about what Scotland is doing to tackle climate change. The Scottish Parliament passed the Climate Change (Scotland) Act, which means we must cut our emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 80% by 2050. We also have a target for 2020 to reduce emissions by at least 42%. These are some of the toughest targets that any country anywhere has signed up to, and this has been recognised all over the world. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California, has said he is impressed: “Scotland's ambitious and comprehensive targets encourage other nations to step up to the plate as we look toward an international agreement in Copenhagen.” We must all make every effort we can because climate change is the most serious environmental threat we face. I hope that other countries can learn something from Scotland, and I hope that I can learn something from you over these three weeks.'

Peter Lilley MP

Peter is looking forward to debating the important issues with you and gives his views and ideas on climate change below:

'I welcome this Heads Up debate about Global Warming and very much hope you will take part.

It is time we had a proper debate on this subject and I hope young fresh minds will be able to bring a much more searching and critical attitude to the issues which are far less clear cut than governments would have us think. 

As a scientist by training I am appalled at the reluctance of my fellow politicians to confront the facts when they do not conform to the theories adopted by the political and media elite. I hope you will challenge them and demand convincing answers. Physics indicates that a doubling of CO2 should raise the earth's surface temperature by about 1C - so why do their models predict an increase several times as great? Why has there been no increase in average temperatures over the last decade, indeed the world has cooled slightly, - when the models suggest there should have been an accelerating increase? 

The government now define a 2C rise as ‘dangerous warming’ yet the average temperature in Cornwall is more than 2C higher than Newcastle.  Is it dangerous to move from Newcastle to Cornwall? 

Would it cost less to help poor countries to adapt to slightly higher temperatures rather than prevent them using energy to improve their living standards to our levels?

Anyone who asks these questions in Parliament is likely to be shouted down and vilified; the BBC refuses to report ignore them. I hope the new generation will have the courage to challenge this suffocating consensus.'

Elaine Murray MSP

Elaine is looking forward to coming on HeadsUp and talking to you about climate change. Here's what she thinks the most important issues to address are:

I am currently the Scottish labour Party's Environment Spokesperson so will be very interested to learn of the views of young people on this vital topic.  I was pleased that the Scottish Parliament recently passed ambitious climate change legislation, now we must all make sure that action actually happens. There is no doubt in my mind that climate change is already happening and unless radical action is taken now it will be future generations which bear the brunt of their ancestors' mistakes. It will also be the world's poorest countries and communities which will suffer the worst effects of climate change. The average annual carbon emissions of a UK citizen is 15 to 20 times that of countries such as Bangladesh and Malawi, and a US citizen is almost twice as wasteful. We have a duty to reduce our carbon footprint by developing technologies which will allow the economies of poorer nations to grow without making the environmental mistakes we have made in the past.

Joan Walley MP

Joan is looking forward to debating with you and had this message about climate change:

"I've been an MP for 22 years and the time has flown by.  In double the same amount of time you will be living in the year 2050. Why do I make such an obvious statement?  Because that is all the time we have to stop the worst effects of global warming.  Expert scientific opinion agrees that even if we limit global warming to a 2 degree rise in temperature that still only gives us a 50-50 chance of averting a climate catastrophe.  And so if ever action was needed it is now. 
 
I appeal to young people across the UK and in my beloved city of Stoke-on-Trent to take on the climate change challenge.  For it is incumbent upon us all to take on the challenge together.  Businesses must do more to reduce their emissions, government must do more to set legislation, scientists must continue to collect the data and advise what is needed and individuals must make a real effort to reduce their emissions.  Only with such concerted and collective action will we be able to avoid catastrophic climate change. 
 
I will be attending the crucial negotiations in Copenhagen in December where it is hoped an international agreement to tackle climate change will be reached.  I will be doing all I can to press for the most ambitious and far reaching agreement possible.  If you have any thoughts on what is needed please do let me know.
 
If you want to see more on my work on the environment please log onto the Environmental Audit Committee's website at http://www.parliament.uk/eacom/"

Jim Mather MSP

Jim is the Minister for Energy in the Scottish Parliament and had this to say about what Scotland is doing to improve its use of renewable energy:
'It’s a pleasure to be able to support the HeadsUp debate on climate change.  As the Minister for Energy in the Scottish Government, I can see the great potential Scotland has for green renewable energy. If you live in Scotland, or if you’ve visited, you’ll know that it can be pretty blustery in Scotland which makes the country very attractive for wind farms. In fact the largest wind farm in Europe is just outside Glasgow – I can see it from the window of my office there.  We also have access to some of the most promising wave and tidal resources in Europe.  This is an exciting area in which Scotland is leading in research and development to create the technology we need to make it work.  All of these new ways of creating electricity are vital to cutting our emissions of greenhouse gases, in order to meet the targets we’ve set – we want to meet 50% of our electricity demand from renewables by 2020.  Other countries need to start to get onto clean green renewable energy sources and we’ll be looking to share our experiences in Copenhagen.'

Roseanna Cunningham MSP

Roseanna Cunningham Is Minister for the Environment in the Scottish Parliament and she had this to say about the talks in Copenhagen:
'Scotland is famed for its natural environment so I’m delighted young people are getting involved in protecting the environment at home and world-wide.  Climate change is the biggest challenge we face, and it’s important that, at the UN conference in Copenhagen, the world’s countries agree to cut their emissions.  Changes to our climate particularly affect the most vulnerable and poorest people on the planet. Threatened water supplies put life itself at risk and rising sea levels elsewhere can ruin food production and force people from their homes.  It is vital the Copenhagen agreement reduces greenhouse gases, but it must also consider how we can adapt to future changes.'

Margaret Gardner -Practical Action

Margaret is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Practical Action, a charity that helps poor communities around the world to use technology and to adapt to the effects of climate change. This is what she wanted to say to HeadsUp users:

'Climate change is a huge and immediate problem and we all need to consider what the world, politicians and we as individuals can do. It is the world’s poorest people who are hardest hit by climate change through devastating droughts, floods and other extreme weather events. This is a massive injustice – climate change is caused by the world’s richest countries.

Practical Action is a development charity with a difference. We know the simplest ideas can have the most profound, life-changing effect on poor people. We are working with vulnerable communities across the world and they are telling us of the terrible impacts of climate change. We are doing what we can to help people adapt to the effects of climate change including floating vegetable gardens, renewable energy schemes, flood resistant housing and paravet services to help people protect their vital animals. Yet the world continues to warm. I welcome this forum where young people can debate the issue and what we can do together to tackle the massive challenge we all face.'

Professor John Beddington

John is the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser. He reports directly to the Prime Minister and Cabinet and is responsible for the quality of all engineering and scientific advice across the whole of Government. Here is what he had to say about the HeadsUp forum on climate change:

"I was delighted to learn of this initiative and it is very exciting to see that so many young people are signed up to discuss the hugely complex and challenging topic of climate change.

The four elements you will be discussing, that is, how we reduce emissions of greenhouse gases; how we manage the impacts of climate change; what the science can tell us (and what it can’t); and what each of us as individuals can and must do over the coming decades (starting today), are simply critical to the long term future of our world. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you all seek to form your own views on each of these four elements.

In my role as the UK’s Chief Scientific Adviser, I am responsible for ensuring that our Government’s decisions on climate change - and many other topics – are informed by up-to-date and robust scientific evidence. But it is equally important that each of you is also empowered to form your own views, based on solid evidence.

There is an enormously vast spectrum of scientific, media, government, industry, and lobby group opinion on climate change some of which will be mutually supportive while others present contradictory arguments. The challenge before each of you is to pick your way through it wisely and deliberately. As Stephen Chu, who is the Secretary of Energy in the US recently said, “People are entitled to their own opinions but they are not entitled to their own facts”.

I am looking forward to seeing what you think…"

Baroness Young of Old Scone

Baroness Young is a member of the Parliamentary Group on the Environment and she is looking forward to hearing what you have to say about climate change....