Sir, – As national director of Eco-Unesco and advisory committee member for the national strategy on education for sustainable development in the Department of Education, I strongly believe that young people are the key to helping to restore the Earth.
In a recent survey by Eco-Unesco, over 77 per cent of young people aged 15 to 27 were very concerned about climate change, with 37 per cent believing they have been personally affected by it.
Young people truly care about these issues and they want to make a difference so they can have a safer and cleaner planet for years to come.
While we all have a part to play. I think we need to be doing more to listen and learn from these young and innovative people.
Not only are they an important voice to be listened to today, they are also our future generation of leaders, educators and innovators.
We are hosting an Eco-Week so we can engage with young people and focus on environmental issues they are interested in. It is so important that young people feel heard and empowered to take climate action.
We need to appreciate the young people that are trying to make a positive difference. Without them, we would not be able to restore our Earth. – Yours, etc,
ELAINE NEVIN,
National Director,
Eco-Unesco,
Dublin 2.