350 Youth Climate Leadership Workshop - 13-16 May 2011

Young New Zealanders taking on the clean energy future

On May 13-16th 2011 350 Aotearoa ran a 4-day workshop in Wellington, New Zealand. 30 young people from the north to the south of New Zealand came together to learn climate leadership skills and to start putting them into action for Moving Planet.


Dr James Hansen, world leading climatologist and NASA scientist (and man behind the number 350ppm) took a few hours out of his week-long tour of New Zealand to brief us on the science and moral imperative of the number 350. We delved into the urgency and the clarity of the mission - to move away from coal and other fossil fuels to a clean energy future. 

After an inspirational bit of time with James Hansen our group deepened our understanding of how we as young people can respond to the climate crisis. We got into dreaming up actions on how we will mobilise around Moving Planet, and to live in the hope that New Zealand could become a leader on setting the world in motion to 350ppm.  

The workshop was about training, networking, collaboration and the making of big plans for the future.

Here are a few quotes from our future climate leaders (aka the climate ninjas!)

“Now I feel I have the confidence and know-how to get out there in my region and really make a difference” – Aidan McLean, 16, Auckland

 

“This weekend I have met so many awesome, like-minded individuals. It has given me the hope that we can and will make a difference in reducing our emissions and raising awareness of climate change” - Samantha Sharp, 19, Dunedin

 

“Trying to be a leader on climate change issues is hard work, and it makes all the difference to come together with others in the same boat and feel the power that we collectively hold” – Paul Young, 25, Wellington

 

We also recorded an interview with Hansen - to be developed as a resource for 350.org workshops the world over.

 

 

 

 

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