Barnet Labour is working with young people across the borough to tackle climate change.

A Young People’s Assembly has been convened to review how the borough becomes a Net Zero emitter of carbon pollution by 2042, complementing the work of the wider Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change.

Twenty young people aged 11 to 17 from schools throughout Barnet met for the first time on Saturday 4th March to discuss the most important issue in our – and their – future. Their conclusions will directly feed into the borough’s Net Zero strategy.

Labour Councillor and Chair of the Environment and Climate Chair Committee Alan Schneiderman said: “Moving to Net Zero is one of the most important – and most difficult – challenges we face. Residents must be in the driving seat, especially our younger residents, if we are to tackle the problem in a sustainable way.

“The Conservatives didn’t do enough to tackle climate change and now they want to stop our climate change assemblies and ignore residents whether young or older.

“Our Young People’s Assembly and Citizens’ Assembly mean that we will tackle this challenge together.

“I am proud that our younger residents have stepped forward to be part of our efforts to tackle climate change, and their ideas will be shaping our programme directly.”

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Notes

Barnet Labour has pledged to move the local authority to Net Zero carbon pollution by 2030 and the entire borough to net zero by 2042. The Citizens Assembly and Youth Citizens Assembly convene a jury-style range of members of the public to help shape the programme going forward.

The Youth Assembly will be engaged in three workshops looking at natural environment & biodiversity, transport and green skills. By the end of the three workshops, the young people’s discussions will have generated a report, which, alongside the report generated by the Citizen’s Assembly, which will chart the Barnet’s path to Net Zero.

Barnet Labour’s 2022 Manifesto can be found here.