Recently pupils from Kingshill School and Deer Park School researched climate changes issues and presented their ideas at the Cirencester Bathurst Climate Change Conference.
The conference, held at the new Gloucestershire Digital Skills Centre at Cirencester College, was convened by the Cirencester and the City of Bathurst Friendship Initiative and was presented by former College student Harry Janssen, now a member of the Friendship Initiative.
The conference got the students thinking about climate change outside the typical school lesson format.
This year’s conference focused on carbon net zero, specifically asking, “Australia aims to achieve carbon net zero by 2050. Should they aim to achieve this sooner?”
In teams—and with the help of A-level geography students—the students researched climate change’s impact on Australia’s agricultural, mining, and energy industries.
Then students formed teams to present their research and decide whether Australia could aim to achieve carbon net zero before 2050.
Overall, the students found that Australia should aim to achieve carbon net zero sooner but recognised it would require a vast amount of work and be costly.
Harry Janssen said: “The students took the premise of the conference and ran with it.
“It was great to see them collaborating enthusiastically and researching the important issues that climate change is presenting.”
By completing the conference, students demonstrated their problem solving, teamwork, digital skills, and an awareness of social responsibility towards climate change. The students were awarded certificates signed by the Earl Bathurst to celebrate their achievements.
The Friendship Initiative was established in 2017 by the 9th Earl Bathurst to promote awareness, communication, and opportunities between the people and organisations of Cirencester and the City of Bathurst.
For more information please contact chloe.suter@cirencester.ac.uk
