The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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FM meets young 'Earth Champion'

11/06/2002

First Minister Jack McConnell today made a firm personal commitment to make sure that the voices of Scotland's young people are heard at this summer's World Summit on Sustainable Development.

The First Minister met with primary school pupils from Shetland who won a WWF competition on green energy and received £15,000 to construct their own wind turbine. He asked Stephanie Wiseman (aged 12), who will represent the WWF in Johannesburg as an 'Earth Champion', for the views she is collecting from Scotland's young people on environmental issues.

Confirming that he will attend the Summit, Mr McConnell said:

"Young people are acutely aware that the decisions adults make today on sustainable development can leave an environmental legacy that could impact on the rest of their lives.

"I am determined that the voices of Scotland's young people are heard at the World Summit."

Jack McConnell outlined four areas of action to put young people at the heart of Scotland's involvement in the World Summit:

• The First Minister will help Stephanie in her preparations for the World Summit;
• The First Minister will ask Stephanie to be a core member of Scotland's civic delegation;
• The First Minister will meet with Stephanie in South Africa and pay a visit with her to a school running the Eco Schools programme;
• The First Minister will help Stephanie report back to Scotland's young people on the World Summit.

The First Minister added:

"Too often lip service has been paid to views of young people. I take the views of young people very seriously, particularly on an issue like the environment. Many young people are often extremely well informed about green issues and care deeply about the future of our world. We adults could all learn something from the kind of commitment shown by the pupils here today from Shetland.

"Young people have the most to gain if adults take good decisions, but the most to lose if we get them wrong. That is exactly what sustainable development means - the development of our communities in a way which meets the needs of the next generation. That is why their views matter to me."

Linda Cracknell, WWF Education Officer said:

"The WWF Our World project has given Lunnasting school the chance to learn about sustainable development by putting up their own wind turbine in Shetland. The project is also giving future generations a direct say in the World Summit by sending Stephanie to Johannesburg in September.

"We hope that politicians will hear young people's powerful voices and we welcome Jack McConnell's support for the initiative. WWF wishes both Stephanie and the First Minister well in their trip to South Africa."

Stephanie Wiseman, one of four 'Earth Champions' from the UK, said:

"Recently I asked for the concerns of the children from schools in Scotland so I could take them to Johannesburg. Most of the children were worried about the fact that people in Scotland need to recycle more. There should be a law to recycle and a small fine for dropping litter.

"They are also concerned that there will be no rainforests left soon which means animals will become extinct. Every time a tree is cut down at least over two should be planted.

"Another concern is about pollution of the seas and rivers causing harm to marine life and that not everyone can have clean water to drink. More renewable ways for getting energy would also help the world a lot, especially in Scotland."

The WWF have run the 'Our World' schools challenge in partnership with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Education and Skills, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Eco Schools programme is an innovative, pupil driven programme for environmental management and education for sustainable development within schools. It has been made a performance indicator for the National Priorities in Education. Lunnasting Primary School in Shetland was the first Scottish school to be awarded a Green Flag as part of Scotland's Eco Schools programme.

The Scottish Executive will be host a major conference of Eco Schools co-ordinators from around the world this autumn to discuss how the programme can further be developed.