Two teenagers from the Isle of Man have just returned from a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) conference in Munich.
Rachael Harrop and Moira Pain, former students of Queen Elizabeth II High School, were invited to participate in the youth conference as a result of the contacts they made at a previous trip to the Volvo Adventure Awards final in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2012.
The conference was organised by 'Tunza', the youth arm of UNEP, in conjunction with Women In Europe for a Common Future. It brought together young people from all over Europe to discuss the issue of sustainability and youth engagement in environmental issues. The discussion topics ranged from how to make healthcare more sustainable, to how to get young people interested in environmental issues - something that QEII's Eco Committee, led by Lesley Sleight, has a long history of. Rachael said "Our time at QEII really inspired us to get involved in environmental issues, and there are so many opportunities out there for people who are interested. For instance, when we first joined the Eco Committee we never thought that it would snowball into us attending such high-profile meetings". Moira added "It was great to be able to chat with other young people who are experiencing some of the same problems we are with youth engagement - these things are international. It is also lovely to hear about some of the inspiring things young people can achieve when they put their minds to it, and now we are back on the Island we have some great new ideas for sustainability projects". The young people's comments and suggestions will be compiled into a report that will help guide UNEP policy as it creates future international guidelines and targets for sustainability.
The School’s Eco Committee is certainly not lacking in exciting projects. As well as an ongoing effort to find funding for a 15kW wind turbine, which would power the School's biomass boiler and also provide some energy for the main school building, a group of students are also gathering national acclaim for growing biodegradable fabric from a biological culture and making it into clothing. They have won the North West Young Engineer of the Year at the Big Bang Science Fair in Liverpool and also the Observer Ethical Award.
Moira is a medical student at the University of Dundee and Rachael is on the island completing a diploma in practical agriculture, after which she will specialise in conservation. They both hope to continue their links with both UNEP, Women In Europe for a Common Future and the Eco Committee.
Photograph – Representatives from all over Europe who attended the UNEP Conference.
