Hi there, my name is May and I’m a 17-year-old from East Devon who’s passionate about finding solutions to the climate crisis. On 12 March, I was a panellist alongside Natalie Whitehead (one of the Founders and Directors of Exeter Science Centre) and Regan Mudhar (PhD) at a film screening and panel discussion event organised by the charity Cornwall Climate Care in Okehampton. I was quite nervous about the event because although I’ve spoken at many protests and more informative events before, this was my first time speaking to a paying audience! Two short films were shown, one called ‘Climate scam?’ and the other ‘Plan Z’. ‘Climate scam?’ was narrated by a young hairdresser called Jaz who interviewed many different people about their opinions on climate change, including scientists, protesters and sceptics alike. ‘Plan Z’ was narrated by a group of scientists who explained why they took part in acts of civil disobedience (such as gluing themselves to buildings) to raise more awareness about climate change.
Something I took away from ‘Climate scam?’ was that everyone featured was pessimistic about the future – they just disagreed about what they were pessimistic about. I admired the compassion Jaz displayed when talking to people who we would perhaps label as ‘conspiracy theorists’, as although I think it’s important to emphasise that climate change IS a fact (as explained by the scientists in ‘Plan Z’, who showed that all the predictions highlighted in the IPCC’s report of 1990 have played out to be remarkably accurate). I think it’s also important to empathise with those who are perhaps turning to conspiracy theories because they feel disillusioned with the current state of politics.
I am currently studying politics for A-level and am considering pursuing a career in the subject. When I told the audience this, one member asked “How do you feel motivated to get involved in politics when those in power seem so distant to the average person and have no regard for the environment?”. This is the exact reason why I do want to get involved in the subject. I want to make politics more transparent to close the divide which there seems to be between politicians and the public, as I think it’s clear we’re facing a political participation crisis in the UK as evidenced by the second lowest turnout in an election ever in 2024. Perhaps I am naïve, but I also think it’s shocking that politicians have based their environmental policies on what will get them the most votes in forthcoming elections rather than treating climate change as a crisis and showing true leadership.
Another audience member asked me and the other panellists about why the UK should change its behaviour when there are countries like China who are seemingly polluting a lot more. In response to this, I pointed out how we in the UK import lots of our goods from China and are the largest net importer of CO₂ in the G7. Imports, as well as international aviation and shipping, currently aren’t factored into national emission calculations, despite the fact that the WWF estimates they could make up as much as 46 per cent of our national carbon footprint. This demonstrates how it’s unfair to blame countries at the forefront of global manufacturing when many British companies have outsourced their manufacturing (and the attendant emissions) to them. It’s also important to bear in mind that China has had one of the most dynamic responses to the climate crisis in some ways. In 2020, China’s leader Xi Jinping vowed to “peak emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060” and has made much progress with the manufacturing of innovative low carbon technologies.
We were also asked about why renewable energy and more environmentally friendly technologies such as heat pumps and electric cars are so expensive when we’re meant to be encouraging a green transition. A recent study by the National Grid actually found that renewable energy is now cheaper in 82 per cent of the world and, although it is an expensive investment to install a heat pump, it actually results in you saving money in the long run (although I acknowledge that my family and I don’t actually have one yet as they still come at a hefty short-term cost). Also, when the demand for goods increases, the price decreases, so although new electric cars are currently more expensive than other cars, it’s no longer the case for second hand EVs and the gap will continue to reduce for new vehicles as they become more prevalent. It is also worth pointing out that we have a very good alternative to driving petrol and diesel cars already which is public transport, as well as walking and cycling. Trains, in particular, have a much smaller carbon footprint than other modes of transport, electric cars included.
I received an email after the event from an audience member who was asked by a 14-year-old boy, “What is the point of going to school if the future seems so grim?”. I thought this was a very good question and came to the conclusion that school gives you the skills and knowledge to change the future and be resilient in times of crisis, whilst also giving you the opportunity to communicate and empathise with people from different backgrounds, which I think is essential when attempting to solve any large-scale problem. I think the importance of community was something everyone took away from the event, as the other panellists and I agreed that, although individual action is important when tackling the climate crisis, ultimately systematic action is essential.
I really enjoyed speaking at this event and hope to speak at many similar ones in future. The other panellists and the audience were very interesting and I enjoyed hearing other people’s opinions on such a large problem which we all need to tackle together, especially given that currently so many people deny the facts and data behind it. In the meantime, I’d really recommend checking out Cornwall Climate Care’s website and seeing if they’re hosting any events in your area. I’d also love to hear your opinions on the issue, so feel free to email me or contact me on social media (@maypuckey).
