20 November 2009

Crown Research Institute Scion is pleased to be supporting Western Heights High School student, Phoebe Hunt as part of a delegation to attend the Global Climate Change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark next month.

Phoebe is one of five students selected throughout New Zealand by Unicef to help represent the voice of youth at this important international gathering.

The students will be attending the Children's Climate Forum before the main conference of parties (COP 15). The decisions from this Forum will be put towards the COP 15 as youth recommendations.

Phoebe welcomes the opportunity to share her ideas for achieving sustainability as she feels that climate change is not being taken seriously enough.

“Climate change affects us all; I believe we need to work together globally to minimise the effects,”
she says.

Scion’s Group Manager of Sustainable Design, Dr Trevor Stuthridge says that predicting and mitigating the effects of climate change is a major focus area for Scion, directly in alignment with the purpose of the conference.

“Science has an enormous role in helping New Zealand to find ways of reducing climate change impacts, both in the short and long term.

“Our activities range from measuring the amount of carbon dioxide that forests remove from the atmosphere, to finding carbon-neutral substitutes for fossil fuels.”

“We also specialise in developing environmental technologies that minimise waste and ensure sustainable production.”

Dr Stuthridge says it is pleasing for Scion to support the youth delegation, as the young people of today will inherit many challenges and opportunities associated with new technologies in a changing world.

The youth delegation is being organised by Enviro-Challenge New Zealand Charitable Trust and Unicef New Zealand.

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