A TRAILBLAZING teenage activist is appealing for help so he can attend an international climate change conference.
Samren Reddy staged a one-man climate emergency protest outside Rugby Town Hall in February last year – and his efforts were rewarded when around 200 other teens joined him at a second demonstration in September.
Now the 16-year-old Lawrence Sheriff pupil, part of the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement inspired by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, wants to go to the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference – also known as COP26 – which is being held in Glasgow in November.
Samren, a member of the UK Youth Parliament, said: “I am really passionate about saving the environment, as we must guarantee a future for the next generation. I was really excited to hear that COP26 is going to be held in Glasgow later this year.
“However, I found out only selected members of registered organisations can attend.
“I want to be present and add my voice to COP26, which is a brilliant opportunity to gain insight into environmental action on a global scale.
“I have always been inspired from a very young age to put in action my thoughts and ideas, and feel that COP26 would be the greatest opportunity yet.”
Samren’s (right) efforts were rewarded when around 200 other teens joined him at a second demonstration in September.
Samren has already written to the likes of Boris Johnson, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, the UK Youth Climate Coalition, energy minister and COP 26 president Alok Sharma, and Rugby MP Mark Pawsey.
While he has received encouraging responses from some, he is still yet to find an organisation who has applied to attend COP 26 and would be willing to take him along.
He added: “Governments must listen to young people because we will have to deal with the long-term effects of climate change – which will be irreversible in just 12 years if we don’t do anything to drastically reduce our emissions.
“Through education and peacefulness we can bring more people onto our side, and we can all live in a world that is more suitable for life.”
Email [email protected] to help Samren get to COP26.
