Climate Change Champions 2006

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Nine young people, each representing regions across England, who will act as the voices of Climate change in their region, are being sought by the government. The search is part of the Government's Climate Change Communications initiative 'Tomorrow's Climate, Today's Challenge', a three-year drive to communicate the threat of Climate change and the need for everyone to help tackle the problem.

The young Climate change champions will spend a year 'in office' spreading the world about Climate change to their region through local activities. They will also have a number of engagements throughout the year, including a fact-finding tour to Switzerland to witness the effects of Climate change at the Gurschen glacier. They will also have the opportunity to meet with a senior Government Minister to discuss Climate change in the UK and their ideas for how to communicate about this issue.

The youth competition is open to any young person aged between 10-18 years. Entrants will be required to submit their own communication about Climate change together with why they believe they should be selected as a champion to Defra. Entries may be in the form of a news report about Climate change. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as front page of a newspaper, a web news page, video, short film, radio feature or other innovative medium - covering how Climate change is affecting the UK, why it is important that everyone should know about the issue and how can we work together to tackle it. The deadline for entries will be March 31, 2006.

Entries will be judged by a panel of communications and Climate change experts. Shortlisted entrants will be invited to London for interview by members of the panel. The final nine will be chosen based on their communication skills, teamwork and enthusiasm for communicating about Climate change.

In addition to their visit to Switzerland, the Climate change champions will also attend key Climate change events throughout the year, receive communication skills training and have the opportunity to meet with some of the UK's leading Climate change agencies to learn more about Climate change and how it is affecting their region.

Defra has been working with 'The Newspaper' - distributed free to schools around the country - to advertise the climate change champions initiative. This means that the competition can be delivered in the classroom as part of citizenship learning and competition entries can be supported by teachers in the classroom environment.

Applicants to the Climate Change Champions 2006 competition can obtain more information from www.climatechallenge.gov.uk

Reference
 * Defra News release, January 26 2006