Ten members of the Tipperary branch of Youth Work Ireland are travelling to Dublin today to take part in the Cop26 Global Day of Action protest.
It’s part of the youth-led campaign “Cop On to Climate Change” which runs until November 12th.
It’s aim is to provide a platform to spotlight the reality of climate change and to create a call to action while 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties is happening in Glasgow.
Tipperary based Youth Worker Cate O’Connor says climate change is something young people have been passionate about for some time and used COP26 as an opportunity to highlight this.
“As the famous saying ‘There isn’t a Planet B’. The young people need a future – they need hope. That’s why we are going to Dublin to represent young people in Tipperary and call on the government to cop-on.
“You know its those living in poverty that are going to be more effected by the rising fuel prices here in Ireland this winter. It’s those who can least afford to pay that are being called on pay more than they can and it’s not fair.”
Cate O’Connor said the local members of Youth Work Ireland wanted to make the most of COP26 to push their message home.
“They really felt that there are people who hear the words ‘climate change’, hear what’s going on but maybe are feeling a bit left out of the conversation or feeling a little powerless or losing hope.
“They wanted to really raise awareness that climate change is here, its happening, its real so we do need to take action. And whether that’s personal action, whether that’s looking at sustainable options or whether that is going to a protest and calling on the government to take more serious action to cop-on. You know, we are running out of time.”
