No escape from environmental concerns
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Two months ago, I shared my experiences covering the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference at a forum that examined the roles and influences of government, the media, and non-governmental organizations.
Soon after the conference, I received a phone call from Li Mingwei, an environmental engineering student at Tsinghua University, inviting me to speak at the Second International Youth Summit on Energy and Climate Change, scheduled for July 12-13.
At first, I tried to decline the invitation, but Li, who is also a member of the school's Student Green Association, would not give up. She kept calling, saying it was important for young people to learn in detail what happened at the climate talks in Copenhagen. In the end she persuaded me, and I'm glad she did.
The forum gave me a chance to meet some 200 college students not only from China, including Taiwan, but also from Mexico, Denmark, South Africa, and several other countries. Members of several youth environmental organizations and 20 young workers from GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd were also active participants.
All shared the same concerns about climate change and its political, economic, and social impact. They asked about the government's commitment to green development and greenhouse gas emission cuts, about the promise of a low-carbon economy, and about the responsibility of the media to explain these complicated issues to the public.
On the sidelines of the conference, I also met several leaders of youth non-governmental organizations that are devoted to reducing our ecological footprint and promoting a low-carbon way of life.
One of these leaders, Li Li, founder of China Youth Climate Action Network, was instrumental in enabling some 50 Chinese young people to join the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference as members of NGOs. Some of them described their experience in Copenhagen as a roller-coaster ride, starting on a high note but ending with an agreement that is not legally binding - an outcome they deemed disappointing.
It is clear to me that these young people know very well that climate change is here to stay. Although most of them are still in school, they have accepted the duty to clean up the environment. Their well-being and that of their children and grandchildren depend on their success in developing clean and renewable energy.
I was encouraged to find that they are undaunted by these responsibilities. However, they did seem a bit concerned about the attitudes of their elders, such as how we, as guests, regarded this youth forum.
Many questions exhibited deep thought and concern for the environment. For instance, a student from Taiwan asked me whether young people should take broader social, economic and political implications into account while conducting case studies.
Others questions, such as whether the forum itself was meaningful, showed a certain diffidence.
There is no reason to doubt the value of such a forum. For two days, the young people exchanged ideas and ideals and learned about the duties and challenges they face on a national and global scale.
I believe these young people will not forget what they learned at the forum. A few told me that they were studying journalism and would like to work in the media to cover climate issues.
Environmental engineering students like Li Mingwei will likely join or even start their own projects to implement technologies that will cut the use of fossil fuels and reduce pollution in industry. Guest speaker Li Yang, from the US-based Natural Resources Defense Council, explained that a hole in a steam pipe only 2 mm in diameter can cause a textile mill to waste energy equal to more than 10 tons of coal a year.
Whatever careers and professions they pursue in the future, these students will bring an environmental perspective and support efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
As Dr. Awni Behnam, the United Nations Commissioner General for the United Nations Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, said at the forum's opening, "There is no escape."
