Around 300 young people gathered at Truro’s New County Hall yesterday to call for more action on climate change.

Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for the environment, Sue James, and deputy leader Julian German met the organiser of the event and some of the students who attended, to tell them that the council was “keen to work with them” and put forward a collective Cornish voice with which to lobby parliament.

It was the second time in as many months that students had descended on the council headquarters to protest against climate change and call on councillors to take action, having already taken part in the national Youth Strike 4 Climate in February. 

In January councillors declared a climate emergency, calling on Westminster to provide the powers and resources necessary for Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Mrs James said yesterday: “Having listened to young people who were at [Friday’s] gathering it is clear that they have strong views about what more can be done to tackle to climate change.

“We want to help the young people of Cornwall to air their views and we wish to seek their opinions to inform the future thinking of the Council, in the matter of climate change.

“We also encourage young people to get involved in decision-making on a local level, such as through their schools, colleges, town and parish councils, to keep climate change high on the agenda.”

For more information or to share your views email climatechange@cornwall.gov.uk.