More students given opportunity to debate climate issues at COP-style event
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils' second Schools Green Skills Summit will take place on 10 October.
It follows the councils' inaugural summit last year which saw:
- 100% of students leaving with a better understanding of how they can tackle climate change
- 100% of teachers looking to recommend the conference to peers
The COP-style event will host 90 year 8 and 9 students from across 11 schools in Babergh and Mid Suffolk.
The students will represent 16 nations, as at COP30 in Brazil later this year, debating real-world climate change challenges and emulating real-life negotiations.
The aim is to engage young people from a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds about climate change and its effects.
The hope is to open up opportunities for local action and sustainable career choices for the next generation, coinciding with this year's Green Careers Week (3 - 8 November 2025).
The event will be facilitated by InterClimate Network, and hosted by the Royal Hospital School.
Schools taking part are:
- Royal Hospital School
- Holbrook Academy
- Stour Valley Community School
- East Bergholt High School
- Thomas Gainsborough School
- Ipswich High School
- Stowmarket High School
- Claydon High School
- Stradbroke High School
- Debenham High School
- Finborough School
Students will also be encouraged to think about the local action they and their schools can take to help tackle the climate crisis and get towards net zero.
There will be the chance to ask several Q&A panel members questions and explore the stalls of climate-focused organisations as part of a mini green skills careers fair.
The Q&A panel members include:
- Cllr John Ward (Babergh District Council - leader)
- Cllr Andrew Mellen (Mid Suffolk District Council - leader)
- Ella Shuttleworth, Morgan Sindall
- Kate Dixon, Muntons
- Leanne Tipple, Taylor Woodrow
- Kevin Bull, Gasway
- Neil Fright, Carbon Numbers
Stallholders include:
- Suffolk Sustainable Schools Network (part of Suffolk County Council)
- Morgan Sindall
- Muntons
- University of Suffolk
- Suffolk New College
- Denny Bros
- Food Savvy Suffolk
- Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council's waste team
- Gasway
- Carbon Numbers
- Taylor Woodrow
- Soler & Palau Ventilation Group
The event has been fully and generously sponsored by:
- Gasway
- Morgan Sindalls
- Carbon Numbers
- Taylor Woodrow
- Gateway 14
- Muntons
- Denny Bros
- University of Suffolk
- Ecolytik
- Suffolk Sustainable Schools Network (part of Suffolk County Council)
- Soler & Palau Ventilation Group
- Suffolk New College
“This is our second schools debate event like this, following a successful inaugural summit last year - a testament to our wider commitment to tackling climate change in Suffolk.
"We hope that by giving our younger residents the opportunity to experience a real-life climate debate will encourage them to take local action and plant the seed for future green skills careers.”
“Our Schools Green Skills Summit event was a highlight of last year for our younger residents and teachers alike, so I'm delighted we're hosting it again this year.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to engage our next generation of residents on climate issues, and give them the skills, tools, and confidence to explore green careers in future.
"We hope they once again walk away from the event inspired and wanting to take local action at school and in their communities.”
Hear from students that took part in 2024 on Mid Suffolk's Facebook page
Watch a reel on Babergh's Facebook page of the 2024 summit, including commentary from students who took part
