Can I start by acknowledging something? To every parent who has spent the last few weeks trying to get children to sleep in bedrooms that feel like greenhouses, keeping toddlers hydrated, worrying about elderly relatives, or wondering whether it’s even safe for the kids to run around outside, you deserve a medal.
This hasn’t just been another hot summer, it’s been a reminder that the world our children are growing up in is changing faster than any of us would like.
As our country’s Climate Minister, and as someone who spends a lot of time talking to young people, one thing strikes me again and again. They’re worried, yes, but they’re also impatient. They don’t just ask why this is happening, they ask what we’re going to do about it.
That’s why today I’m opening applications for the government’s first Youth Climate and Nature Panel, giving the next generation the opportunity to work directly with ministers and help shape the climate decisions that will define the country they’ll inherit.
I want to be clear that I’m not just looking for the young person who’s already read every climate report or would describe themselves as a climate activist.
I want to hear from the teenager who’s grown up on a farm and watched the seasons become less predictable, the apprentice who’s excited by the clean energy jobs being created in their town, the young person who’s seen football matches cancelled because pitches are flooded, or someone who’s simply looked at this summer and thought, “There has to be a better way.”
If you’re a parent reading this, you might already know exactly who that person is. They may never have spoken at a climate march or dreamed of working in politics, but they care about the countryside around them, the town they live in and the future they’ll inherit. Those are exactly the people I want to hear from, because the best ideas rarely come from one type of person, and neither should this panel.
Climate change can sometimes feel so vast that it’s tempting to think the problem is simply too big or that nothing we do will make a difference. I don’t believe that for a second.
We know how to move away from expensive, volatile dirty fuels towards clean energy that we generate here in Britain. We know how to make our homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer. We know how to restore nature, create skilled jobs and modernise old systems that no longer serve us well.
None of that happens overnight, but every step takes us towards a cleaner, more resilient country that’s less exposed to the kind of global energy shocks families have experienced over recent years. It’s what gets me out of bed every morning, and it’s what so many young people I meet are excited to help build.
There are good reasons to be optimistic. Britain has a proud history of leading on climate action, from introducing the Climate Change Act to driving the transition to clean energy today. Since July 2024, we’ve secured more than £100 billion of private investment in clean energy, we’re on track to support 400,000 additional clean energy jobs by 2030, and we’re backing technologies that can help families stay comfortable in hotter summers while cutting energy bills. We are proving that protecting the climate and growing the economy are not competing priorities, they’re two sides of the same mission to build a stronger Britain.
That’s why listening to young people isn’t an optional extra, it’s essential. They’ll live with the consequences of the decisions we make for far longer than we will, and they see opportunities that many of us miss. This panel will bring them together with ministers, officials, businesses and experts throughout the year, giving them a genuine opportunity to challenge us, contribute ideas and help shape the government’s approach to climate and nature.
Every parent wants to leave their children a country that’s safer, fairer and full of opportunity. Giving the next generation a genuine seat at the table, and listening to what they have to say, feels like a pretty good place to start.
For more details on how to apply, please visit this link.