The 2009 Student Earth Summit took place in London on Wednesday 18th November 2009. A group of seventeen Year 13 and Year 14 students visited London over three days in order to attend this important conference at the O2 Arena. The students had the opportunity to participate in a climate change conference that provided an in-depth analysis and discussion forum of the key issues relating to the future of our planet and the environment. A variety of speakers spoke on a range of issues.

Pupils with Mr Madden, Mr Finn & Ms Sisk

At the Student Earth Summit in the 02 Arena

Donnachadh McCarthy, an environmental journalist with a negative carbon footprint, discussed how school communities have role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Sean Devlin volunteered to measure the carbon footprint of St Columbs and will be aided in this task by Mrs McGonigle, Eco-schools Co-ordinator. Dr Mark McCarthy, a climate research scientist from the Met Office Hadley Centre, gave a presentation on the actual climate changes that have taken place over the last twenty years in comparison to a range of predictions made in 1989. Pen Hadow, the Director and Head of Surveying on the Caitlin Arctic Survey, outlined his experiences and evidence to support the prediction that we will lose the Arctic sea ice in twenty years. Karen Ford, an environmental activist, gave an engaging and inspiring synopsis of her career path, particularly focusing on the importance of leaders and leadership skills in life. Graeme McFeely came up with an excellent ‘Bright Idea’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions involving the creation of a composting centre in the school.

Attending the Earth Summit at the O2

The trip to the Student Earth Summit was not all work. The boys enjoyed a range of activities over the three days including an open top bus tour of London, a meal in the Hard Rock Café in Piccadilly and a trip to the Natural History and Science museums in South Kensington. During the open top bus tour all of the major tourist attractions were visited, including the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Oxford Circus, London Bridge and Hyde Park to name quite a few. And of course we visited the O2 Arena (formerly known as the Millennium Dome) for the Earth Summit itself.

Enjoying the sites of London!

Getting around London

Visiting the Natural History Museum