Rick taking his views to the world

BY LUCY VICKERS

Rick Zwaan is one of just five New Zealand teenagers who will have the opportunity to express their opinions on climate change at a forum in Denmark.

The 16-year-old Northcote College student will attend the UN Children’s Fund Children’s Climate Forum in Copenhagen from November 28 to December 5, to voice his concerns about and suggestions for the environment.

Unicef says recommendations from the children’s forum will go on to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which takes place immediately after.

One of the things Rick would like to see is a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

He says New Zealand is aiming to reduce them by 50 percent by 2050 but "it needs to be 40 percent by 2020 at least".

He would like to see the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide at 350 parts per million.

He says it is currently 390 and "in the danger zone".

Rick says to be able to share his views on an international setting "feels pretty awesome" and "powerful in a way".

At the forum he hopes to gain a sense that everyone’s united in a target for environmental wellbeing.

He says everyone can take small steps to help – using public transport, making the most of cycle lanes to reduce CO

2 emissions, taking part in tree planting, switching off lights and changing to energy-efficient lightbulbs.

Rick has been involved in a number of initiatives including organising regional youth forums on regeneration, and auditing and reducing water and energy use at his school.

He will join Erana Walker, 17, from Whangarei, Phoebe Hunt, 17, from Rotorua, and Travis Mills, 14, and Abby Ward, 17, from Nelson.

- © Fairfax NZ News