Kids hang their hopes on climate change

ROSS GIBLIN/ The Dominion Post

SHEDDING A LIGHT: Thorndon School pupils Meg Gleadow, 8, and Emillie Beamsley-Dick, 7, cast their votes, with lanterns, for the future of Earth at Te Papa.

Relevant offers

Education

UCOL appeals Palmerston North plan Massey gets four-star rating School unapologetic for chewing gum expulsion Former principal gets community work New degree to boost te reo ACT banks on charter schools New degree to boost te reo Critics dispute Family First findings on day care Massey education students' year begins Principals give Govt an 'F' on class sizes

Lanterns have long been a symbol of hope, and it is hope for the future of the planet that they symbolise in a new exhibition at Te Papa.

More than 2000 children from around New Zealand have written messages on paper lanterns ahead of the climate change summit to be held in Copenhagen next week.

Pupils from Thorndon School went to Te Papa yesterday to add their lanterns to those that filled a globe constructed to resemble an earth-shaped ballot box.

Connor Smith, 9, said he wrote on his lantern "vote for earth", as he wanted to send a message to those attending the summit that it needed to take action against climate change.

Classmate Hannah Hall, 9, said she wrote "don't go red, go green", because she thought it was important for the world to have a healthy environment.

Another member of the school's Envirogroup team, Meg Gleadow, 8, added her lantern to the display, which she said would show people that children cared about the environment.

Climate Change Minister Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Tim Groser will travel to Copenhagen, joining representatives from almost 200 countries.

Prime Minister John Key has not committed to going to the talks, but at Te Papa yesterday, 12-year-old Asia Brownlie said it was important that he attended to represent the New Zealand in deciding to make "big changes" to save the planet.

The exhibition was organised by WWF, and climate change campaigner Peter Hardstaff said he was "blown away" by the awareness young people had of how important the Copenhagen talks would be.

The globe will be on display at Te Papa till Saturday night, when the lanterns will be sent to Copenhagen as a message to negotiators.

During the summit, the lanterns will be paraded through the Danish city with others made by children from around the world.

- © Fairfax NZ News