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Bill Gates Wants Youths To Tackle Climate Change. Here's Some Who Already Are

Bill Gates Wants Youths To Tackle Climate Change. Here's Some Who Already Are
Lucy Sherriff

Bill and Melinda Gates addressed their annual letter, which was published on Monday, to young people. They asked students to tackle climate change.

"You may be wondering what you can do to help," he wrote. "First, it’s important for everyone to get educated about this energy challenge. Many young people are already actively involved in climate and energy issues and I’m sure they could use more help.

"Your generation is one of the most globally minded in history, adept at looking at our world’s problems beyond national borders. This will be a valuable asset as we work on global solutions in the decades ahead.

"Second, if you’re someone with some crazy-sounding ideas to solve our energy challenge, the world needs you. Study extra hard in your math and sciences. You might just have the answer."

If you'd like to read the Gates' full letter, you can click here. But in the meantime, here are some of the young people who are way ahead, and already taking big steps to tackle the climate change problem.

The young people who are tackling climate change
Emily Shovlar(01 of03)
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The 22-year-old from Lincolnshire is tudying for an MSc in Sustainable Cities at King's College London.

"It felt right to shift from the humanities to geography after I realised climate change and being green had become my most passionate cause," she says. "I'm an active member of the KCL Environment Society and the Fossil Free group, campaigning for green innovation across King's and particularly for their divestment from fossil fuels."

"In my spare time I'm leading a small garden project on campus, collaborating with Trees for Cities and Science Gallery London. The aim is to encourage students to interact more with their green spaces by planting fruit, herbs, vegetables and flowers that everyone can pick, smell and enjoy. So far I've got lots of mint growing, which the Student Union will use for mojitos. Once spring arrives I'll plant lots more."
Samantha Buzzard(02 of03)
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The 26-year-old is studying a PhD at Reading University, focusing on ice shelf collapse.

"Ice shelf collapse is important as it can lead to habitat loss for creatures such as penguins, changes in the ocean, and sea level rise through the speed up of glaciers that used to flow onto the ice shelf," she says.

"I was motivated to do this through learning about climate change during my undergraduate. I think it’s important that scientists communicate their work to the public in order that the facts about topics such as climate change are known. I blog about what I do and try to simplify some polar/climate news stories here.

"I also am co-president of the UK Polar Network, a group of early career scientists who, among other things, help to send young scientists into schools to talk about polar science and run climate change activities with students."
Josh Thomas, Nathan Foakes and Joe Clayton(03 of03)
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The three architecture students have come up with a design for a tidal barrage which could power up to 200,000 homes in Liverpool with green electricity.

"We wanted to design something that supported the natural progression of Liverpool and the surrounding area," Thomas explains. "We all have an invested interest in Liverpool.

"The ultimate aim was to provide a barrage which would act as a unifying destination promoting a healthy, holistic strategy to support the sustainable progression of Liverpool and the Wirral."

Read more about their project here.
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