Take a picture of your blue hands and send it to us to be represented at the march.
UNICEF UK/Brighton 2009/Elinor Jones
What needs to be done about climate change?
There needs to be a drastic reduction of 40% in our carbon dioxide emissions – the gas that is largely responsible for climate change. This is needed to make sure world temperatures do not rise more that 2°C higher than current temperatures, to stop the most drastic impacts of climate change taking place.
UNICEF believes we need to take action on this issue and ensure a safe future for all children around the world.
What’s the big deal about Copenhagen? Why is everyone talking about it in relation to climate change?
In December 2009, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Summit. The leaders will be trying at this summit to formulate on a new international agreement on climate change to lay out what the global community can do to reduce the causes and impact of climate change.
We need to make them understand that global citizens want to see a drastic reduction in carbon emissions and more support for children and so must make our voices heard in the run up to the summit!
Why should I as a young person stand up against climate change?
Climate change will hit the poorest first and hardest, especially children – those who are least responsible for creating the problem!
The effects of climate change already cause the deaths of over 300,000 people each year and the consequences of climate change such as water shortages, an increase in diseases, natural disasters and loss of income, will continue to affect children all over the world.
It is even estimated that every year in the next decade 175 million children will be affected by sudden climate related disasters and if climate change goes unchecked it could cause between an additional 60,000 and 250,000 child deaths in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa alone. Climate change is denying children their basic rights to life, health, education and protection but it’s not too late to change this!
You as a young person have a right to have your voices heard on these outcomes of climate change as it is you and your peers that will be affected most!
What can you do to help stop climate chaos?
On Saturday 5 December 2009, ahead of the crucial UN climate summit in Copenhagen, tens of thousands of people from all walks of life will march through the streets of London to demonstrate their support for a safe climate future for all.
The Wave is organised by the
Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.
Well that depends how long you've got...
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Quick, I've only got 1 minute!
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I've got 10 minutes, tell me what I can do.
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I've got a whole hour or more to spare – I just can't get enough climate action!
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Quick, I've only got 1 minute!
Ask your MP to contact Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to demand that he takes decisive action at the Copenhagen conference.
The future of all the world's children depends on it, so do it now!
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I've got 10 minutes, tell me what I can do.
Feeling blue about climate change? Give us a wave and take our 'blue hands' action! This is your chance to have your voice heard on climate change this December, and get a bit messy in the process! It's simple...
STEP 1: Find some blue paint and cover your hands in the stuff! If you don't have any blue paint, or you don't fancy leaving messy paw prints all over the place, you can download and print our ready made blue handprint. Persuade as many of your friends as possible to get in on the action too!
If you want to, you can also write a message on your palm saying why you care about and what you want done about climate change. Or you could write what age you'll be in 2050, to hammer home to world leaders that we are the next generation, and we'll be the ones who have to deal with the negative effects of climate change if they don't take action now!
STEP 2: Take a photo of your beautiful blue hands! Take a simple shot of your palms, or get creative and take a photo of your blue hands out and about, spreading the message.
*Remember if you want to take a picture of your face and you're 14 or under you'll need to get permission from your parent or guardian in step 3...*
Photo: Eli Jones
STEP 3:
Send us your photo! Email it to tagd@unicef.org.uk and also include your name, age, the nearest town to where you live, and a caption you would like to appear with your photo.
If you are 14 or under and your face appears in your picture, you will need to download this permission form and get your parents to fill it in. You can then post it to us.
- What will you do with my photo?
We'll add it do our blue hands photo gallery here, and to show the world you're a climate champion.
We'll also take your photo to The Wave march in London on December 5th, so your views can still be represented there even if you can't make it to London. We hope to make a giant creative display of your photos to carry with us, so get on the Wave and send us your photos!
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I've got a whole hour or more to spare – I just can't get enough climate action!
How about having a 'Wave Day' in your school, your youth group, in your community or just with your friends? Here's how to make a splash and get everyone in on board the wave of climate action...
STEP 1: Arrange a time and a place for your Wave Day event. It could be a school assembly, your college canteen, your local park, your Granny's front room or anywhere! Remember to get permission first from everyone involved. Start publicising the event and get all your friends on board. You might want to make a poster or a leaflet to advertise it.
STEP 2: On the day, get the blue paint and get messy! Paint everyone's hands blue and get snapping. Take lots of creative photos of people with their blue handprints. Encourage people to write messages to world leaders, or write the age they'll be in 2050, on their blue palms.
*Remember that anyone who has a photo of their face taken and is 14 or under will need their parent of guardian to sign a permission form. Download the permission form here and post it to us.*
You might also want to use our climate change peer education pack to run some activities to help people get clued up and fired up on climate change.
STEP 3: Send us your photos. Email them to tagd@unicef.org.uk and also include your names, ages, the nearest town to where you live, and a caption about what's going on in your photos.
Take Further Action: