The youth are also getting involved in change

Today Online 10 Dec 09;

SINGAPORE - A group of 15 young Singaporeans are attending the climate change conference in Copenhagen, joining 2,000 youth delegates from around the world - the first time the young are joining in the talks with world leaders.

Volunteers from Environmental Challenge Organisation (ECO) Singapore, a non-profit environmental organisation, are involved in the discussions on solutions to deal with the impact of climate change.

In the wake of the conference, they hope to generate more local awareness on the effects of climate change and get locals to act.

"There is so much happening in the region, all the natural disasters and so on, that we (in Singapore) are well cocooned from. We don't really know and understand the consequences," said member Eileen Lee, a student, "I hope to be able to come back and tell everyone that everything that's happening around us isn't by fate ... it's caused by climate change." The young participants believe Singapore has the ability to do more.

Mr Wilson Ang, the founder and president of ECO Singapore, said: "We do hope we can look into things like Singapore taking a more regional supportive role, facilitating technological transfer, and assisting the neighbouring countries to get energy security and solutions."

By networking with other young people from around the world in Copenhagen, ECO Singapore also wants to develop and collaborate with them on regional environmental projects in the future. May Wong