ON SATURDAY (December 9), Bangor will host a climate event to hear youth voices about the COP28 event, the annual meeting of world leaders to address climate change.

As part of a global day of action, the Bangor event is being held by North Wales Climate Action; an umbrella organisation of several groups taking action about the climate crisis.

COP28 is the 28th annual United Nations climate meeting, being held this year in Dubai between November 30 and December 12.

The aim of the COP meetings is for world nations to agree ways to limit long-term global temperature rises to no more than 1.5°C, which is critical to limit the most severe impacts of climate change and for a liveable future on earth.

With 2023 likely to be the hottest year on record globally, the UN has warned that rapid and radical changes to the way we live are needed to keep to this limit.  

Politicians have been invited to the Bangor event to hear directly from young people.

In North Wales, 23,244 Gwynedd residents live within a flood risk area, and in the next century, sea levels are expected to rise by 1.1m.

Flooding already costs the Welsh economy £200million per year, meanwhile.

The Bangor event will start with a banner-making workshop at 1pm in Pontio Level 2, followed by a peaceful march at 2.30pm in the centre of the city.

At 3.30pm outside Pontio, there will be speakers from the younger generation, on their thoughts, hopes and desires for the future.

Alison Shaw, a retired science teacher from Conwy, said: “2023 will be the hottest year on record. Climate breakdown is no longer a problem of the future: it’s happening now.

“Yet the corporations most responsible for this crisis keep posting record profits, paid for by us through our extortionate bills.

“And countries claiming to be ‘climate leaders’, including the UK, sign off plans to expand drilling for new oil and gas – adding flames to the fire and doing nothing to reduce the cost of living.”

Helen McGreary, 48, a dance teacher of Menai Bridge, added: “It's time to address the elephant in the room at COP28 - i.e. fossil fuels and the corrupt influence of fossil fuel companies.

“The evidence is clear: our climate is breaking down, and we must reduce fossil fuel use immediately.

“While profits for fossil fuel companies continue to rise, normal people’s energy bills rise.

“Meanwhile, the poor countries of the world who did the least to cause climate change are bearing the worse of its effects.

“The oil companies are profiting while normal people at home and abroad pay the price. Temperatures are rising. Corporate profits are rising. Now we’re rising.”