More than 100 children and young people today delivered a stark message to world leaders about the climate crisis in a unique and powerful video filmed across the Liverpool City Region.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram urged parents and leaders to watch and share the hard-hitting ‘100 Voices’ montage that lays bare the climate emergency fears and hopes of the younger generation.

The video was filmed as leaders from across the globe prepare to meet for the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

In an era that has seen teenager Greta Thunberg drive the global environment agenda, the montage features 112 children and young people aged between 5 and 18-years-old from Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

They were asked how they feel about climate change and environmental destruction.

Commissioned by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the result is a compelling snapshot that reveals how young people really feel about the climate crisis; their concerns, their knowledge and their hopes coupled with their messages to world leaders ahead of COP26.

Mayor Rotheram described the video as thought-provoking and said it sent a powerful message to everyone to act now to save the planet.

The Liverpool City Region Mayor has put children and young people at the centre of his climate thinking – with teenagers actively contributing to the city region’s Climate Partnership.

Mayor Rotheram said:

“Climate change is the defining issue of our age. No longer a threat coming down the road, its effects are being felt right now, posing an existential threat to us all.

“Through their collective efforts young people from around the world have thrust climate change up the political agenda. And those efforts have forced global leaders to take it seriously – but that needs to be quickly followed up by concerted action.

“In the Liverpool City Region, we’ve displayed real leadership and are making strong progress to decarbonise and reach net zero well before national targets.

“This powerful video from local school children send a clear message to the world’s leaders at COP26: there is no planet B. They are demanding action now to save the world and safeguard it for future generations. We can’t afford to let them down.”

In the video, children and young people urge leaders to act now and talk about their fears for life on earth and over the burning of fossil fuels.

One says:

“Stop saying you’re going to do something and do something about it” while another adds “We only have one planet and if we destroy it, there’s no secondary earth.”

Other contributions include:

“It’s not too late to save the world.”

“Although people want to make a difference, a lot of people choose to believe it’s not a major issue because it’s not impacting their day-to-day life.”

“You just need to listen to the next generation of people, give them a voice and they will sort it out.”

“I want the world leaders to build more wind farms instead of using fossil fuels.”

“We can all help in our own way, we can reduce our carbon footprint by making important changes.”

“All the world leaders, they’re old, and it’s us who’re going to have to deal with the consequences of their stupid actions.”

“After you’ve destroyed this planet we’ve got nowhere else to go.”

“I worry that my future children are going to suffer the consequences of this.”

“I believe the climate crisis we’re experiencing, is the most pressing matter of our generation.”

“To stop climate change, frankly, you’ve got to put aside differences and petty squabbles and think about the greater good and how you’re going to move forward to have a better future.”

“If we don’t solve it now then we’re going to hit the point of no return and we won’t be able to go back.”