As fossil fuel prices rise, as oil insecurity deepens, and as concerns about climate change cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new energy economy is emerging. The old energy economy, fueled by oil, coal, and natural gas, is being replaced by one powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. Despite the global economic crisis, this energy transition is moving at a pace and on a scale that we could not have imagined even two years ago. And it is a worldwide phenomenon.

Read the full article here.

With student discussion groups banned and thousands of security operatives believed to be snooping on protesters, the youth of Kashmir are using the Internet as a virtual meeting place. Find out more at Stuff.

New Zealand Youth Delegation 2010 is really taking off in a big way. Delegates all around the country are hitting schools, youth groups and politicians offices, spreading the word about climate change and the climate change youth movement!

But we need YOUR help! Do you have a group or school that would interested in learning about climate change and the youth connection? are YOU interested in helping others become more inspired to act on climate change? If so, we’d love to hear about it!

We need passionate young people to become our ‘Agents of Change’, to help us reach new communities, schools, youth groups, churches and pretty much any place where there are keen young people. We’d also love it if you could be part of the workshop in your community by running them alongside delegates from your region, if you feel comfortable doing so.

Workshops will focus on:

• Educating youth on how climate change is affecting people from around the world and how so many are responding to the challenge in smart and courageous ways.
• Inspiring young people to take action within their communities.
• Listening to what youth people think and feed that back to ourreaders, both here and on the international stage.

Workshops would involve a short presentation, some conversation and the opportunity for people to contribute to the NZYD F.A.B. Fern. The F.A.B Fern Campaign (Fair, Ambitious, Binding) uses the classic Kiwi icon of a fern as a canvas to collect messages from New Zealand youth. This would include messages on the kind of commitments they’re taking in their own communities and homes to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as well as what do they want our government and world leaders at COP16 to know?

NZYD will present these messages to New Zealand’s leaders in the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico, and to the international community gathered at the conference itself in December.

There are delegates in Wellington (Jessie, Chelsea, Emma), Auckland (Rick, Kirk, Luke, Rachel, Emily), Wairarapa (Brittany), Christchurch (Suzanna) and Dunedin (Paul, Mike) all with HEAPS of other exciting events and opportunites on the go that they would love your input into as well. So if you are interested you can either email us nzyouthdelegation@gmail.com or call 021 042 7430 (Kirk) and let us know what region you have connections to or would like to help out in.

More info about NYYD here: http://youthdelegation.org.nz

Wahoo!
Cheers
Emma (on behalf of the NZYDers)

For all uptodate reports, images and eyewitness accounts check out the BBC’s special report.

Amid ever-rising violence, which some people fear could foster a repeat of last year’s catastrophic presidential election, women are struggling to campaign at all outside a few areas, poll monitors say.

Read the full story on the Guardian website.

So did you all receive your copy of Inkling? As I said last time this is the first issue our new annual publication, so we would love to hear from you about what you liked, what we could include next time etc.

We have selected our new Just Write team! They are a fantastic bunch of young writers who will be providing you all with interesting, hard hitting articles in the coming year. Keep an eye on the website for more information about the team  and how they get on at the upcoming training weekend.

Highlights

Article - BE the change!

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the world’s problems, and ask ‘how we can as individuals really make a difference?’ But everyone has important role to play. Especially young people! Thomas Mitchell shows us how we can BE the change we want to see in the world.

Media Gallery - Coalition of the Willing

Coalition of the Willing’ is an animated film, made by over 20 film makers, about the war against global warming in a post-Copenhagen world. The film makes a compelling case for new online activism and explains how to bring the fight against global warming to the people!

New library resource - End of the Line

Filmed over two years, this film follows an investigative reporter as he confronts politicians and celebrity restaurateurs, who exhibit little regard for the damage they are doing to the oceans. Filmed across the world - from the straits of Gilbraltar to the coasts of Alaska, this film is a wake-up call to the world.

Check out the film trailer here.  You can join our library and get books and DVDs out for Free!

Events

Celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity - 2010
Over the next three months young people throughout Aotearoa New Zealand can write messages about biodiversity and attach them to a giant kākāpō.

This is a chance for New Zealand youth to let world leaders know how they feel about biodiversity and what needs to be done to protect it. All the ‘feather’ messages collected through Words on a Wing will be taken to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 10th meeting in Japan in October.

More info about this event and others is available on the events page.

Global Headlines

Playing for peace
The World Cup pits the best national football teams against each other. But a parallel tournament in South Africa has assembled teams representing the game’s power to bring about social change. Check out Haru Mutasa’s video report for Al Jazeera on the combined Israeli - Palestinian Peace team, playing in a tournament called “Football for Hope”.

Australia’s refugee proposal sparks debate
DEPUTY East Timor PM Jose Luis Guterres yesterday indicated his country would be unable to accept Australia’s plan to build an asylum-seeker processing centre there.  NZ Opposition Leader Phil Goff questioned, “Why we should load this problem on to them; I just can’t understand.” Check out the full story in The Australian.

Take Action!

Are you UNICEF NZ’s First Youth Ambassador?

The United Nations has declared August 2010 - 2011 the International Year of Youth and UNICEF NZ is looking for a kiwi youth ambassador!

For information about what this would entail and how you can apply check out the Just Focus Action Exchange.

On 20 October, 2010, thousands of groups across Aotearoa New Zealand, and in over 180 countries around the world, will join together and get to work on climate change Activities will range from tree planting to hosting bike repair workshops. 350.org wants to send a strong message to the world’s leaders that they need to start supporting climate solutions.

To find out about actions taking place around Aotearoa New Zealand, or to plan your own action, go to: www.350.org.nz/about/10-10-10

Get involved and organise your own peace day event. It can be as simple as lighting a candle or as complex as organising a peace concert for thousands of people. To find out what’s going on around the world on peace day, or for ideas on how to get involved go to: http://internationaldayofpeace.org

Full story available at Today’s Workplace - a workplace fairness blog.