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Hilary Benn Wishes Climateers Success

By Ben West ⋅ November 16, 2007 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Share on Facebook

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has congratulated the participants of You, Me & The Climate on their launch. Remarking that it marked an “important step in our efforts to overcome climate change”, Mr Benn went on to describe their involvement as ‘inspiring’ in an encouraging step which reinforces DEFRA’s kind support for You, Me & The Climate so far.The Secretary of State, who moved to DEFRA after a successful stint at the Department for International Development (DFID) this Summer, was, despite an earlier invitation, himself unable to attend the event. This was due to the launch of a command paper on the government’s recently announced Climate Change Bill, held at Kew Gardens on the same day.

Nonetheless, in a letter to the delegates, he recognised the need for a grassroots effort from young people, calling it “vital” that young people take a lead. On the Climatelog project which You, Me & The Climate’s delegates are currently undertaking, he hoped to see the results first hand, pointing out the importance of “young people’s attitudes and opinions”, which he hopes will become clear through the project over the next few months.