On Tuesday, 22nd April, the APPCCG and Policy Connect teamed up with a wide range of other Non-Governmental Organisations to host student climate activist Greta Thunberg at a special parliamentary reception. 

Greta gave a frank and direct address to some 150 high profile guests including politicians such as Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Michael Gove, APPCCG Chair Caroline Lucas, Diane Abbott, Ed Milliband and Liberal Democrat Layla Moran MP. 

As Greta pointed out in her speech, statistics from the Tyndall Centre show UK emissions have actually shrunk by 0.4% per year since 1990 once aviation, shipping and imported goods are factored in. 

Earlier in the day, Greta met with the Westminster leaders of Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, and the Greens for a round table meeting. UK youth climate strikers Anna Taylor, George Bond and Holly Gillibrand joined this discussion and were able to secure significant commitments from the senior politicians present, these were:

1. To continue the dialogue - opposition leaders agreed to take part in an ongoing series of round tables with the student strikers
2. To take part in youth climate assemblies - all parties present committed to exploring the idea of setting up youth citizens assemblies to include the views of younger generations in the creation of climate policy
3. To have their manifestos climate stress-tested - all agreed in principle to having future manifestos 'stress tested' by an appropriate body to ensure they are compatible with below 1.5oC of global warming

Read the full report on the APPG Climate Change website.