Mr. Yuming Lian:

Yuming is ainm dom. I thank the Chair and the members of the committee for the invitation to appear here today. I thank the committee for allowing us the chance to express our opinions about climate action education. The latter is a vital subject for today's world, yet one that is frequently overlooked. We commend the committee on its progress in the new leaving certificate course on climate action and sustainable development. We wish to express our opinions about how the climate crisis can be resolved much more efficiently through education in the areas of innovation, adaptation and implementation. I will be covering the topic of innovation, Ms Adhikari will cover adaptation and Ms Doyle will cover implementation.

Innovation is defined as making changes in something established. While innovative ways to teach climate action education have been slowly introduced, we feel that the speed at which it is happening is not sufficient to combat the current crisis. By continuing at this linear speed, we, the younger population of Ireland, will be underprepared to combat the exponential threat that is climate change. Climate change will not wait for us to catch up. It will not give us the luxury of time. However, climate change certainly will be the end of life as we know it.

Strength in numbers is what we believe in. Unity is what we believe in. By making climate action education available for all primary and post-primary education centres throughout Ireland, young people will benefit from reduced climate anxiety and improved resilience and will be united against this climate crisis. Through education, we can impact the younger generation at their most impressionable age to leave a permanent, positive impact for this generation and those to come. Do not count the minutes, but make the minutes count. Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.

Faigheann cos ar siúl rud nach bhfaigheann cos ina cónaí. Go raibh míle maith ag an gcoiste.