COP 26: Highland filmakers, Jasmin Robertson from Nairn and Finlay McLennan from Inverness will help bring a youth voice to the environment conference in Glasgow with leaders from around the globe this Autumn
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Two young filmakers from the Highlands have been chosen to bring their voice to the COP26 climate challenge conference in Glasgow between October 31 and November 12.
17-year-olds Jasmin Robertson from Nairn and Finlay McLennan from Inverness have been selected by the Scottish Youth Film Foundation (SYFF) and COP26 Principal Partner ScottishPower to bring the voice of young Scotland to COP26.
They are part of a group of 12 young Scots from across the country aged between 16 and 21, who are being trained to film, direct, present and produce content which will be broadcast daily to a global audience as COP TV during the environmental conference.
SYFF co-founder Scott Mackay who has been working with the young people this summer, said of the global project: “COP TV is a fantastic opportunity for young people to influence the climate change conversation on a global stage – to bring the voice of young Scotland to the world and the world to the young people of Scotland.
"Working with the team, I am so impressed with the knowledge, passion and enthusiasm they bring to the film-making process. "They are a credit to Scotland and will be fantastic young ambassadors both to the delegates and climate change influencers we interview and to the global audience watching our daily broadcast.”
He continued: “We are hugely grateful to ScottishPower for their support. This promises to be a historic event and I’m honoured to be working with such a talented group of young Scots.”
Jasmin, who has been involved with climate strikes at school says she want s to improve the world through her creative practice,
She said: "I am really looking forward to the act of making programmes and films; From the writing and planning to the editing and final transmission.
"I enjoy editing and can’t wait to get started making films for broadcast during COP 26."
Finlay, who plays the fiddle with trad band Cala, said: "What I hope to achieve at COP is inspiring other young people to be a part of the fight for climate change through the use of film and also to gain experience working in the media industry."
Dr Sam Gardner, head of climate change and sustainability at ScottishPower, said: “We need everyone to play their part in tackling the climate emergency and we’ve already seen that the enthusiasm and determination of young people can not only influence the decision-makers, but can result in real and lasting change.
“COP26 is arguably the world’s most crucial conference on climate change yet. It’s where we hope to see real action taken to cut carbon emissions and limit the rise in global temperatures. ScottishPower is already playing its part, investing £10billion in the UK over five years – £6 million every working day – to double its renewable generation capacity and drive forward decarbonisation.
“I’m delighted to meet the team from COP TV and I look forward to seeing the stories and news they capture during COP broadcast worldwide.”
The team will be supported by Christie Paterson, an offshore environmental manager with ScottishPower’s parent company Iberdrola.
Based out of ScottishPower’s Glasgow HQ, she works with Iberdrola windfarm projects worldwide, advising on how to reduce and monitor potential environmental impacts.
She said: “I think COP TV is a fantastic initiative and it’s been great to meet the team at our windfarm today. There are so many great stories to tell as we journey towards net zero and I hope I can help show this group of young filmmakers all the ways we are working to help protect the environment both here in the UK and at windfarms around the world.”
READ: Highlanders needed to take on the climate change challenge
