'I’m scared of the future' - Gosport schoolgirl, 17, stuns councillors with powerful climate change speech

Grace Cane, a 17-year-old girl from Gosport, spoke at a borough council meeting last Wednesday, ahead of a vote to create a climate change board.

The Bay House School Sixth Form pupil was fiercely critical of politicians, saying more should have been done to protect the town from rising sea levels and air pollution.

Usually argumentative councillors fell silent as Grace took to the floor and delivered her speech, telling them it could one day be their homes and families on the national news due to natural disasters.

She said: 'The future we’ve had pushed onto us is so fragile – we’ve been given responsibilities instead of opportunities.

‘What I see is a world empty of ecosystems and biodiversity, with people losing their homes and their lives to natural disasters.

‘My privilege is that these are pictures on the TV for me, but they’re happening to people right now.

‘One day, this could be your family and friends, and you could be the one left behind.’

Grace is studying English literature, geography, politics and history in her A-levels.

She called on councillors to declare a climate emergency – something Gosport Borough Council previously refused to do.

‘This is the only planet known to hold life,’ she said.

‘There is nowhere else with laughter, with books and nature.

‘I’m not here because I’m brave, but because I’m scared of the future – and am one voice among many.

‘Just listening to me isn’t enough; I urge you to call this climate emergency what it is. Don’t push back our views on climate change even if other things seem more important, please act before it is too late.’

Grace was met with rapturous applause following her speech, with councillors praising her grit and strong will to call for action.

Her proposal for the council to call a climate emergency was not at the meeting, although the climate change board was unanimously approved at the community board meeting.