PRESS RELEASE
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY ISSUES DEBATED BY UK
STUDENTS IN EUROPEAN COMPETITION
100 STUDENTS BATTLE FOR PLACE IN EUROPEAN FINAL
London, 26 November 2007, Climate protection, security of energy supply and
technological development – issues discussed worldwide by global decision makers
and also debated by over 100 UK students in London’s City Hall in the second heat of
the European youth debating competition. The competition, hosted by the European
plastics manufacturers’ association, PlasticsEurope, saw a great performance from
students across London. The 10 winners will compete against their European
counterparts in the final debate in the European Parliament in Brussels next year.
Future decision makers got a chance to engage in an open dialogue with
representatives of Greenpeace, the British Plastics Federation (BPF), and the
European Commission as well as the London Assembly. The students called upon
politicians and industry to improve conditions for a permanent reduction of energy
consumption. They also recognised the important part individuals also need to play in
reducing the impacts of climate change.
The students argued that considerably more could be done to save energy,
especially in the heating or cooling of houses and flats, in automobile and air
transport and in the sensible use of renewable energies. In the debate it was stated
that nearly 90 percent of crude oil is used as combustibles or fuels, i.e. in single and
short-lived applications. By comparison, only 4 to 5 percent of oil is used in plastics
production, generating many more times its value in energy savings. In heat or cold
insulation of buildings, plastics can even be used as energy suppliers – because,
after only a short while, the energy saving effect exceeds the amount of energy
needed in the manufacture of insulating materials.
Jan-Erik Johansson, PlasticsEurope North Regional Director said: “Plastics play such
a fundamental role in our society and we need to understand both viewpoints when
we are debating on this topical issue. We were delighted to hear so many differing
opinions on plastics from local students; it is interesting to see how students from
different countries all have their own ideas on the use of plastics as well as
environment-related topics. We are also keen to hear the various arguments students
give on how plastics can be used to increase energy efficiency, reduce the carbon
footprint and support further development of renewable energies as well as the
preservation of natural resources.”
The students, aged 16-20 from schools around London saw a lot of potential for using
plastics to increase energy efficiency, reduce the individual carbon footprint and
support the further development of renewable energy sources as well as the
preservation of natural sources.
The 10 winners were:
Shade Henry, Blackheath High School
Gioacchino Accurso, St Dominic’s Sixth Form College, Harrow
Frederick Williams, The Latymer School, Edmonton
Catherine Sargent, Hayes School, Bromley
Tim Wyatt, The Latymer School, Edmonton
Francesca Mendes, St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School, North Finchley
Peter O’Conner, St Dominic’s Sixth Form College, Harrow
Nasreeen Nazir, Woodhouse College, Finchley
Steven Bush, Woodhouse College, Finchley
Jennifer Quigley-Jones, St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School, North Finchley
The winners of the debate will compete against their European counterparts in the
final debate in the European Parliament in Brussels next year.
--- ends --Media enquiries to:
Stephanie Bailey
020 7413 3717
sbailey@hillandknowlton.com
Notes to the editor:
PlasticsEurope is one of the leading European trade associations with offices in
Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan and Paris. We are networking with
European and national plastics associations and have more than 100 member
companies, producing over 90% of all polymers across the 27 EU member states plus
Norway, Switzerland, Croatia and Turkey.
The European plastics industry makes a significant contribution to the welfare in
Europe by enabling innovation, creating quality of life to citizens and facilitating
resource and energy efficiency as well as climate protection. More than 1.6 million
people are employed in about 50.000 companies (mainly small and medium sized
enterprises in the converting sector) to create a turnover of €280 billion per year. The
plastics industry includes polymer producers represented by PlasticsEurope,
converters represented by EuPC and machine manufacturers represented by
EUROMAP.