Southwark climate activist to attend G7 to raise awareness of environmental problems and sustainability

A climate campaigner from Southwark is heading to the G7 in Cornwall this summer to raise awareness about global issues.

YouTuber and Miss Eco UK Finalist Candy Paasche, 22, says she is passionate about improving sustainability and caring for the planet – as well as supporting others to do the same.

She said: “I want to encourage people to love and actively take care of our planet. Attending the G7 summit means that my voice will be heard by some of the world’s powerhouses, and it is a unique opportunity that I don’t take for granted.

“This event is unlike any other that I have come across, in that it deals with climate change and the health of our planet head on. It gives us the ability to work together to combat environmental problems and ensure we have a better and brighter future.”

Ms Paashe will join a group of other youth campaigners, who together are representing overseas development charity CAFOD.

They aim to make their voices heard – especially around the issue of climate change and debt cancellation.

As the UK is host to key events G7 and COP26 this year, CAFOD is urging leaders to support vulnerable nations by cancelling all debt payments owed by low-income countries so that they can recover and rebuild from the pandemic.

The charity wants to see the world’s leaders provide support to these countries to tackle the immediate health crisis and poverty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Aisha Dodwell, CAFOD’s head of campaigns said: “As leaders of the world’s most powerful nations gather in Cornwall to discuss the global recovery from the pandemic, CAFOD’s youth delegation will be there to campaign for a just global green recovery that includes all nations.

“Attending the G7 mobilisation will enable these young adults to put their Catholic faith into action and speak out in solidarity with the world’s poorest communities to ensure world leaders tackle the climate crisis and cancel debts for countries in the global south.

“The young attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about the deepening inequalities and ecological destruction of our common home and raise their voices against global injustice.”