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Lift Kingsley students Meet PM at No 10 ahead of COP30

November 6, 2025

Lift Kingsley students Meet PM at No 10 ahead of COP30 and ask key climate questions to ministers

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Students from Lift Kingsley, part of Lift Schools, were invited to 10 Downing Street on Monday 3rd November 2025, to take part in a special youth press conference with the Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband.

The young people were asked to the event to speak directly with government leaders on the future of UK climate policy and share their questions and ideas, ahead of the COP30 climate summit, taking place in Brazil next week.

The session brought together Sixth Form students from across the country to discuss the role of the next generation in driving forward the clean energy revolution. Topics discussed included the economic opportunities of net zero, the importance of sustainability in education and how Britain can lead global climate action. This comes in the week that a review of the national curriculum recommends children in primary school are taught about climate change and sustainability.

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Bob Tinsley, Principal at Lift Kingsley said: “This was an incredible experience for our students - who asked intelligent and well-informed questions to the Prime Minister about climate change, COP30, achieving net zero and supporting young people for careers in the clean energy sector. I am exceptionally proud of our students who care passionately about the environment, their future within that and climate change.”

Hayden, a student in year 13 at Lift Kingsley asked the Prime Minister what personal initiatives people should implement to “have our own impact on reducing climate change”. The PM’s response was focussed on generating opportunities and jobs for young people through initiatives such as Great British Energy, a publicly owned energy company, set up by the government to supply British households and businesses with ‘clean, secure, home-grown energy’.

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Students were given a tour of Number 10 Downing Street after the event, with students saying they felt "fortunate and lucky” to be offered the opportunity to meet leaders and offer their thoughts.

COP30 is the annual UN climate summit, bringing together countries committed to tackling dangerous climate change. This year’s event is especially significant as it marks the halfway point to 2030, when nations are expected to meet their climate pledges under the Paris Agreement. Key areas for discussion include protecting tropical forests, limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C, and reviewing progress made since COP29.

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