The future of the world's plants and animals has been on the agenda this week at the UN conference on biological diversity in the Hague. Ministers from more than a hundred countries were joined by young people invited to represent the younger generation. Joining them were Children's Express Belfast members Daniel Monaghan and Sarah Montague.
Sarah: We've come to cover this conference because there's such a strong youth element. We thought that because we can talk to young people on a level that adults can't, we could probably get better stories and more insight into what's going on because there's such a high level of interest from young people.
Is there a problem with politicians taking young people seriously. Do you think they're just doing it because it looks good and sounds good?
Daniel: We interviewed Michael Meacher and he seemed very enthusiastic about young people's attendance. He said that young people were more passionate than most Ministers were about the issues. So I think that young people definitely have a role to play at these sorts of conferences and their views will be listened to.
What have you been doing today?
Daniel: Today we've been interviewing some of the young delegates - each country has brought along some young people to express youth views. We've been interviewing them and doing radio interviews like this one.
Do you think that the politicians you've been meeting actually take notice of what you're saying?
Sarah: Well the young people hope that they're listening to what they're saying but they all say that it's all just words and they're not actually getting any action. So the young people have a more passionate view about the issues whereas the adults are just sitting in the rooms talking. The young people are trying to get some action. They hope they're being listened to.
This conference has been running since April 7th. Have the big iussues emerged?
Daniel: The Ministers met for dinner yesterday but unfortunately Michael Meacher the Environment Minister for the UK wasn't able to attend - he had to go home so he's missed quite a lot of the politics of this event.
The main talking points have been around the ancient forests which are Greenpeace's main concern, and about maintaining and sustaining biological diversity within these forests. Also aspects like genetics and making sure all profits from the environment go fairly to whoever contributes to making those profits.
It's obviously a serious event but it sounds like quite a fun thing to be doing as well...
Daniel: It's a great opportunity for any young person to be out here with all these well-respected adult journalists, working alongside them and experiencing first hand something that may affect us in the future. Any young person would be overwhelmed and delighted to be here.
About the team
Daniel Monaghan and Sarah Montague were talking to Simon Mayo on BBC Radio Five Live.
