Inaugural Shadow COP Planning Meeting

Sixth Form representatives from The Skinners’ Kent Academy along with others from Bennett Memorial, Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School, Skinners’ School, and Weald of Kent, joined together at Skinners’ School last week to begin shaping the inaugural West Kent Shadow COP, a one-day climate conference scheduled for March 2026. Inspired by the structure and purpose of international COP events, most recently COP30 in Brazil this month, their conference aims to engage students from across Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge in meaningful climate dialogue and action. 

This year’s overarching theme will be Climate Delayism: exploring the reasons why individuals and organisations that publicly acknowledge the need for climate action nonetheless advocate for postponing transformative measures. During the planning meeting, the group identified three key strands that will shape the conference’s programme: ‘Looking In’ – Exploring what practical steps schools can take internally, without requiring additional resources; ‘Looking Out’ – Considering local groups, organisations, and community partners that schools could collaborate with to drive wider change; and ‘Looking Forward’ – Developing ways for the student body to spread climate positivity and inspire engagement among their peers. 

The group are keen to source inspirational guest speakers for the conference in March, especially individuals working in the area of climate policy, research or governance. If that is you, or if you know of someone who you think might be ideal, please do get in touch by sending an email to Miss McCreadie or Mrs Shillito using info@skinnerskent.org.uk.  

This planning meeting was marked by a lively sense of purpose and enthusiastic collaboration. There was clear ambition from all schools to create a meaningful, student-led event, one that has the potential to grow into an annual interschool conference for our region.