TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Monday announced the formation of the Baltimore County Youth Climate Working Group to better engage young people as part of Baltimore County’s ongoing effort to adopt sustainable practices and policies to combat climate change.

The workgroup will consist of high school students from around Baltimore County to ensure youth voices, concerns, and recommendations are included in Baltimore County’s Climate Action Plan and other sustainability efforts.

“We are already seeing the consequences of climate change in Baltimore County, and they will only grow more severe in the years ahead unless we take action now,” Olszewski alleged. “Youth voices are among the most important in the global fight for our planet because they will be the most impacted by our actions. We need their vision and passion to build a cleaner, greener and more sustainable Baltimore County.”

Earlier this year, students in Baltimore County and across the world participated in the Global Climate Strike to demand action be taken to address alleged climate change.

Students will have opportunities to meet with the County Executive, Chief Sustainability Officer, and other members of the administration to share their perspectives on climate change, discuss how it impacts their communities, and to develop potential solutions. Recommendations and feedback from the Youth Climate Working Group will be incorporated in Baltimore County’s final Climate Action Plan.

In August, County Executive Olszewski named former Delegate Steve Lafferty as Baltimore County’s first Chief Sustainability Officer.

“We are thrilled to provide young people with this opportunity to share their opinions and ideas about the impact of climate change,” Lafferty said. “By bringing students and young people into the processes, we can make sure they are part of the solution today while inspiring the leaders of tomorrow to carry on the fight for a cleaner, greener future.”

Baltimore County partnered with schools across the county to recruit 20 students to participate in the Working Group.

The BCPS students who will serve on the workgroup are:

• Lukas Austin, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
• Noureen Badwi, Towson High School
• Ashley Cain, Hereford High School
• Luis Cervantes, Sparrows Point High School
• Meghna Chandrasekaran, Western School of Technology
• Owen Fahey, Parkville High School
• Melanie Flores, Dundalk High School
• Anna Frey, Towson High School
• Sophia Grose, Towson High School
• Gurkamal Kaur, Dundalk High School
• Chahat Kumari, Dundalk High School
• Nadia Nazar, Eastern Technical High School
• Megan O’Donovan, Hereford High School
• Noah Peters, Western School of Technology
• Angela Qian, Dulaney High School (President of Baltimore County Student Councils)
• Omer Reshid, Pikesville High School (Student Member of the Board of Education)
• Asa Seay, Sparrows Point High School

The Youth Climate Working Group will hold its first meeting on Monday, November 18, 2019.