A Box teenage climate change activist has been chosen to travel to South Africa for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November and is now raising money for the trip.

Tom Youngman, 17, of Doctors Hill in Ashley, aims to be part of a team of 10 young people travelling to the negotiations in Durban, where politicians from around the world will be discussing climate change issues.

Tom, a student at Bath City College, needs to raise £1,400 to go on the trip to South Africa where he’ll be representing the UK Youth Climate Coalition, a group which meets regularly to discuss environmental issues.

Tom, co-founder of Bath climate change group Green Vision, said: “I’m fundraising to make sure I can attend and be a voice for young people from not only Bath, but the UK and the rest of the world. I need to raise £1,400 and will be looking for sponsorship.”

As part of his work with Green Vision, Tom has regularly visited schools across Bath and Wiltshire helping them become more environmentally friendly.

He’s hopeful he can pass on some of his experience in making schools greener at the conference in South Africa.

He said: “This is an awesome opportunity and I’m delighted to be involved. The decisions made in South Africa will define our future and young people need to be adequately represented.

“Climate change is an issue that crosses borders, so international agreement is essential. The United Nations talks are the best chance the world has to deal with the problem and the meeting in November is a key opportunity.”

The Climate Change Conference runs between November 28 and December 7. Visit www.un.ukycc.org, or to sponsor Tom, email thomas@youngman.me.uk.