STUDENTS took over their university to host the launch of CAFOD’s One Climate, One World campaign.

More than 100 students, school children and local residents came together at Leeds Trinity University in Horsforth to demand action on climate change.

In partnership with the Catholic aid agency CAFOD, they are calling on leaders of the UK political parties to address the impact a changing climate is having on the world.

The day featured talks from CAFOD Peruvian partners Jesse Romero and Adan Pajuela, who shared their experience of the effects of melting glaciers on their communities.

Professor Andy Challinor and Dr Ann Marie Mealey spoke about the subject from a scientific and theological perspective.

Leeds Trinity Students’ Union president Miki Vyse said: “This campaign is about getting people to talk about climate change, because if we don’t then the issue gets forgotten, and if we forget then we ruin the planet.

"It’s also to show that young people do care about issues — we’re a strong community here at Leeds Trinity and we’rereally socially aware, so we do care about climate change and what’s going to happen to our worldI think we’re going to make people listen and care about this issue.”

Rhianna Skelton, Leeds Trinity BA English student added: “I think it’s a really good campaign as it’s something that actually matters.

"It shows that you only have to do little things on a daily basis to make an impact, rather than taking on something really overwhelming.”

Ben Oldham, CAFOD manager for Leeds, said: “It was fantastic to see so many young people determined to learn about the impacts of climate change then pledge to do something about it.

"They really set an example to political leaders in the run-up to the General Election. Hearing first-hand accounts from CAFOD partners on how their lives are impacted by climate change inspired attendees to make changes in their own lifestyles.”

CAFOD’s One Climate, One World campaign is calling on all of the Westminster party leaders to secure an ambitious global deal to cut carbon emissions and to move towards sustainable energy for everyone.

The charity argues that climate change is the biggest threat to tackling poverty worldwide and is already affecting communities both overseas and in the UK.

Adan Pajuelo is the president of the Water Users Committee in the town of Cruz De Mayo, a community that CAFOD support in Peru.

He said: “It was great to see so many young people engaged in this issue. They are the ones who will be most affected in the future so to see them so enthusiastic about raising awareness and making their own lifestyle changes.

"It’s important that we’re all involved in preventing and adapting to the problems that we find at a world level, not just in Peru, and they will affect people differently depending where they’re from."