Bermuda’s younger voices will continue the global dialogue on climate change with the island’s second Youth Climate Summit hosted by a leading ocean conservation group.

Last year, the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute brought international youth speakers together with local activists for its inaugural Youth Climate Summit.

The weeklong summit is back, from November 21-26, for students aged 13 to 22 to take on global climate issues.

The summit will also provide the springboard for a year of youth-led activities around confronting the reality of climate change on the island.

Karla Lacey, chief executive of the BUEI, said the summit would again link students with local and overseas global climate and environmental experts, as well as young activists tackling conservation, sustainability and climate justice.

She said the forum had proved effective in fostering collaboration and developing action plans by providing young people with background information, a space for collaboration and access to experts.

The event retains the backing of Axa XL and HSBC Bermuda.

Ms Lacey added that the founding partners of the event have thrown in “expertise, connections, credibility and people“ beyond their financial support.

She highlighted HSBC’s global Climate Ambition carbon-cutting strategy, announced in 2020, which includes work in promoting green financing.

A global insurer and reinsurer, Axa XL’s climate programmes range from commitments around underwriting through to managing its own emissions.

Bermuda’s vulnerability to a rising sea level and more powerful hurricanes, coupled with the jurisdiction’s lead role in insurance and reinsurance, underscores the island’s potential to lead in tackling climate change.

Ms Lacey said: “Bermuda’s size gives us the ability to unite to solve problems quickly and effectively.

She said the island could be “a model for citizens around the world”.

The summit is also backed by Aspen Bermuda, Renaissance Re and Deloitte.

Other supporters are Conduit Re and TeleBermuda, joined by Chubb and Axis Speciality Limited.

Full details on Bermuda’s 2022 Youth Climate Summit are available online through the event’s website.