Welcome to the blog of the Australian Youth Delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties in Bali, Indonesia.
We're young people from all around Australia - learn more about us below.

The AYD will be on the ground in Bali to take part in the UNFCCC conference and to lobby the official Australian government delegation to commit to proper climate change policies. Check out our blog and photos pages to see what we've been up to, and feel free to leave your comments!

	Ellen Sandell, 22 Ellen is studying a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne and is currently the Environment Officer in the Student Union. Through this position she has been involved in projects such as running "LEAP", an environmental conference for high school students, organising campaigns to switch her campus to Green Power and recycled paper, and facilitating the Melbourne University Environment Collective. she is an active member of the Australian Student Environment Network. She has been involved in many other youth groups over the past five years, including "Lead On", an organisation which builds links between business and regional/rural youth. Whilst involved with Lead On, Ellen ran "Thong on the Roof", a national youth film festival and was also editor of her local youth newspaper in Mildura.
	Nathan Elvery, 17 Nathan is currently finishing high school in Queensland and has a definite passion for working to halt dangerous climate change. He recently attend the 'Switched On' national climate change conference in the Blue Mountains, has done lots of local campaigning for a train-link to Brisbane in his home city of Toowoomba and is currently organising Toowoomba's first Walk Against Warming.
	Emily Lawrence, 18 Emily Lawrence is a student in the Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne. Having left school only last year, where she was School Captain and President of the Student Representative Council, this year Emily has thrown herself into the environment cause, particularly in the area of climate change. She was a keen and active participant in the Melbourne University Environment Collective, as well as the Climate Change Collective. Recently she worked with a group of collective students to organize and facilitate "LEAP", a 3 day environment conference for high school students. She also attended this year's Students of Sustainability Conference in Perth, WA. Emily is passionate the climate change cause, particularly in the area of Health and Human Rights where she envisages a future career path.
	Amanda McKenzie, 24. Amanda is the National Coordinator of the AYCC, managing 9 employees and coordinating each of the Coalition's projects. Amanda has recently completed a double degree, Arts/Law, at Monash University, completing her Honours in Law focusing on International emissions trading. In 2006 Amanda founded the Australian Climate Change Education Network(ASCENT), a not-for-profit volunteer organization focused on climate change education, particularly for young people. Amanda has had significant experience in managing young people having been the President of the Melbourne University Arts Society for a number of years, as well as experience in analysis of key issues surrounding climate change, for instance working with the Environmental Defenders Office.
	Ben Margetts, 20 Ben Margetts lives in Newcastle and Sydney. He is the National Climate Campaigner for the Australian Student Environment Network, and a part-time Arts student at Sydney University. In his first year at Uni he was heavily involved in the Sydney University Environment Collective, he co-convened the Clean Energy Collective. As a result of their campaign efforts, the Vice Chancellor agreed to fund $1 million of research into renewable energy. He spent the second half of 2006 cycling around Australia with Pedal Australia for Clean Energy, a travelling group of climate activists riding around Australia spreading the word about climate change to young people, especially at schools.
	Anna Keenan, 21 Anna is the chair of the Queensland Youth Environment Council, and Environment Advisor for the National Council of Women of Queensland. She is a climate advocate in Al Gore?s Climate Project Australia and is very passionate about environmental issues. She is passionate about capacity building in young people, and hopes to share her communication skills with other young climate change activists.
	Richard Merzian, 23 Richie is about to finish his combined Economics & Law Degree at Sydney University. Richie is one of the original founders of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, and has been involved in organising the AYCC intial summit, the Live Earth Activities and the Switched On Conference. He is one of the founders of the Law Students for a Just Community (LSJC) National Network, and was selected for Al Gore's climate change leadership program in September 2007. He is also the current NSW Action Night Coordinator for Project Australia, and an intern at the Environmental Defender's Office. Finally, you might have caught him on TV as the 'Eco-Nerd' and Captain of the cult show Nerds FC (season 2).
	Tammy-Jo, 27 Tammy-Jo was awarded the 2007 South Australian Young Achiever of the Year for the Environment. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts at Flinders University, majoring in Environmental and Australian Studies with a minor in Professional Studies. She is involved with the student driven clean energy campaign at Flinders University. For the past 5 years she has been employed as the Community Actions Campaigner for The Wilderness Society South Australia. She is also The Wilderness Society's Community Campaigns Forum Convenor, which acts as a support network, training and skillshare forum for fellow Community Campaigners across Australia.
	Nick Moraitis, 25 NIck Moraitis was a founding committee member of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Until recently, he was Online & Outreach Director at GetUp, an Australian progressive online movement tackling issues such as human rights & climate change. He has since joined Greenpeace Australia Pacific as Mass Mobilisation Manager. Nick has also worked for Amnesty International in London, where he developed a new global youth strategy, and for three years with Toronto-based TakingITGlobal. He was facilitator of the Youth Caucus for the UN World Summit on the Information Society.