A TEENAGE climate activist from Newton Abbot is about to set out on a bike ride of more than 500 miles to campaign at the COP26 summit.

Jessie Stevens, who is 16 but will be celebrating her 17th birthday during the nine-day trip, is encouraging people to join her cycling to the summit in Glasgow to highlight the need for urgent action to tackle the climate emergency.

With her People Pedal Power campaign officially launched in June, she is hoping to be joined by hundreds of people on bikes to create a ‘tag team’ of pedal power as she cycles the 520 plus miles to COP 26 which is being held in November.

Ahead of her setting off next Wednesday, Jessie said: ‘I am really excited.

‘I’ve done all my training on the moors which is also a very good way of keeping fit. I am hoping to create a big movement of people and make a big impact.

‘But this isn’t about me, it is about a movement and waking up to this crisis.’

The ride, over nine days with two rest days, will culminate in Jessie attending the two-week conference.

Jessie, who is being backed all the way by her parents, first became aware of the climate emergency a few years ago.

Increasingly concerned that not enough is being done to tackle the issue and keenly aware of the importance of the upcoming COP 26 in creating real change, she decided she needed to take direct action herself and the idea of People Pedal Power was born.

Jessie, who is also a columnist for the Mid -Devon Advertiser, said: ‘We are in the midst of climate and ecological breakdown.

‘For so long, COP’s have been a place of little action, political ‘head butting’ and empty promises. 

‘This summit has to be the one where real change is created, if not by our leaders, then by the power of individuals creating collective action.

‘As can be seen from the youth climate movement across the world, individuals really do have the power to create change.

‘I have decided to harness this power by encouraging as many people as possible to join me in cycling to COP26 to highlight the need for drastic climate action and sustainable transport.’

Covering between 40 to 60 miles per day, Jessie and her fellow cyclists will travel up the west side of the UK, with people encouraged to join the movement for between one and 50 miles as it passes through their local area.

Further details of the route and the wider campaign are available on the People Pedal Power website https://httpspeoplepeddlepower.wordpress.com/

Jessie added: ‘My aim is to create a joyful, positive ride based on reinforcing the need for sustainable transport and climate action from our leaders.

‘I would love to see as many people as possible joining our human powered movement to help put pressure on the world leaders, businesses, corporations and organisations who are attending the summer, but anyone who is unable to directly join the ride, can support us by ‘shouting’ for us, and with us as we go by.’

Staff and students at Wave Trust’s Torland Academy in Exeter where Jessie is a student are backing ‘People Pedal Power’.

Head of school Frances Harland said: ‘We are very, very proud of Jessie at Torlands.’