Konstantinos (Remove, HH) reached the final selection – the top 5% of over 6,000 entries – of the Northeastern University London Essay Competition, and was awarded a medal and certificate for his politics essay on the title ‘How prepared is the international community to address the current climate crisis’.

The Northeastern (previously New College of the Humanities) Competition provides opportunities for Year 12 students who are interested in studying humanities or social sciences at university and attracts entries from across the UK in ten areas of study including business, law, politics and psychology.

In his essay, Konstantinos (Remove, HH) charted the great difficulties facing governments and other bodies worldwide, but said “if more weight and pressure is added to implement the necessary but feasible measures, there is still a chance to turn this tale of tragedy into a triumph.”

Having reached the final of the competition, Konstantinos said: “I was elated to find out I was selected as a finalist. I spent a month researching the topic, reading multiple journals, articles, and scientific studies on the subject before beginning to write the essay.

The experience allowed me to explore a subject I was very interested in but wanted to examine even further. The intersection between environmental concerns, governmental organisations, and social awareness is an area of deep personal interest. I learnt the process of efficiently researching, having to read lengthy academic papers without getting lost in the technical language and detail. I investigated the role of political marches in engaging collective action, emphasising the power of the people to influence those in positions to exert direct control over societal outcomes. Ultimately, I determined that without appropriate policies, funding, and climate education efforts at local, national, and international levels, working in tandem to aid developing countries without these infrastructures, we will be ill-equipped.”