A student from a school in Kazakhstan linked to UK independent, Haileybury, has won a distinguished prize for an essay outlining effective responses to climate change.
Zhania Murzalina, 17, who attends Haileybury Astana, received the Royal Economic Society’s Young Economist of the Year essay award.
Her 1,500-word submission was entitled ‘Carbon tax is not enough to tackle climate change – on the contrary, we have to invest in new technologies’.
She was one of six first-prize winners from a worldwide field of 1,300, with judges commending her “highly analytical and focused” argument.
In the essay, I proposed to consider the problem of global warming from different angles
“In the essay, I proposed to consider the problem of global warming from different angles,” said Zhania.
“I decided to question the assertion that only carbon dioxide contributes to climate change. Instead, I suggested that methane, as another gas contributing to the greenhouse effect, leads to a problem.
“While everyone is focusing on CO2 production, one should look at the extent to which methane is to blame for the problem and reduce the emission of both gases.
“Therefore, it is possible and necessary to introduce a tax on carbon dioxide, but it is also necessary to invest in the development of technologies for the processing of methane and CO2.”
Zhania was awarded a scholarship to study at Haileybury Astana.
