Youth on a mission at Copenhagen

Jenny Chu wants the Government to be ambitious. Photo / Richard Robinson

A group of students and young workers have issued a gentle warning to New Zealand's climate change negotiators - we will be watching you in Copenhagen.

Auckland University engineering and law student Jenny Chu, 21, and 12 others aged 17 to 26 will travel to Denmark this Saturday to be there when negotiations about a new climate agreement begin on December 7.

They will be lugging a Team New Zealand spinnaker donated by the Sir Peter Blake Trust, covered in messages from young New Zealanders.

Ms Chu said the main message was that the Government should commit to an ambitious effort to fight climate change at the conference.

They intend to present the spinnaker to negotiators in Copenhagen, including ministers Nick Smith and Tim Groser.

"We felt it was important to involve youth. After all, in 15 or so years' time we and future generations will be the ones left dealing with the problems created by climate change," said Ms Chu.

She said trips to the Pacific Islands had made the threat real to her.