Peak oil and food production were also on the agenda in a mock General Assembly in Lewes Council Chambers organised by environmental group Transition Town Lewes.

Year Ten students from Chailey School, Priory School and Ringmer Community College adopted the roles of Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Ukrainian, Jamaican and British delegates and brought their GCSE geography and politics curriculum to life.

Cllr Rosalyn St Pierre joined teachers in chairing committees in which teenagers drafted resolutions on their countries' stances on Fair Trade, food miles, food security, innovation and new technology within the global food industry.

United Nations Association UK chairman Neville Grant was also on hand to play Secretary General for the day.

The initiative was part of Transition Town Lewes' aim to raise awareness locally of the impact of climate change and peak oil on food production and consumption in the future.