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Research with UK teachers on the current state and future of climate education.

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Empowerment through knowledge, skills and values to protect the planet

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Education is crucial to promote climate action

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Overview

A key initiative of DfE's sustainability and climate change strategy for education is 'sustainability leadership and climate action plans'.

The strategy states: "By 2025, all education settings will have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan". This includes early years settings, schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges, and universities.

Sustainability leadership could be a group of people or an individual responsible for the development and implementation of a climate action plan.

A climate action plan is a detailed plan to enable your education setting, or trust, to progress or commence sustainability initiatives.

There are many organisations providing courses, products, and services to support an education setting's approach to climate change. There are also many examples of excellent practice when it comes to sustainability and climate change in the education sector, and your individual setting or trust may already have a plan in place. Where this is the case we are not suggesting that you create a new plan, but you may find that some of the non-statutory guidance below supplements what you are already doing.

We want to help every setting engage with the support it needs. From December 2023 we will begin to roll out a free programme of support including:

a digital hub of resources, best practice, and tools which will help you develop, or build on, your climate action plan

access to a network of regional coordinators who will provide local expert support and peer to peer learning opportunities

Why this is important

Our engagement has highlighted that settings and trusts have the greatest success in driving change where there is a holistic action plan that is supported by a leadership team with the authority, knowledge, and commitment to take it forward.

Ensuring you have clear leadership for sustainability in place, and a climate action plan, will help your setting to:

increase the confidence and expertise of your leadership team, staff, learners, and students in understanding climate change and how positive change can be achieved

create a culture that prioritises sustainability

share effective practice with other education settings and develop a peer-to-peer learning network

use data to identify and prioritise action

improve energy and water efficiency

calculate your carbon emissions and identify ways to reduce them

reduce operating costs

increase resilience and start adapting to the impacts of climate change

enhance biodiversity

help learners develop skills and knowledge which help them to contribute to sustainability and climate change in their lives and future jobs

Identifying your sustainability leadership structure

Though it is up to each individual setting or trust to decide the structure of their sustainability leadership team, best practice shows that change is delivered when driven by a diverse team of passionate individuals. It is important that both educational (for example, teaching staff) and operational (for example, estates management) expertise is brought to this team.

The presence of senior leaders from your organisation is critical for planning and implementation to be successful. They have the authority, capacity, and support to influence and lead strategic change within the setting.

You may choose to take an individual setting approach to building sustainability leadership, set it up across a multi-academy trust (if your setting is a member of one), or both.

A whole-setting approach

It is important that the whole education setting, or trust, is engaged so that planning becomes action.

Learners

Involving children, young people and learners is important in climate action planning.

Doing so can:

inspire their enthusiasm to help drive positive change

increase their practical knowledge of sustainability and climate change

give young people a sense of agency where anxiety stems from climate concerns

create a sense of pride in their education setting

enable them to share their knowledge and enthusiasm in their local communities

enable them to engage their parents, carers, and wider community in sustainability and climate change

Senior leadership team (SLT), governors, trustees and executive leaders

As senior decision makers, SLT and governors should support and drive your sustainable activity. They should:

provide the authority and support to drive and embed culture change

ensure climate change and sustainability feature on the agenda at key meetings

be responsible for succession planning, so that commitment to sustainability endures in the setting

Estates management

It is important your estates manager or management team inform your plan as they will have the knowledge required to enact more sustainable practices.

The performance management and sustainability section of the good estate management for schools guidance explains the role of estates management in encouraging sustainability and managing energy and water use.

For settings in further and higher education, a sector specific methodology for calculating carbon emissions, based on the greenhouse gas protocol, has been published by EAUC - the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education. This follows collaboration with participants of the Platinum Jubilee Challenge, the Royal Anniversary Trust, the Association of Colleges, Colleges Scotland and Universities UK.

The standardised carbon emissions framework for further and higher education aims to:

give confidence to institutions who want to start monitoring

ensure transparency and comparability between institutions who report their emissions

Climate action plans

Creating a climate action plan will allow you to take a structured and strategic route toward ensuring your setting or trust is acting toward, and educating about, sustainability. You may choose to have a climate action plan that sits within an individual setting, or across a trust, or both.

A climate action plan should typically cover the following 4 areas, to align with DfE's sustainability and climate change strategy:

decarbonisation, for example calculating and taking actions to reduce carbon emissions, such as becoming more energy efficient

adaptation and resilience, such as taking actions to reduce the risk of flooding and overheating

biodiversity, for example engaging with the National Education Nature Park and enrolling in the Climate Action Award

climate education and green careers, such as ensuring the education you provide gives knowledge-rich and comprehensive teaching about climate change, and that your teaching staff and lecturers feel supported to offer this

What is needed if you have already started

Your setting or trust may already have an environmental plan or sustainability strategy in place and may already be calculating its emissions. Equally you may also be working with one of the many excellent organisations who help education settings address sustainability.

Our approach is not designed to duplicate planning and action that has already taken place. We recognise that different settings are at different stages of this journey. That is why the further support set out below is designed to ensure that settings are supported with further and complimentary information, regardless of where they are currently at in their journey.

Further detail about support to come

From December 2023, we will begin to roll out a programme of further support for the education sector. We will provide access to:

a sustainability leadership digital hub which will signpost to training, guidance and support offered by quality assured organisations working in this space depending on what your setting needs and already has in place. Settings who require this specific training will be able to access carbon literacy training via this hub

a network of local experts and peer to peer support that can assist you in establishing your sustainability leadership structure and develop and implement your action plan

In the sustainability and climate change strategy published in April 2022, we committed to "rolling out carbon literacy training to all settings". Having carried out user research and policy development since that date, we understand that each setting will have different support requirements and a single training offer would not be appropriate. We will provide support through the approach set out above, reflecting the different needs of each setting. The digital hub will signpost to carbon literacy training for all those that need it.

How to get started (if you have not already)

The following contains links, organised by sector, to demonstrate how some education settings have started this journey and to highlight some of the tools already available to settings. This is just a small selection of examples. There are many more settings also doing excellent work on this.

All settings

Early years settings

Schools

Multi-academy trusts

Further education settings

Higher education settings

We are collecting case studies for use in communications and guidance as we further develop our support.

If you would like to share your experience with others, please send a live website link to your sustainability strategy or send a written submission to DfE's Sustainability and Climate Change Unit: dfe.sustainability@education.gov.uk

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Sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education

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The Department for Education's (DfE) sustainability leadership and climate action plans initiative.

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Scope and purpose

This strategy applies to:

the Department for Education (DfE), its agencies and public bodies

the education and children's services systems in England - including:

early years

schools (and independent schools where applicable)

further education

higher education

children's social care

DfE has an important role to play in all aspects of sustainability. But the area in which we have the most work to do is reducing our environmental footprint, particularly in the drive to achieve net zero.

While the policies set out here are focussed on the environmental aspect of sustainability, this is done with consideration for how those policies will interact with the social and economic aspects of sustainability.

The UK government and the devolved governments (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) are committed to climate action, and we will work together in our international action. The targets and strategic aims set out relate to England.

It brings together short, medium and longer-term actions that will enable us to make progress towards achieving our 4 strategic aims and overarching vision. It is a strategy to 2030.

Action will be reviewed and updated annually to respond to new opportunities, scientific updates, evidence and data.

This strategy has been informed by:

Foreword
Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP
Since spring of 2020, the British education system faced its most challenging period for generations: sustaining learning through a pandemic. The whole sector met this challenge with great resilience. Now, the UK must show the rest of the world how our education system can transition out of the pandemic and, in doing so, face the even greater environmental challenge ahead of us, by Building Back Greener.

We have promised to level up the country, to boost economic growth, encourage innovation, create good jobs and enhance educational attainment so all may share equally in our nation's success. To achieve this in a world influenced by the effects of climate change, we must level up within a context of sustainability, giving all children, young people and adults the knowledge and skills to thrive in the green economy and to help restore nature.

The challenge of climate change is formidable. For children and young people to meet it with determination, and not with despair, we must offer them not just truth, but also hope. Learners need to know the truth about climate change - through knowledge-rich education. They must also be given the hope that they can be agents of change, through hands-on activity and, as they progress, through guidance and programmes allowing them to pursue a green career pathway in their chosen field.

I would like to thank the large number of people that have worked with us in developing this strategy. The feedback from young people, educators, academics, leaders, governing bodies and experts has been invaluable in shaping this first step on our journey. By continuing to work together in the delivery of the strategy we will seek further opportunities to build on the action set out and update on shared progress annually.

I am confident that together we will support net zero through skills and decarbonisation; play a significant part in nature's recovery; build an education system resilient to climate change; and, provide the truth and hope that young people need to flourish in our changing world.

Context

The UK requires the education sector to play its role in positively responding to climate change and inspiring action on an international stage. This strategy sets out ambitious activity to respond to recommendations for education from the:

It supports the delivery of the government's 25 Year Environment Plan and Net Zero Strategy. It includes how we will meet legislative requirements and work in the context of:

the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals and UNESCO's 'Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) for 2030' which set out the key role of education in the successful achievement of the goals

the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Climate Pact, which are important steps towards keeping the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius alive

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) which includes taking action to empower society to engage in education and training

the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC) ensures the needs and views of children are taken into account in the development of climate change policies

the UK Climate Change Act (2008) and National Adaptation Programme (NAP), which include action for education in adapting to climate change and require progress reporting against priority risks

UK government legislation to meet net zero by 2050 - the UK is the first country to set legally binding carbon budgets, placing a restriction on the total amount of greenhouse gases the UK can emit over a 5-year period. In the latest, Carbon Budget 6, the UK legislated to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels

the Environment Act (2021) reflects the need to tackle climate change through nature-based solutions - following the close of the targets consultation in May 2022, government will set statutory targets for air quality, biodiversity, water, resource efficiency and waste reduction, and a new target to reverse the decline in species abundance by the end of 2030, while the act also strengthens the biodiversity duty on public authorities, including the Department for Education

the cross-government 25 Year Environment Plan, which commits to encouraging children to be close to nature both in and out of school

The challenge and the opportunity

Children and young people are worried about climate change and want to know more about:

the impact it is having now

how it will impact their future lives

DfE and the education sector have a joint responsibility for preparing children and young people for the challenges and opportunities they will face - with the appropriate knowledge, skills and pastoral care.

Education

Through education we have the privilege to be able to engage directly with children and young people who:

Through their learned and lived experiences from early years to further and higher education, we will provide opportunities to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the importance of nature, sustainability and the causes and impact of climate change and to translate this knowledge into positive action and solutions.

In the UK, there are more than 16 million children, young people and adults in education. The enthusiasm of youth can inspire the whole of society to work together at the start of this crucial decade for the planet.

Green skills and jobs

Green jobs will not be niche. We anticipate that sustainability and climate change will touch every career.

The UK government's Net Zero Strategy will support the transition to net zero and 190,000 jobs by the middle of the 2020s and up to 440,000 jobs in 2030. The increased investment and legislation for nature's recovery driven by the Environment Act will also create many green jobs in the nature sector. Our programmes will provide the opportunity for people of all ages to train, retrain or upskill to go into green careers.

Learning from and connecting with nature

The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review states that 'connection with nature declines in childhood to an overall low in the mid-teens. Creating an environment from an early age where we are able to connect to nature is essential for self-enforcement in protecting and valuing nature'.

We will increase opportunities for all children and young people to:

spend time in nature and learn more about it

become actively involved in the improvement of their local environment

We know that regular contact with green spaces can have a beneficial impact on children's physical and mental health. However, access to green space is not equal and we must do more to ensure that all children have opportunities to benefit from access to green space and build connections with nature.

Buildings

Climate adaptation and decarbonisation activity in nurseries, schools, colleges, universities and care buildings can provide powerful learning opportunities. Young people can:

Seeing sustainability brought to life in the buildings around them will allow children and young people to gain experiences which will enhance and contextualise their learning.

Leading by example: cutting energy bills and carbon emissions in the public and higher education sectors shows that schools and universities represent 36% of total UK public sector building emissions.

Costs are also significant and rising. Data sources and interpretation - schools financial benchmarking shows that in 2019 schools alone were spending around £630m per annum on energy and we expect today's figure to be far greater. To reduce energy usage and achieve legal targets for carbon emissions we need to:

get a better understanding of the scale of the problem across the sectors through standardised reporting

drive action based on evidence

Adapting existing buildings and designing new ones to respond to climate change and reduce emissions will undoubtedly be a significant challenge.

By developing and delivering evidence-based solutions for decarbonisation and climate resilience we will:

reduce energy demand

adapt to climate risks

drive innovation in construction

act as a catalyst for green jobs

deliver savings

We will also drive a wide range of additional benefits that will contribute to a vibrant and resilient education community, including:

International

Through learning from others and sharing our own expertise internationally, we will be more effective and innovative. Sustainability and climate change are global problems which require collective efforts and evidence-based solutions.

Vision and aims

Vision: the United Kingdom is the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030.

In England, we will achieve this through the following strategic aims:

1. Excellence in education and skills for a changing world: preparing all young people for a world impacted by climate change through learning and practical experience.

2. Net zero: reducing direct and indirect emissions from education and care buildings, driving innovation to meet legislative targets and providing opportunities for children and young people to engage practically in the transition to net zero.

3. Resilience to climate change: adapting our education and care buildings and system to prepare for the effects of climate change.

4. A better environment for future generations: enhancing biodiversity, improving air quality and increasing access to, and connection with, nature in and around education and care settings.

Guiding principles

Partnership and collaboration

Success depends on DfE and stakeholders from across the sectors working together.

We know there are many organisations working to improve sustainability and mitigate against climate change, so we will seek opportunities to:

work with others who share our objectives

extend and amplify existing good practice and initiatives

We will also facilitate partnership across the sectors to maximise the use of resources, expertise and ideas to achieve more effective outcomes.

Evidence and insight

Evidence will be at the heart of our activity. By 2023 we will develop and publish a framework to evaluate the impacts of the actions set out within the strategy.

We will also work with the sectors to develop reporting frameworks and processes to ensure strategic decisions can be taken at every level. While mandatory reporting is not currently set out within the strategy, this decision will be kept under regular review. The decision to mandate is subject to uptake and legislative reporting requirements in line with government's Net Zero Strategy.

We will work together to set science-based targets from 2025, ensuring we play our part in reducing public-sector emissions against a 2017 baseline by:

50% by the end of Carbon Budget 5 (2032)

75% by the end of Carbon Budget 6 (2037)

There are many opportunities to improve sustainability and impact climate change. Ensuring we learn before we leap, we will work across the sector to research, test and pilot with:

As our evidence base for what works grows, we will prioritise funding where it will have greatest impact.

Leadership and support

Sector representatives have called on DfE to provide greater leadership in sustainability. We will work across government and intervene where we add value (for example through sector-wide data gathering, reporting, funding and guidance). Wherever possible we will facilitate autonomy and foster innovation.

Sector leadership and institution-level accountability for sustainability will be key for success. We will continually seek opportunities to share best practice and provide support for those leading at a local level.

A whole system approach

Together we will make the greatest impact. We will adopt a systems-based approach and ensure our initiatives are delivered via action areas to deliver outcomes for the education system, rather than focussing on specific age or sectors.

By taking a holistic view of education (from formal and extracurricular learning opportunities, the physical buildings and surroundings, to the way in which they operate) we will positively improve the environment. At the same time we will influence and inspire, not only those that use the settings, but the communities around them.

Initiatives to drive the strategy

We have carried out work with sector representatives and experts to develop initiatives that bring together activity to drive the strategic aims:

National Education Nature Park

By considering the whole physical education estate as a virtual National Education Nature Park, we have a unique opportunity to:

The National Education Nature Park will:

This will help connect and amplify the excellent work already happening in this area through many national and local stakeholders and community groups.

As their work starts to have an impact, the young participants will upload their progress on the park's digital mapping services. They will be able to:

see how the park is 'growing', while increasing their knowledge of species

develop important skills, such as biodiversity mapping, data collection and analysis

The nature park's online hub will enable the sharing of best practice across the education estate. With time, it will go beyond biodiversity to show impact and climate resilience, including flood, overheating and air quality status of the estate.

A number of universities will support the launch of the National Education Nature Park by:

Climate Leaders Award

A Climate Leaders Award will complement classroom learning and allow us to celebrate and recognise education providers, children and young people for:

developing their connection with nature

making a real contribution to establishing a sustainable future for us all

The award will provide a structured route through existing awards in this area, such as the John Muir Award, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Junior Forester Award and others.

Participation will enable children and young people to acquire credits towards the prestigious Climate Leaders Award. This will be recognised and valued as supporting progression to employment and further study.

In the Children's People and Nature Survey for England: Summer holidays 2021, more than 8 in 10 children and young people (85%) agreed that being in nature made them very happy. However, the same study showed that:

children spend less time outdoors as they get older

feelings of connection to nature decline with age

We want all young people to feel connected to their local environment and see improvements in biodiversity. In the design and implementation of the park and award we will take steps to drive participation among more disadvantaged children and young people. We will also ensure all children and young people, whether they live in an urban area or rural one, have opportunities to feel empowered through practical positive action.

The National Education Nature Park and Climate Leaders Award:

are being designed and developed with young people, sector representatives and stakeholder organisations

will build on the learning and experience of the Year of Green Action

They will feed in ideas for making the initiatives as inclusive, impactful, and engaging as possible and will also consider the best names for the programmes. The park and award will be launched in autumn 2022.

Sustainability leadership

Throughout the development of this strategy, we have received feedback from the sector that they have seen the greatest impact and success in developing and delivering a whole-setting approach to sustainability and climate change when there is co-ordination and leadership of activity at a local level - with the support of senior leadership teams and governors.

Through our engagement to date, we have been consistently told that to do this best, they need more support to:

We recognise the impact of the pandemic and the priority need for education catch up. We know that for every setting, the ability, or the way in which they are able to engage with sustainability and climate change may differ. While our end goal is for all settings to have a sustainability lead owning a climate action plan (to include curricular and extra-curricular activity, procurement, adaptation and decarbonisation plans), we are keen to:

develop a facilitative approach to sustainability leadership

test where support makes the most impact

The National Climate Education Action Plan has already brought together 16 organisations and universities with STEM Learning, aiming to encourage their staff to become Climate Ambassadors to support schools and further education institutions. We will work with them to test an approach that includes support in:

climate education

accessing public and private funding

engaging in the National Education Nature Park and Climate Leaders Award

reporting emissions

developing and delivering Climate Action Plans for individual settings

As part of this approach, we will include the provision of carbon literacy training for all sustainability leads in every nursery, school and college by 2025. We will encourage a joined-up approach to leadership which brings together children, young people and governors.

Action area 1: Climate education

We know that young people are eager to:

create a greener, sustainable world

tackle both the causes and impact of climate change

We will empower all young people to be global citizens, through a:

better understanding of climate change

greater connection to nature

Practical opportunities to participate in activities to increase climate resilience, reduce carbon impact and enhance biodiversity will enable children and young people to translate knowledge into positive action to improve their local communities, their country and the planet.

1. Learning about the natural environment

Building on a foundation of fundamental numeracy, literacy and broad academic knowledge, all children learn about:

From birth to 5 years old, the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework ensures that all children develop an understanding of the world and the natural environment.

As they progress through primary and secondary school, children and young people continue to build on this knowledge through science, geography and citizenship programmes within the national curriculum. Existing GCSEs such as design and technology, food preparation and nutrition, and economics contain opportunities for students to be taught about the environmental and sustainability context of the processes and principles underlying these subjects.

By 2025 we will aim to introduce a natural history GCSE, giving young people a further opportunity to engage with and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the natural world. In studying this GCSE, young people will explore organisms and environments in more depth, gain knowledge and practical experience of fieldwork and develop a greater understanding of conservation.

An environmental science A level is already available for those that have a keen interest in the sustainability of our planet and wish to build on their scientific knowledge of the interconnection of human activities with natural systems.

From 2022, to assess the impact of our action, we will introduce an annual climate literacy survey to benchmark progress in improving the climate knowledge of school leavers.

For those that continue their studies in further and higher education, there are many excellent opportunities to gain a more in-depth knowledge into sustainability and climate change. Many further and higher education providers are already taking steps to embed the relevant teaching of sustainability and climate change across the full range of their courses.

We will continue to identify appropriate opportunities to align climate education with the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD for 2030) framework.

2. Support for teaching

World class teaching will ensure all children and young people get the best possible climate education. The schools white paper sets out how we will provide an excellent teacher for every child, by giving every teacher and school leader access to world class training and development opportunities, including the first-ever national professional qualification (NPQ) for early years professionals.

Through our engagement with the teachers and representative bodies, we have heard that more support in teaching about climate change and in navigating the many different resources available is also needed. Therefore, recognising the importance of building confidence as well as capability, we will provide additional support to teachers of all levels.

From 2022 we will:

include climate change and sustainability in science teachers' continuing professional development ( CPD) to ensure all young people receive high-quality teaching on the scientific facts about climate change and environmental degradation

include content on sustainability when DfE is tendering for new CPD, (where it is relevant to the subject area)

deliver pilots through the National Education Nature Park, which will test an approach for sharing university climate expertise and learning opportunities with colleges, schools and nurseries

share best practice, demonstrating how sustainability and climate change has been incorporated into teaching (and how it has enriched the broader curriculum, where it is relevant) in early years settings, schools, colleges and universities, so teachers and leaders can consider how best to integrate within their own settings

consider where further steps could be taken to support the teaching of sustainability in relevant subjects, for example, the circular economy in design and technology, sustainable chemistry in the sciences, and through the learning initiatives being taken forward in the Government Food Strategy

continue to work with higher education to identify opportunities to work together to further enhance best practice in teacher training and the teaching of sustainability within university courses

promote and share relevant teaching resources from other government departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA), the Waste and Resources Action Programme ( WRAP) and the Environment Agency

By 2023 we will:

develop a Primary Science Model Curriculum, to include an emphasis on nature to ensure all children understand the world around them

develop an occupational standard for further education teaching which explicitly requires all new teachers to integrate sustainability into their teaching, through modelling sustainable practices and promoting sustainable development principles in relation to their subject specialism

support the National Climate Education Action Plan in setting up an independent expert body (including members such as the Royal Meteorological Society, STEM Learning, Association of Science Teaching) for the validation and creation of climate education resources that support the delivery of the national curriculum

provide free access to high-quality curriculum resources through the National Education Nature Park online hub, so that teachers in all settings and subjects can confidently choose those that will support the teaching of sustainability and climate change

this will initially work in tandem while we build on the success of Oak National Academy's work in the pandemic and establish a new arms-length national curriculum body which will work with thousands of teachers to co-design, create and continually improve packages of optional, free, adaptable digital curriculum resources and video lessons that are effectively sequenced to help teachers deliver an evidence-based, high-quality curriculum

provide the opportunity for all staff (teaching, leadership and support) to build their understanding of climate change and sustainability by receiving shared carbon literacy training through their sustainability leads within their setting (more information about sustainability leadership is set out in the Operations and Supply Chains Action Area)

3. Learning in the natural environment

Education settings provide a wealth of learning opportunities, practical activities and clubs which allow children and young people to bring their learning to life. Children and young people may:

take part in eco-clubs or vegetable growing

be exposed to sustainable food choices, recycling, adaptation projects or weather and energy monitoring

On top of the learning benefits, these activities can aid pastoral work in all educational settings. The physical and mental health benefits of time spent in nature can form part of targeted support to:

improve engagement and attainment, including as part of wider packages of support for pupils with SEND

give young people a sense of agency where anxiety stems from climate concerns

The National Education Nature Park and Climate Leaders Award will build on this excellent activity, ensuring all children and young people have opportunities to get practical experience and turn their knowledge into positive action. We will design these initiatives with inclusivity at their heart. We are committed to enabling those from disadvantaged backgrounds to access these opportunities.

Retrofitted educational buildings and new-build net-zero settings will also provide various learning opportunities through their design, how they work and their environmental impact. They will foster environmental knowledge that can be applied outside of the educational setting.

In 2022 we will:

explore opportunities to increase access to the outdoors in DfE's successful Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme

ensure that children attending the HAF programme participate in activities that improve their knowledge and awareness of affordable, healthy eating and sustainable practice - for example, through:

taking part in activities such as food preparation

cooking, discussing food and food sources

growing their own fruit and vegetables

build on our investment into the Children and Nature Programme, by engaging with DEFRA on further research into how outdoor learning can be delivered for the greatest impact, with a view to exploring opportunities to support education settings to deliver quality outdoor education

link up across government to identify new opportunities and strengthen action as part of the levelling up agenda - for example, with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on climate education, and with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the National Youth Guarantee to increase access to out-of-school activities for all children

provide co-curricular opportunities for young people to experience and learn about nature through the National Education Nature Park, which will drive a greater knowledge and understanding of the importance of native species and develop young people's data and analytical skills

build on learning from the Children and Nature Programme, encouraging schools to join up with local delivery partners to develop effective school-specific options and build links with local communities

provide educational activities so that leaders, teachers, children and young people will learn about energy efficiency, the circular economy, climate resilience and green careers as part of educational building, maintenance and procurement projects, such as:

low-carbon boiler replacements

smart meter installation

energy monitoring pilots

sustainable drainage systems

Political impartiality

Teaching about climate change, and the scientific facts and evidence behind this, does not constitute teaching about a political issue and schools do not need to present misinformation or unsubstantiated claims to provide balance.

However, in climate education there is relevant political and scientific debate about the best ways that climate change can be addressed - there are different views and opinions, and different solutions. Debates on political and policy change need to be grounded in wider citizenship education on democracy and democratic values and topics should be handled in line with schools' legal duties on political impartiality

Action area 2: Green skills and careers

It is critical young people and adults have the green skills that will allow them to build careers and participate as Britain leads the world into the Green Industrial Revolution and strives for nature's recovery.

We will harness young people's passion and interest in climate change and sustainability to enable them to have the knowledge and skills (in STEM and other key subjects) required for green jobs. Through our education and skills system, we will seek to inspire young people to choose career paths that support the:

We will continue to support adults already in work to retrain and reskill in line with the needs of the green economy.

1. Net Zero Strategy

The government's Net Zero Strategy sets out in detail how our skills reforms will support more people into green jobs and help grow future talent pipelines. This includes:

aligning apprenticeships to net-zero objectives through the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education's (IfATE) Green Apprenticeships Advisory Panel

continuing the roll-out of T-Levels to support young people into green careers

driving STEM provision through our growing network of Institutes of Technologies (IoTs)

expanding Skills Bootcamps so that adults are able to upskill and retrain in key green sectors

Through the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, we are legislating to ensure employer leadership of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) have regard to skills needed to help deliver on our net-zero target, adaptation to climate change, and other environmental goals.

Building on the work of the Green Jobs Taskforce through a Green Jobs Delivery Group, government will bring together representatives from industry, the skills sector and other key stakeholders to develop data-driven action to support the delivery of plans for green jobs and skills. This will ensure that we are offering young people and workers the opportunity to develop the skills needed to deliver the low-carbon transition.

Since the publication of the Net Zero Strategy we have:

set out investment of £3.8bn in further education and skills, to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that leads to good jobs, addresses skills gaps, boosts productivity and supports levelling up - this includes funding for programmes to support green skills crucial to the net-zero transition

committed to expanding Skills Bootcamps to provide more opportunities for adults to gain new skills, prioritising green skills in areas such as heat pumps, zero emission vehicles, and carbon capture

widened the eligibility criteria of our Free Courses for Jobs offer - from April 2022, any adult in England earning under the National Living Wage annually, or unemployed, will be able to access these qualifications for free, including qualifications linked to green sectors such as agriculture, building and construction, engineering, environmental conservation, horticulture and forestry and science

launched a pilot of our new General Further Education College Accountability Agreements that will ensure colleges strategically plan provision to meet skills needs at both local and national levels, including those in the green sector

established 8 LSIP trailblazers, where employer representative bodies have been working closely with providers and key local stakeholders to develop tailored plans to help shape technical skills provision to better meet local labour market needs, with multiple trailblazers considering the skills needed to support green growth in their local economy

started delivery of our £65 million Strategic Development Fund pilots to identify employers' skills needs, design provision, and build the capacity of local further education providers to deliver them so that, where local areas identify skills needs, providers can use this funding to, among other things:

purchase equipment

train their staff

bring in industry expertise to provide training

deliver new provision

2. Additional support for green jobs and skills

In addition to the extensive skills reforms set out in the Net Zero Strategy we will also increase the opportunities for young people and adults to engage in wider green skills and jobs needed to deliver the government's 25-Year Environment Plan.

We will support the further and higher education sectors as they deliver programmes teaching the skills of the future and nurturing future leaders.

We will continually seek to improve diversity in the take-up of STEM subjects at all levels, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to pursue a rewarding career in a STEM occupation:

by September 2023, a T Level in agriculture, land management and production will be available - this will support the increased focus of the UK agriculture sector on more environmental and sustainable practices and provide a further opportunity and pathway for young people looking for careers in agriculture and horticulture

we will engage employers, professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs), further and higher education sector representative groups and students in developing opportunities to forge further links between course content and the skills needed for green careers of all kinds

Green Skills Bootcamps are available in environmental areas such as agriculture technology, and Wave 3 Skills Bootcamps will seek to prioritise further green sectors, including those specific to the environment such as nature restoration, waste management and recycling, woodland management and arboriculture.

the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has convened a Green Apprenticeships Advisory Panel (GAAP) to:

work with employers to align apprenticeships to net-zero objectives

endorse existing apprenticeships which support green career pathways specific to the environmental sector, such as arborist, forest operative, agriculture or horticulture professional advisor and ecologist

map existing apprenticeship standards against green occupations

identify opportunities to create new standards in areas including agri-tech and renewable energy

investment of up to £75 million in a National Scholarship Scheme will support high achieving disadvantaged students to reach their full potential while studying in higher education, including degree courses or apprenticeships that can lead to green careers

our network of Institutes of Technology (IoTs) across England are utilising their state-of-the-art facilities to:

offer training in green skills, such as in the built environment and agri-tech sectors

support increased participation from under-represented groups, including women, helping to grow the pipeline of individuals with STEM skills needed for green jobs

invest £120 million in the second wave of IoTs, to be set up by 2022

by 2025, as part of the pathway towards the Lifelong Loan Entitlement, we will trial short-course provision at levels 4-6 to support in-work adults to upskill or retrain, enabling learners to build flexibly towards a full qualification in subjects crucial for net zero, including STEM and digital innovation

by 2023, we will co-host an International Green Skills Conference with the higher and further education sectors to exhibit the best of UK green skills and education opportunities at further and higher education levels

we will link the Climate Leaders Award to skills required by employers and explore how participation in the award can act as a progression route to further study

by 2030, significant numbers of young people will have graduated from the Climate Leaders Award with the skills needed to enter the green economy

by 2030, we anticipate that participation in the National Education Nature Park, and increased opportunities to connect with nature, will increase the number of young people that become data scientists, ecologists and biologists, which are needed for nature's recovery

our specifications for new buildings set out low-carbon, climate-resilient standards - such as the installation of heat pumps for energy efficiency - while, as one of the largest construction buyers in the nation, these specifications will drive the market and assist in driving the development of technical fitting skill

3. Support and guidance for green careers

We are actively supporting young people and adults to understand the training and careers opportunities available to them and we will support existing organisations in their endeavours to promote green careers. This includes:

supporting schools and colleges to embed best practice in the delivery of careers information, advice and guidance, so young people are aware of the full range of training and careers available to them and have access to a broad range of employers and workplaces, including those in the green sectors - this will be delivered through the national roll-out of Career Hubs, Career Leader training, and the Enterprise Adviser Network

as part of wider improvements to the National Careers Service we will ensure the provision of relevant and accessible information on green career pathways, which will bring together all the learning and careers routes available to aid the development of a single source of government-assured career information

our educational building maintenance and procurement projects will provide opportunities for students to gain careers guidance, while installation of low-carbon boiler replacements, smart meters and energy monitoring or sustainable drainage systems, will be accompanied with assembly information and interactive class exercises allowing students to see and learn about a wide range of green careers and skills in action

Action area 3: Education estate and digital infrastructure

A green, sustainable education estate that is resilient to the impacts of climate change will normalise and inspire young people to live sustainable lives, with impact felt widely in their families and communities. By improving the physical environment in and around education settings, we can impact positively on both the physical and mental wellbeing of children and young people. We will act on both the challenges and opportunities the vast education estate presents.

There is still a lot of evidence to gather on new technologies and innovative approaches to sustainable building design, retrofit, ICT, building management and the surrounding environment. Our focus until 2025 will be piloting - gathering evidence and sharing research to learn from our experience. This work will build on and align with existing guidance currently available to help public sector organisations achieve net zero, for example, the Modern Energy Partners tools. From 2025 onwards, we will accelerate change once we understand the best value for money approach. Our approach can be summarised as innovate, test and invest.

1. New builds and new blocks

All new school buildings delivered by DfE (not already contracted) will be net zero in operation. They will be designed for a 2oC rise in average global temperatures and future-proofed for a 4oC rise, to adapt to the risks of climate change, including increased flooding and higher indoor temperatures.

Secure children's homes delivered by DfE will also be built to our net-zero standard.

In November 2021 we published our delivery framework for employer's requirements for school projects Part A and Part B and made it freely available so that all new schools and colleges can meet the same low-carbon, climate-resilient standards as centrally delivered projects.

We have uplifted basic need grant-funding rates to help local authorities deliver school capital projects to these standards. When planning the use of basic need funding allocations, local authorities will consider environmental sustainability, carbon reduction and energy efficiency to develop solutions for projects that are in line with government targets and objectives, regardless of their chosen delivery route.

From now on bids into our Further Education Capital Transformation Programme will also be assessed to determine if the new works will be net zero in operation.

We know many higher education institutions are already demonstrating innovation in this space and are going beyond these standards. We will look to the higher education sector to inspire and drive greater ambition through their net-zero buildings and campuses.

So that our education building standards remain world-leading, we will:

continue targeted and specific monitoring of education buildings to better understand their use and energy consumption

continually improve our technical standards and building specifications

This will include the use and assessment of nature-based classroom design to maximise access to the outdoors and opportunities for outdoor learning, so our education buildings positively impact on physical and mental wellbeing.

Sustainable ICT solutions will be integrated into new-build schools as standard, via sustainable procurement, design, implementation and management.

The implementation of ultra-low carbon education buildings will be accelerated. By 2025 at least 4 schools and one college will have been built via the Gen Zero Platform that we demonstrated at COP26.

We will also accelerate our Gen Zero programme and other pilots so, over time, all centrally delivered new-build projects are built using ultra-low carbon solutions.

2. Existing estate

Improved collation and use of data on energy usage, water, heat and biodiversity will allow individual settings, and DfE, to make evidence-based decisions on where to act and invest to make the greatest impact. Smart meters and energy management systems can reduce bills and usage. They also provide learning opportunities for data analysis and understanding the impact of human behaviour. We will:

continue to work with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy ( BEIS) and water companies to trial the delivery of smart meters in schools and encourage the uptake across other settings

in 2022, work with the education and children's services sectors and energy companies to explore sharing smart meter data to avoid additional reporting requirements, and this data would also be used by DfE to help advise settings how they can reduce their energy bills and improve their energy efficiency

during 2022 and 2023, work with BEIS and Energy Sparks to trial the delivery of Energy Management Systems in schools which will provide schools with real-time information about their energy usage, presented within a user-friendly online portal

by 2025, have supported education settings to put in place Climate Action Plans, facilitating the use of setting-level data to inform action - these will increase carbon literacy and inform government on the implementation of decarbonisation solutions and nature-based solutions to alleviate flood risk, protect against increased heat, and improve air quality

A strategic approach to piloting new building technology will also be launched in order to support the future retrofit of the education estate and act as catalyst to the construction sector for implementing new technology. Our building technology pilots will support action to adapt the existing estate to protect against the current and future effects of climate change. They will also provide evidence for the efficient decarbonisation of the estate to mitigate the causes of climate change.

We will continue to seek opportunities for research, including developing innovative approaches for the delivery and use of digital infrastructure. Where opportunities arise, this will be tested in schools by retrofitting ICT to deliver energy savings.

We will also exploit existing research -higher education is already driving world leading building technology - and innovative solutions will be shared across the wider education sector

In 2022:

we will work with BEIS to help education settings access the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to support them in decarbonising their estates and, as part of that work, we are looking at how we can better align our application processes and funding windows

By 2023:

all bids for capital funding for further education and higher education will need to consider environmental impact, carbon reduction and adaptation measures, and align with the government's targets and objectives

we will share best practice and advice to help education settings in deciding where to invest money to reduce carbon emissions, improve sustainability and resilience, and share options and case studies for the retrofit of existing settings by building type

we will also develop the existing Good Estate Management for Schools guidance with updated tips and good practice on the sustainable management of the school estate, covering topics such as energy and water efficiency and addressing issues including ventilation and leaks

3. Resilience, adaptation, access to Nature and environment conditions

The 3 highest priority risk areas identified in the Climate Change Committee Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk were:

To meet these challenges and those outlined in the Third Climate Change Risk Assessment (the statutory cycle set out in the Climate Change Act 2008, specifies the next key milestone in the statutory cycle as the third National Adaptation Programme ( NAP3) in 2023) we have a duty to demonstrate:

a clear set of objectives for adaptation

policies

programmes

investments with clear timelines

measurable metrics

progress indicators

We know that nearly half of schools (10,710) are at risk of flooding, which is expected to increase to at least 13,662 by the 2050s, or 16,394 in the worst-case scenario. While overheating in education buildings is a significant threat, we need to continue to work with other government departments to get a greater understanding of the risk.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding between DfE and the Environment Agency ( EA) will ensure that our response to risk aligns with the objectives and measures set out in the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy and is based on the latest environmental data, advice and intelligence.

We know there is hope if efforts are focused in the right way. The latest International Panel on Climate Change report outlines the power of nature against the worst effects of climate change. We will use the National Education Nature Park to champion the case for nature.

Through the National Education Nature Park we will provide opportunities and advice for education settings to initially improve their biodiversity and also, with time, their flood resilience and air quality. For example, we will work with EA and DEFRA to produce guidance for schools that explains how to improve their flood resilience and access free trees to improve shading and biodiversity of their grounds.

We will accelerate pilots to investigate:

We will also empower universities to lead the way in demonstrating models for resilient, biodiverse campuses. We will share best practice via the National Education Nature Park online hub.

By 2023, we will:

work with partners to explore how funding may support nurseries, schools, colleges and universities in driving on the ground innovation to link separate parts of the National Education Nature Park, improving the biodiversity, air quality, shading and flood resistance along the routes between settings

continue evaluating the UK's first 'Biophilic' primary school, which will provide evidence of the impact of a greater connection to nature within the built environment, on the health and wellbeing of children and young people

pilot the use of smart air and environmental quality monitors in schools to understand the practical implications, benefits and drawbacks of using smart monitoring devices with pilots providing a rich dataset on environmental performance, which can be used to help feed into school building design and understand where energy efficiencies can be achieved

support DEFRA's Clean Air Strategy which aims to diminish the highest concentration of exposure to fine particle matter (PM2.5) to help tackle air pollution and reduce emissions affecting education settings

provide guidance to all education settings for practical ways to reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution, encouraging schools and partners to expand anti-idling zones to reduce the impact of the school commute

support the Department for Transport in delivering initiatives to increase active and safe travel to school (such as Bikeability for children, their families and carers, Walk to School Outreach and School Streets), to improve wellbeing, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality

support an EA pilot investigating offsetting carbon emissions from their flood scheme construction work by contributing to tree planting and greening on available, nearby school land

By 2030:

through the National Education Nature Park and cross-government collaboration, we will have significantly increased the biodiversity on the education estate and implemented 'Green Corridors' for access to education settings, improving climate resilience, physical and mental wellbeing, and protecting and enhancing wildlife and ecosystems along the routes between nurseries, schools, colleges and universities

we will have supported the Department for Transport to increase active travel to school, contributing to the Prime Minister's vision that half of all short journeys in towns and cities will be walked or cycled

we will have minimised barriers to nature in school building design programmes and education building standards, increasing opportunities to connect their users to nature

4. Heating solutions

The building energy efficiency survey indicates that approximately 60% of energy use in education settings is associated with high carbon intensity fuels such as natural gas, coal and oil. There is a need to reduce demand for heating and hot water use and to deliver through sustainable means.

We are launching 10 pilots to test our Energy Pods as a way of providing off-site manufactured, low-carbon, heating solutions on the existing school and college estate. The results of these pilots will inform our strategic approach to condition, safety and sustainability for the education estate and provide important research data for education and public sector net-zero projects.

In 2022 we will:

test the feasibility of replacing school boilers with ground or air source heat solutions, and use the learning to consider how this can be scaled up to accelerate decarbonisation between 2025 and 2035

continue to work with BEIS to help education settings access the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to support them in replacing fossil fuel heating systems with low carbon heating

5. Water strategy

In partnership with EA, water companies and local authorities we will deliver our water strategy to improve:

We will work together to improve learning and awareness of risk and resilience and encourage all education settings to sign up to available weather and flood warnings. For schools at highest risk, we will share a flood risk plan template to set out emergency plans. In addition:

by 2023, the risk of school flood will be displayed alongside emissions and biodiversity on the National Education Nature Park

by 2026, we will have reduced the flood risk in over 800 schools through our Water Strategy initiatives

we will work with Ofwat and Market Operator Services Ltd to ensure their regulatory mechanisms and incentives enable and drive the water market to improve efficiency across the education estate and, should this prove successful, by 2030 we will have worked with water wholesalers and retailers to improve water efficiency at the 10,000 least water-efficient schools, significantly reducing usage and spend

we will align strategic action with the Environment Agency's National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy to ensure education settings are ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change

6. Reporting Frameworks, Reporting Processes and Targets

With increased legislation on net zero, environment and nature, it is inevitable that we are going to have to ensure consistent reporting on the activity of our sectors.

The government's Net Zero Strategy commits to legislate reporting of emissions if insufficient progress is made voluntarily. We will work with BEIS in the development of guidance on monitoring and reporting for the education sector and we will look to support and facilitate reporting.

We will work with energy providers to receive data from the school estate directly (unless individual schools choose to opt out), so that by 2024 all schools are reporting their emission via a standardised framework. The installation of smart meters will improve the accuracy of this data.

We have supported the Queen's Jubilee Challenge for the further and higher education sectors to accelerate a sector-led review. This review will enable all further and higher education settings to report their emissions via a standardised and comparable framework by 2024. From 2025 we will publish targets and institutional progress for the further and higher education sectors. We will also work with nurseries and schools to set standardised reporting frameworks and implement effective data-gathering mechanisms. With the campaign Let's Go Zero, we will set targets for schools between 2025 and 2035.

Action area 4: Operations and supply chains

We have a valuable opportunity to drive change by introducing children and young people to more sustainable practices, such as:

We can inspire and instil habits that they will take into their wider communities and adult lives. Sector representatives have also confirmed that they have had the greatest results in driving sustainability in their operational processes when action has been linked to learning.

Coordination and leadership are required to bring this type of change. We recognise how much is already being done across the sectors by enthusiastic individuals, governance boards and leadership teams. They are driving effective whole-setting approaches to the challenges of sustainability and climate change - not only in teaching and learning or the decarbonisation of the estate - but in the way settings are operated and regulated.

Within DfE we will also publish and monitor progress against a DfE Corporate Sustainability Strategy. This will demonstrate how we will embed sustainability across everything we do - from how we maintain and use our office estate to our decision-making and business processes. We will align action with this strategy, the Greening Government Commitments and our overall organisational strategy.

By 2023 we will:

start rolling-out carbon literacy training for at least one person in every locally maintained nursery, school, college and university to build their knowledge of climate change, access to public funds, engagement with the nature park and Climate Leaders Award, understand emissions reporting and how to develop a climate action plan so that they can share learning and training within their own setting as appropriate, for example with leaders, support staff, care takers, cooks and teachers

support the work of the National Climate Education Action Plan to bring together universities with STEM Learning to identify Climate Ambassadors to support schools and further education institutions in the delivery of their sustainability and climate change action plans

update Good Estate Management for Schools ( GEMS) guidance to include the latest sustainability and climate change advice, covering topics such as efficient waste and water management - we will signpost to other relevant third-party materials

encourage and support education settings to procure from companies that commit to achieving net zero by 2050 and have a plan in place, showing how they will meet this target

ensure sustainability is part of the assessment and validation criteria for including suppliers on procurement frameworks, to support sustainable purchasing of products and services, including energy, in schools

support schools to buy from procurement frameworks that offer sustainable goods and services

work with education settings and partners to share best practice for delivering and improving uptake of nutritionally balanced, affordable and sustainable meal choices

pilot a food curriculum and whole-school approach to food, promoting accountability and transparency of school food arrangements by encouraging schools to complete a statement on their school websites, which sets out their whole-school approach to food, with voluntary reporting initially, and the intention that this will become mandatory when schools can do this effectively

pilot new training for school governors on a whole-school approach to food as set out in the forthcoming Government Food Strategy (school governors have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations)

support schools to drive up their sustainable practices in line with the school food standards, particularly in relation to school food contracts and their food preparation and practice, with consideration of the ingredients they use and their environmental impact

encourage and support education settings to gather data and take action on food waste, and to share their evidence-based best practice for sustainable waste prevention and management

work with DEFRA and the Waste and Resources Action Programme ( WRAP) to share resources for schools and children that support food waste prevention

support education settings in aligning with DEFRA 's Resources and Waste Strategy to reduce all waste, moving away from single-use items and towards reusable alternatives where possible

continue to encourage all settings to drive initiatives that promote the circular economy - providing guidance to reduce reliance on single-use items in favour of alternatives, such as reusable nappies, as well as recycled materials, second-hand uniforms and other consumables, such as sustainable cutlery and cleaning products

continue to offer a range of free sustainable period products to learners in schools and colleges across England and use the success of this programme as a catalyst for similar initiatives

seek opportunities to rationalise deliveries to education settings, through minimum order values or changes to delivery models, and encourage settings to consider a rounded approach to providing food, including practical guidance on consolidating food deliveries and sourcing food locally where possible

By 2025:

all education settings will have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan

all services and products procured by DfE for schools through the 'get help buying for schools' programme will go through environmental procurement frameworks

we will review existing procurement frameworks and identify those where net-zero targets can be applied, highlighting these frameworks to education providers as sustainable and net zero-compliant buying frameworks

we will ensure there is a clear route to market and associated support for schools to buy goods and services that help them to generate their own energy or reduce their existing energy consumption, for example, solar panels and LED light bulbs

we will eradicate single-use plastics and encourage the use of reusable and recyclable materials in schools and encourage all other education settings to match this target

we will work with DEFRA to provide guidance to education settings for meeting the requirements of the Environment Act 2021 - this will require settings to arrange for the collection of a core set of materials for recycling, including glass, paper and card, plastic, metal and food waste, increasing the amount of material recycled and diverted from landfill

we will develop a sustainable assessment model in partnership with the Standards and Testing Agency, considering the environmental impact of digital testing and the trade-offs with existing testing methods

we will continue to support DEFRA with implementing the Resource and Waste Strategy, to eliminate unnecessary plastics in education settings

By 2030:

education settings will be supporting a circular economy through their participation in the Climate Leaders Award and National Education Nature Park - for example, by using food waste to produce compost that can then be used directly or in the local community

Action area 5: International

We set out our vision for the United Kingdom education sector to be world leading in sustainability and climate change by 2030. In achieving this vision, we want to both inspire and respond to international action and make a difference to children and young people all over the world. There is no time to lose: extreme weather events are increasing in severity and frequency, and Safe Schools: The Hidden Crisis shows that it is disrupting the education of nearly 40 million children a year worldwide. Children in the UK say they are worried about how climate change is affecting children and families in developing countries.

The UK Foreign Policy Integrated Review positions climate change as the UK's number one international priority. Education is one of our nation's greatest strengths. We will take positive international action to enhance climate change and sustainability learning in and outside of the classroom and, in particular, through DfE 's key bilateral relationships.

In doing so we will work across government with the:

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

Cabinet Office

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

British Council

Together we will provide young people and adults everywhere with the knowledge and skills needed to:

Our action will align with and support the UK Government's International Education Strategy and supplement the great work the UK already does overseas, led by the FCDO, through education partnerships with around 20 poorer countries as leading donor to the Global Partnership for Education ( GPE) and Education Cannot Wait Fund, to support countries to respond to weather related disasters and make education systems more resilient.

The international action set out below represents the whole of the UK. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England each bring unique offers to an international strategy, and we will work closely with the governments of each nation to champion them effectively.

At COP26 we put education on a global stage, bringing education and environment ministers together to pledge action on climate education. We will continue to encourage other countries to make pledges. We will also track progress on our international commitments to complement and promote the Glasgow Works Programme on Action for Climate Empowerment ( ACE) negotiations agreed by countries at COP26 through our work and partnerships.

This work programme positions education as integral to the achievement of long-term climate goals, and calls for an approach which is grounded in principles of collaboration, flexibility and inclusivity.

Champion education and learning on the global stage

We will promote education as a key tool for tackling climate change through:

We will elevate the voices of youth in these discussions, as well as the rich experiences of other countries and stakeholders.

We will work across government and convene international partners to build a coalition for action for sustainable education. We will:

work closely with youth partners and multilateral institutions, such as UNESCO, UNEP and OECD, and in the G7 and G20 to exchange good practice through global discussions on climate education, learning and sustainable development

showcase our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy and activities, sharing our strategy as a model for others to learn from

build an international evidence base on the support and solutions needed for a range of contexts

share our latest lessons, challenges, insights and evidence from the delivery of all action areas of our strategy

learn from others, including those working at local, national, regional and international levels

Trade and exports

We will provide expertise, services, trade and exports overseas to support others in achieving their net-zero targets, increasing resilience and adaptation, and improving climate education. We will work with FCDO, DBT and the UK international trade network to:

identify appropriate export opportunities for our climate learning programmes, including the National Education Nature Park and Climate Leaders Award, sharing our expertise on flood resilience and flood risk assessments, and export innovative sustainable products such as the Gen Zero Platform and Biophilic Primary School

continue work with the further and higher education sectors to ensure prestigious green-skills learning, training and research opportunities are developed to attract overseas students

International initiatives

We will identify opportunities to broaden our actions to share innovation and provide opportunities for young people from across the world to connect and learn, ensuring we align with the UK government's Child Safeguarding Due Diligence guidance. We will:

Leadership, engagement and next steps

Leadership

In recognition of the importance of this agenda to the Department for Education, the Secretary of State for Education will also be Climate Change Minister for the Department for Education. The Secretary of State for Education will also oversee the Climate Leaders Award.

The Secretary of State for Education will be supported in his role of Climate Change Minister for the department by:

Baroness Barran - net zero of DfE-delivered buildings, procurement and supply chains (this also includes the biodiversity of the education estate)

Minister Donelan and Minister Burghart - green skills, green jobs and net zero in further education and higher education

Minister Walker - climate education

Minister Quince - physical and mental wellbeing

DfE will nominate a non-executive director for climate change. They will champion climate issues on departmental boards and provide further leadership and expertise to support the department with its unique climate mission.

Engagement

From November 2021 to March 2022, sector representatives and young people reflecting a diverse range of voices, backgrounds and experiences brought together feedback on this strategy from those they represent.

We will continue to engage formally through a quarterly youth panel and user group as we develop and deliver the strategy, to ensure it meets the needs of those it serves.

Next Steps

Each year we will publish progress against the strategy and set out new action.
The following actions will support this:

Vision: the United Kingdom is the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030.

Strategic aims

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Sustainability and climate change: a strategy for the education and children's services systems

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This strategy applies to: the Department for Education (DfE), its agencies and public bodies the education and children's services systems in England - including: early years schools (and independent schools where applicable) further education higher education children's social care DfE has an important role to play in all aspects of sustainability.

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Performance management of the estate and benchmarking is the measurement and monitoring of property-related performance. This will help you to improve the efficiency of the estate.

Measuring the performance of the estate will help you understand:

how the property assets in the estate contribute to the overall performance of your organisation

how each individual asset in the estate is performing against technical criteria

Benchmarking is a way of using relative performance to learn from others in an effort to improve. This will include comparison with other organisations or industry standards, and comparison of individual property assets within the estate.

Importance of performance management of the estate

Accountability for financial performance sits at board level. Understanding the performance of the estate and using it to challenge and demonstrate value for money is an important element of accountability.

Performance management of the estate will:

enable you to monitor and evaluate how property assets are performing to meet the needs of your organisation

provide a reference point to support future strategies and value for money decisions

provide a mechanism for internal and for external benchmarking

Benchmarking is not a one off exercise. It can help:

lock your organisation into a cycle of continuous improvement

develop a culture where it is easier to question the norm and make changes

Who should be responsible

Responsibility for performance management of the estate should sit with an executive leader. They should also be responsible for reporting performance.

They should understand what the executive leadership team and the board want to know about the estate and identify performance measures accordingly. The actual collation and management of the data used to deliver performance reports is likely to be the responsibility of operational staff.

You should use standardised reporting formats where possible to enable better understanding of data needs and performance over time.

The executive leadership team may help identify other benchmarking organisations which may be willing partners. For schools with a religious character, this should be done in collaboration with the trustees of the school and the diocese or other religious authority.

What to consider

You should consider what you want to measure to help you:

manage the estate strategically

assess value for money

Do not make this too complicated. It's more important to start the process rather than trying to make it too comprehensive from the start.

You should then make sure:

you identify appropriate performance criteria so that you can set targets

your targets are clearly linked to your strategic goals and the requirements of the trustees of the school

you choose measures which are useful to your school and organisation

You might want to limit this to 5 key measures. Having a small number of useful measures is preferable to having numerous measures that do not provide meaningful information.

Financial

Consider:

your running costs - calculation of all property occupancy costs as a total cost per square metre or as a proportion of total school expenditure

capital projects - capital cost per square meter or pupil place, proportion of projects delivered to time or cost targets

Condition and maintenance

Consider:

the condition of your estate - categorisation against industry standard condition (A to D) and prioritisation (1 to 4) categories by percentage of estate in each category

maintenance needs - assessment of maintenance need per square metre, average spend per square metre, by planned to reactive proportion

Space

Consider doing an assessment of the utilisation of space by reference to space (square metre) per pupil, the frequency of use and how the space is used.

Find guidelines for:

Environmental sustainability

Consider:

energy consumption - calculation of energy consumption by reference to the area of the building

environmental impact - assessment of emissions per area of building

Risk

Consider your statutory compliance - measurement of the proportion of the estate which is compliant or non-compliant.

Track your performance

Once you've decided what you're going to measure you need to identify:

what data you will need

how you can gather the data

how you will analyse the data

Establish a baseline position. Without this, it is not possible to identify any changes in performance.

Use how you perform against targets to define priorities for works and estates activities.

Refine your performance measures over time as your approach to strategic estate management matures, and more data becomes available.

Collecting performance data

Collecting data can be time consuming and costly. The benefits of identified performance measures must justify the cost and effort of collating, analysing and reporting.

You should assess what data is already collected. You may be able to use this to start with and build on it over time.

Identify performance measures that meet the needs of your organisation. Be realistic about:

what data can be collected and analysed

whether this can be done in a timescale to enable meaningful action

Benchmarking

Understanding your performance internally is only part of the picture.

Benchmarking with other bodies or organisations can help you identify areas for improvement. It's only through external comparison that it is possible to determine how your organisation is performing in a wider context.

Benchmarking is only a guide. There may be valid reasons why some schools are at the lower or upper extremes of the data range. You should understand the reasons. You may not be in a position at the outset to benchmark externally. Begin once your estate performance management processes are embedded and more data is available.

You may want to identify potential benchmarking groups or partner organisations. You can:

find out what performance criteria they're measuring

possibly use some of their findings to set your own targets

There may be existing localised, regional or national benchmarking groups.

You can benchmark some of your property measures against other organisations.

You could use Technical Annex 2H of the Generic Design Brief for benchmarking your energy use and perfomance. It sets out the required technical standards and performance criteria for energy in schools.

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers ( CIBSE) offers an energy benchmarking tool for all building users.

For more information about performance measures used to help schools improve their financial management and efficiency review:

You could consider contacting peer organisations and discuss the potential to share information for mutual benefit. You may need the consent of trustees before sharing information.

Some MATs use business intelligence dashboards to support their work.
Example
EO Consulting has a dashboard that presents all types of condition, compliance and energy usage data so it can be:

appropriately aggregated

used to optimise return on capital investment decisions within estates and organisations

The Trust Network has case studies which provide further information.

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Understand how to use data to measure the performance of your estate, encourage sustainability and manage energy and water use.

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Skip to content

We match volunteer climate experts with education settings to develop climate action plans in nurseries, schools and colleges.

"If you have a great knowledge of climate change, biodiversity or sustainability, Climate Ambassadors is perfect for you. Young children have a lot of questions; they want to learn so much more about the world around us. If you want to go into schools and colleges to give talks, if you want to help education settings learn more about places they can find great resources, or you want to help the places and people in our education system become greener and more sustainable. So, if you want to make a difference, become a Climate Ambassador."

Broadcast Meteorologist and Climate Ambassador scheme champion

Funded by the Department for Education

Sustainability and climate change strategy

The Climate Ambassadors scheme connects climate and environmental sustainability experts with nurseries, schools and colleges across the UK.

Funded By

© 2024 Climate Ambassadors

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Climate Ambassadors: Turning Climate Ambition into Climate Action in Education

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The Climate Ambassadors scheme connects climate and environmental sustainability experts with nurseries, schools and colleges across the UK.

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Our vision is an increasingly compassionate and sustainable world with the Golden Rule at the core.

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We focus on issues where the connection between the health of people and our planet is most tangible. This allows us to show the interrelationship and drive solutions that prioritise wellbeing for all. ​

Our current focus issues are air pollution, big tech and the education system.

Clean Air

The issue: Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to people and planet.

The goal: By 2030 people can breathe clean air in urban areas.

What change is required? The elimination of the use of fossil fuels (and wood) in transport and home heating in urban areas.

How will we achieve this? By working with changemakers across the country to drive behaviour change, and by exerting pressure on the UK government and major polluters.
Find out more

Online Climate

The issue: The current online climate is toxic. Fuelled by a business model that drives misinformation and division, it is undermining our ability to take constructive action on the climate crisis and destroying young people's mental health.

The goal: By 2030, there are laws in place to end surveillance advertising and the use of "engagement"-driven recommender systems that currently drive a toxic online climate.

What change is required? A shift in online systems from ones that put profit above the wellbeing of its users.

How will we achieve this? We are mobilising the power of large groups, companies and trusted voices who care about the harmful symptoms of a toxic online climate. We work with them to support the creation and enforcement of legislation that curbs the business model of Big Tech.
View Online Climate projects Find out more

Generation Action

The issue: The education system is failing to prepare the next generation for the climate, nature and social challenges they will face.

The goal: By 2030 every child will leave school prepared to act collectively for the good of people and planet.

What change is required? A transformation of the education system to nurture a cohort of citizens who are ready to act.

How will we achieve this? By changing the curriculum and teacher training to formally recognise the need for school students to develop activism as part of their education.
View generation action projects
Find out more

Buckinghamshire Council is currently supporting large employers in the region to transition any company fleets to electric vehicles (EV) and encourage employees to consider purchasing or leasing EVs.

This project supported the EV transition journey by offering bespoke advice, resources and signposting to other relevant services.

The project has engaged local business membership-based organisations as partners to ensure information on electric vehicles reaches businesses with over 100 employees.
Funded by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs through the Air Quality Grant Scheme

More than 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year from causes related to air pollution with deprived, black and brown communities suffering disproportionately from the poorest air quality.

Whilst national and regional policy on tackling air pollution is beginning to strengthen, the level of commitment to tackle pollution varies widely among policymakers. Those in more deprived communities tend to have weaker pollution-busting policies.

The people who are most affected by air pollution in London need a stronger voice, to help champion faster and stronger progress.

Cleaner air for communities empowers representatives of polluted neighbourhoods to raise their voices in shaping policy. We are supporting community groups in three London boroughs through a 'cycle of action' from listening to the community and collecting air pollution data through citizen science to developing and implementing a local action plan and engaging decision-makers.

Our work has increased the involvement of people with lived experience of air pollution in campaigning, finding solutions and advocating for better air quality.
CLEANER AIR FOR COMMUNITIES

Air pollution isn't the easiest topic to understand, plus you can't see it. But people to understand the full picture on air pollution and be supportive of urgent national and local action to improve air quality. To do this we need consistent and reliable information to help us work together to develop and live a clean air future. The Clean Air Hub is the UK's go-to-public information source on air pollution, bringing together reliable, easy to understand facts and advice in one place. CLEAN AIR HUB

Breathing clean air is vital to help children realise their full potential and live long healthy lives, yet access to clean air is not included among children's rights as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This campaign provides an opportunity for children to call for their right to clean air to be acknowledged by the UNCRC. To date, nearly 30,000 children have made their voices heard and informed the development of General Comment No 26 - new UN guidance on children's rights and the environment.
Blueair
Funded by Freedom to Breathe

Gas cooking appliances release air pollutants into our homes that are harmful to human health and the environment. We are working with the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), CLASP, and Parents For Future to inform UK government policy discussions that support the phasing out of new sales of gas cooking appliances by 2025.

Funded by EPHA CLASP and

Singapore has an ambition to reduce its carbon emissions and become net zero. This will require lots of innovative technical approaches, but progress can also be made by getting people involved in sustainability in buildings, helping to change behaviours to become more sustainable.

Sustainability in Singapore is an employee engagement training programme to help organisations in Singapore develop their own reduce their carbon impact, improve their overall sustainability and employee well-being through behaviour change.

After working with twelve organisations, a total of 23,000 staff were reached through training, experiences, games, signage, and induction; 180,000 kWh of energy and 18,000kg of CO2 were saved on average.

Funded by: Singapore Building and Construction Authority, Singapore Green Building Council

Clean Air for Schools Vision
The Clean Air for Schools Vision outlines what would need to happen both outside the school and inside the school to reduce air pollution for pupils and staff.

Funded by: Islington Council

Lambeth Schools Air Quality Programme
Lambeth borough in South London, is one of the most polluted boroughs and children are particularly vulnerable to the impact s of air pollution. The Lambeth Schools Air Quality Programme worked with three schools in Lambeth to design and implement a combination of education, behavioural change and technical solutions to help improve air quality - and then share these learnings with other schools across the UK. Interventions improved air quality and individuals' knowledge benefitting the health of 700+ children, as well as school staff and the wider school community. Lambeth Schools Air Quality Programme

Funded by Impact on Urban Health

Health professionals, and GPs in particular, are valued as trusted members of society and this means they are well placed to deliver important public health messages. Patients who suffer from respiratory and cardiac conditions are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality and, as a group, make more frequent visits to their GP. The Mobilising National GPs project provided online teaching on the causes and health impacts of air pollution to 40 general practitioners across England. Co-design workshops with GPs and other health professionals provided insight into the structure, content and design of the teaching sessions and materials for patients. TRAINING GPS AS CLEAN AIR CHAMPIONS

Funded by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Air pollution impacts everyone, but those in the manufacturing industry are at greater risk as they are exposed to more dust, toxic particles and pollution in their workplace.

This project presented a renewed case for tackling air pollution in manufacturing industry workplaces with a whitepaper, webinar and policy briefing bitesize series, which captured the key points raised in the whitepaper.

We mobilised Trade Union Health & Safety reps, educated workers and employers about the state of air quality at seven different workplaces and supported H&S reps and wider workers to call on their employers and government to act.

Online climate

What we're up to

Young people are being put under increasing pressure by advertisers and online platforms to over-consume. This toxic culture is harming the environment through over-production, creating dangerous air pollution and invading young people's privacy through surveillance advertising.

We spoke to 300 young people who told us that they want governments and businesses to stop making them buy stuff that they don't want or need.

As part of the "Buy Now, Get Next Day" project, we are working with a national youth campaign group between 2022-2024 to build a youth led campaign. We'll be supporting them to call on businesses and government to take action and make necessary changes to policy and practices.

Over 8 in 10 youth mental health specialists say social media is fuelling a mental health crisis.

Launching a petition and social media campaign, #KidsOnlineSafety, the campaign will raise awareness of harmful features on social media to encourage new design standards that will make social media safer for kids.

Children are bombarded with advertising online. Powerful algorithms draw on a wealth of harvested data about habits and preferences to keep children hooked, recommending endless addictive content and hounding them with manipulative ads.

We created a powerful coalition of lawyers, academics, clinicians, human rights, privacy, and children's rights advocates alongside environmental groups to demand big tech turn off surveillance advertising to under 18s.

While platforms YouTube and Facebook have made major changes to their kids' policies since the campaign began, we are pressing for stronger regulation and a full ban on surveillance advertising.

Young people have grown up with mainstream narratives, largely created by the advertising industry, telling them that high consumption lifestyles are the route to the good life, while simultaneously hearing about the dire consequences they can expect if high consumption lifestyles continue.

Our Flickers of the Future campaign has directly engaged with 373 young creatives to inspire them to develop new stories and content that show positive visions of sustainable futures.

The campaign demonstrated the demand, from both audiences and the media, for alternative narratives of the future that counter negative stereotypes and offer hope and inspiration. We reached mass youth audiences through our partnership with MTV, with 2.8 million views of our videos created by young film makers.

89% of young people report feeling concerned about the climate crisis but only a third are regularly talking about it with their friends. These finding matter, because conversations can help to reduce anxiety and a re a crucial first step towards taking action.

We teamed up with Virgin Media O2 to diversify the climate movement, de-stigmatise climate concern and change the face of who is talking about climate action.

The campaign demonstrated the power of using unexpected spokespeople and channels to break down barriers and encourage young people, particularly men, to share honest views about climate change. We also published a white paper and toolkit to equip businesses and media with tactics to communicate about climate change more effectively with young audiences.

1.6 million 16-24 year olds learned new ways to talk about climate change as a result of the campaign.

Generation Action

What we're up to

Global Action Plan is working with Persil as global coordinator of the Dirt is Good Schools Programme to unlock the collective power of young people as changemaers. To date, the programme has helped 19,000 young people to take collective action across the UK, Chile and Thailand, and is due to launch in India and Brazil.

74% of Dirt is Good participants said they had more confidence to take action to help people and planet than before they took part in the programme.

We are working with Unilever to expand Dirt is Good to more countries, and taking learnings into the design of future work in the Generation Action movement.
DIRT IS GOOD

Young people need to be supported to realise their potential to positively impact the environment through youth social action.

This scheme aims to empower young people to build a lasting relationship with our natural world through social action. In doing so, it seeks to build a life-long habit of caring for our environment in years to come. Green Influencers learn new skills, gain experience and confidence, and inspire their peers and community to act positively too.

Funded by: #IWill, The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Innovative models of sustainability education that are genuinely transformative are being pioneered at small scale - if widely adopted, they have the potential to improve outcomes for young people and drive societal change. By telling this untold story, we can galvanise a movement, stimulate more investment, and add weight to the grassroots demand for a seismic shift in national education policy. This project will reframe the purpose and practice of education by crafting the story of the emerging model of transformative sustainability education, empowering advocates to tell it, and creating a national campaign to raise awareness and funds.
Reorientating the english education system

Schools Climate Action Planner provides schools with an easy, convenient, tailored plan to help them underst and where they are on their climate journey and what steps they can take to help people and planet.

Research led to the creation of an online tool, tested by secondary and primary teaching staff. 73 actions have been developed, all rated on impact, ease and cost, with guidance and support offered to help schools on their journey.

Funded by: Greater Manchester Combined Authority, iWill

The Schools' Good Life Charter supports students to co-design their own Good Life Charter to help their whole school community break the spell of excessive consumption, which makes children feel inadequate, judged and unhappy, and is a major contributor to our climate and ecological crisis.

Young people taking part will learn about the harmful impacts of over-consumption and about what influences people to consume excessively. The programme aims to nurture compassionate values and wellbeing within students, as well as create a space for everyone to discuss why and what we buy, encouraging low-consumption behaviours within the school community and beyond.
SCHOOLS GOOD LIFE CHARTER

Transform Our World is an online community of 5,000 educators, that empowers students to take environmental and social action by showcasing quality-related resources, programmes and events.

The annual Transform Our World Youth Summit is a vivid demonstration of young people's commitment to taking climate action. Coinciding with the UN COP climate change conference, the Youth Summit brings together young people, schools and organisations from across the UK and beyond to talk about the importance of youth voice in creating change.
transform our world

Set up in Spring 2021, the UK Schools Sustainability Network (UKSSN) aims to make schools and communities more aware of the climate and nature crisis, by bringing together regional networks of students to connect and collaborate, fully supported by school staff.

By galvanising and coordinating youth voice, UKSSN has quickly established itself as a driving force in the development of sustainability education policy and practice. The network won the Net Zero 50 People's Choice Award 2022 in recognition of its work in uniting students and educators to take climate action.

81% of students and 82% of staff said they felt more motivated to take action to help people and planet compared to before they had taken part in UKSSN.

UKSSN

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We tackle the root causes of our climate and nature crises through research, campaigns and collective action that reconnect human and planetary health.

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The Ministry of Eco Education is a collaboration of teachers working together to place sustainability at the heart of education with a green curriculum

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Partnering for the Planet - Reading University

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Partnering for the Planet - Reading University

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University of Reading cookie policy

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Climate change is one of the biggest issues facing the planet. To tackle this threat, we must work together. We must help each other understand what's happening. Only then, will we find solutions.

The University of Reading is a world leader in climate science. Discover the latest science and our work with the IPCC, find out what positive actions you can take, and help transform how young people learn about climate change through better climate education in schools and colleges.

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At the University of Reading, we're working with you to champion environmental sustainability through world-leading research and practical action.

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Change is urgently needed to tackle the injustices and unsustainability in our world

We believe education can bring about that change. SOS-UK is a student-led education charity focusing on sustainability - we know environmental sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation, so our work spans across issues of justice and wellbeing as well.

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Students Organising for Sustainability UK | SOS-UK

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We are a charity that supports students and society to learn, act and lead for environmental and social justice.

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Putting sustainability at the heart of learning, learning at the heart of sustainability, and sustainability at the heart of everything.

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STEM Learning - Climate Change Educational Partnership

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STEM Learning - Climate Change Educational Partnership

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Our free online Catalyst magazine for 14-19 year olds and their educators illustrates the real-world research and industrial developments from STEM professionals across the country. Look through our archive of past editions to find inspiring articles from those working in climate change related careers. In edition 39 you will find our Climate Change Special which explores some of the deeper issues, questioning our understanding and delving into solutions. This edition considers the complex relationship between our oceans and the weather, how air pollution isn't always from the obvious sources and how combining your expertise with your hobby can open the door to the perfect career.
Explore the issue

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Our free online Catalyst magazine for 14-19 year olds and their educators illustrates the real-world research and industrial developments from STEM professionals across the country. Look through our archive of past editions to find inspiring articles from those working in climate change related careers.

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Skip to content

We match volunteer climate experts with education settings to develop climate action plans in nurseries, schools and colleges.

"If you have a great knowledge of climate change, biodiversity or sustainability, Climate Ambassadors is perfect for you. Young children have a lot of questions; they want to learn so much more about the world around us. If you want to go into schools and colleges to give talks, if you want to help education settings learn more about places they can find great resources, or you want to help the places and people in our education system become greener and more sustainable. So, if you want to make a difference, become a Climate Ambassador."

Broadcast Meteorologist and Climate Ambassador scheme champion

Funded by the Department for Education

Sustainability and climate change strategy

The Climate Ambassadors scheme connects climate and environmental sustainability experts with nurseries, schools and colleges across the UK.

Funded By

© 2024 Climate Ambassadors

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Climate Ambassadors: Turning Climate Ambition into Climate Action in Education

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The Climate Ambassadors scheme connects climate and environmental sustainability experts with nurseries, schools and colleges across the UK.

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Education | Teaching children about climate change and sustainability

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More effective and engaging climate education can help prepare them to play their part in combatting climate change. Practical science activities, such as UKCEH x CREST Awards Hydrology resources, can help young people relate to and contextualise the issues that will inevitably play a formative and significant role in their futures.

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We're a charity offering free education to children about climate change and carbon literacy

4000 students educated on climate science

100 students trained to be climate leaders

Carbon Consumption

Scientists say that to limit warming to 1.5 degrees we need to reduce our footprints to 2.5 tonnes each by 2030. We can do it - let's go zero carbon!

I would recommend that all children have the opportunity to take part in this carefully constructed and relevant programme.

Furzedown Primary School

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Climate Change Education | Climate Ed | London

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We're a charity offering free education to children about climate change and carbon literacy 4000 students educated on climate science 100 students trained to be climate leaders Carbon Consumption Scientists say that to limit warming to 1.5 degrees we need to reduce our footprints to 2.5 tonnes each by 2030.

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Select one of the SDGs to see it on the map

All data presented on this website are based on the publication Sachs, J.D., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., Drumm, E. (2023). Implementing the SDG Stimulus. Sustainable Development Report 2023. Paris: SDSN, Dublin: Dublin University Press, 2023. 10.25546/102924

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The Sustainable Development Report 2023 tracks the performance of all 193 UN Member States on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

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Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a key element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its aims form one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal on education SDG 4.7 and it is considered a driver for the achievements of all 17 SDGs.

ESD empowers everyone to make informed decisions in favour of environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society for present and future generations. It aims to provide the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to address sustainable development challenges.

Complementary to the UNESCO guidance document - Education for Sustainable Development Goals - Learning Objectives, this resource bank has been designed for educators, education planners and practitioners. It offers hundreds of pedagogical ideas for classroom activities and multimedia resources detailing how best to integrate ESD into teaching and learning, from early childhood care through secondary education.

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Sustainable Development Goals - Resources for educators

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Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a key element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its aims form one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal on education SDG 4.7 and it is considered a driver for the achievements of all 17 SDGs.

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CLIMATE SCIENCE

▶ Weather and Climate

▶ Greenhouse Gases

▶ Carbon Cycle

▶ Water Cycle

▶ Pollution

▶ Renewable Energy

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Climate change refers to a large-scale, long-term shift in the planet's weather patterns and average temperatures.

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Support materials for teaching
weather and climate

VIEW RESOURCES

Start exploring.

Search Resources

Choose a Level

select a topic

select an age range

Newest resources

+ more teaching resources

Primary, Secondary Geography, Secondary Science

Transition Resources for Year 6/ Post SATS

These resources are designed to be used in one extended session with year 6 (10/ 11 year old) students.

Secondary Geography, Secondary Maths, Secondary Science

Rainforest Deforestation the Carbon and Water Cycles

Use various statistical techniques to explore the relationship between deforestation and weather.

Secondary Maths

Core Maths – Extreme Weather

Stand-alone Core Maths resource

Ideas for National Fieldwork Week

6-10 June 2022

Collections

Weather and Climate: Teachers' Guide

Browse the book's online resources

NEW

Animations and Videos

To help explore and visualise processes in weather and climate

DIGITAL

Interactive Climate Change Explainers

Teach climate change through these interactive animations

NEW

Latest from blog

Ideas for National Fieldwork Week

Post SATs Year 6 Weather and Climate Day

Resource Wins GA Silver Award

5 Climate Change Websites to Keep an Eye on

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MetLink - Royal Meteorological Society Home

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MetLink is the educational website of the Royal Meteorological Society launched in early 2010, with weather and climate teaching resources for teachers and schools.

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Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing mankind in our time. Over the 21st century, climate scientists expect Earth’s temperature to continue increasing, very likely more than it did during the 20th century. This will affect almost every aspect of human society, including economic prosperity, human and environmental health, and national security. It’s up to all of us to build that new sustainable society. Therefore it’s mandatory that we start by making people aware of how their actions impact the Earth. Only then we can start doing things differently and create a Climate Literate Society.

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MetLink Climate Change Concept Association Tool

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MetLink Climate Change Concept Association Tool

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MetLink - Royal Meteorological Society Climate Change Concept Association Tool -

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For curriculum developers and other communicators to explore the diverse range of concepts associated with climate change and the links between them.

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Boosting nature in education. Nature is in trouble, and we know that young people and educators want to act and make a difference for the planet.

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T﻿his website will help you to help nature in your neighbourhood.

Fancy making your community a little bit greener, and that little bit wilder? You're in the right place! We're in a nature crisis. This means that without our help, we will lose more and more wildlife - animals, plants, birds and insects. So this website offers you advice on how to help!

If you are looking for practical tips about how you can help nature, you will find everything on The Wildlife Trusts website. Go to this link to find out how to do things like build a birdbox, dig a pond, sow wildflowers and lots more.

Guides are full of simple, easy-to-understand information in words and videos to help you to take action for nature. These guides tell you how to start a group, how to find funding, everything you need to know about insurance, banks, and more!

Stories are where you can read all about what other people are doing where they live and work. They are full of ideas to show you how everyday communities can help nature and wildlife all over the UK. And you can share your story here too!

Please explore our website. You can choose Welsh by clicking the button at the top. If you want to go back to the main page, just click on the words Nextdoor Nature Hub at the top of every page. There is a search box at the top right. Just type in what you want to find!

Have you taken part in a Nextdoor Nature project? We want to learn from your experience! Please take a couple of minutes to complete this survey here.

If you want to get in touch, please email us on nextdoornature@wildlifetrusts.org. We'd love to hear from you!

G﻿o right to the bottom of any page to find information about our privacy policy.

Share your story

If you want to tell us your story, we'd love to hear from you.
Send us your story

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Nextdoor Nature is a project from The Wildlife Trusts to help communities and people to come together and tackle the climate and nature crisis by empowering everyone to help nature flourish wherever you live and work.

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Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species.

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Ellen MacArthur Foundation - Circular Economy

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Ellen MacArthur Foundation - Circular Economy

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How to Build a Circular Economy | Ellen MacArthur Foundation

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Help build a circular economy: a better system that can help fight climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Explore the solutions for businesses today.

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What is circular economy?

Our current economic system can be considered a "linear economy", built on a model of extracting raw materials from nature, turning them into products, and then discarding them as waste. Currently, only 7.2 percent of used materials are cycled back into our economies after use. This has a significant burden on the environment and contributes to the climate, biodiversity, and pollution crises.

Circular economy, on the other hand, aims to minimize waste and promote a sustainable use of natural resources, through smarter product design, longer use, recycling and more, as well as regenerate nature.

Besides helping tackle the problem of pollution, circular economy can play a critical role in solving other complex challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

What are some examples of circular economy?

The first example most people think of when they think of circular economy is waste management, but circular economy is in fact so much more.

Circular economy approaches are all around us. They can be employed in a number of different sectors from textiles to buildings and construction, and at various stages of a product's lifecycle, including design, manufacturing, distribution, and disposal.

In textiles and fashion, there are initiatives that employ regenerative agriculture to produce organic cotton and other natural fibres, using natural colorings and dye, thus ensuring higher quality and safer garments for the health of consumers and the environment. By producing higher quality garments, clothing can also last longer, be repaired, thrifted, and recycled.

In buildings and construction, circular solutions can include reducing virgin material use, re-using existing materials in circulation, or substituting carbon-intensive materials for regenerative alternatives such as timber.

In a circular economy, electronic goods are refurbished, water-soluble, recyclable and truly biodegradable packaging becomes the norm, and animal waste is used as natural fertilizers and processed into biogas for cooking, heating and lighting.

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What is circular economy and why does it matter? | UNDP Climate Promise

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Circular economy is much more than waste management. We explain what it is and how it can help fight climate change.

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UNESCO Project Planner – Top Tips for Youth Action | Anyone can design and implement a project

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We’ve elaborated the UNESCO Project Planner to help you move from an idea to an actionable project plan. Tools, information, and additional resources help you to design and implement projects focused on generating social impact.

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Green Skills Unlocked | Energising Futures

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Green Skills Unlocked from Energising Futures is a course delivered in four bite-sized modules to help teachers expand classroom learning.

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NEU Resources for tackling the climate crisis

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NEU Resources for tackling the climate crisis

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A study material for secondary school about the climate transition towards a fossil-free society.

Welcome to the year 2053!

Let the pupils imagine a future where the climate targets have been achieved. Let them look back from the future by visiting a museum of the fossil era and create their own contributions to the exhibit.

Beyond the fossil era is a study material aimed at stimulating discussion and creativity around climate change and the transition towards a fossil free society. Everything you need is found on this page!

Time required: Approximately three lessons, or one thematic day.

Subjects: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Technology, History, Social Studies, Swedish, Art.

Prologue: Welcome to 2053! The Swedish government has just opened a fossil museum to celebrate Sweden achieving net-zero CO ₂ emissions before 2045 - thus being the first country in the world to do so! The exhibition displays everyday objects from the fossil era and tells the story of how these fell out of use or were replaced.

About the material: Beyond the Fossil Era is a study material about climate change created by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and researchers at Lund University. Here, pupils are immersed in a future where the climate targets have been achieved while being encouraged to explore how society transitioned away from the fossil era. The aim of this exercise is to spark discussions and encourage creativity in addressing climate change and accelerating the transition to a fossil free society.

The aim is to give pupils a deeper understanding of the transition and to encourage them to work towards it.Through knowledge-based speculation, creativity, imagery and stories, the transition is put into concrete terms and made easier to grasp while also deepening the pupils' knowledge regarding the causes and solutions to climate change as well as providing key vocabulary in the field of sustainable development. At the end of the study material, the pupils propose new objects to the exhibition.

Watch a short clip of Marie Hannerstig, teacher and developer at the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, where she introduces you to Beyond the Fossil Era. Click here to access the clip. (currently only available in Swedish)

The pupils need a basic understanding of the carbon cycle, global warming, fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions to embark on this exercise. A tip: Links to facts and research about climate and global warming.

Step 1: Introduction

1. Video. This clip introduces the pupils to the museum and transports them to the future, to the year 2053, and the opening of the government's latest museum FOSSIL.

After the video, instruct the pupils to close their eyes and reflect on:

The year is 2053 - how old are you now?

2. Museum objects. Pick an object that might intrigue the pupils, such as the fake grass. Show the image of the object and read the story out loud. Ensure that the pupils understand that the story is fictional. Let the pupils discuss the story based on this question:

Fake grass is now a thing of the past, how come? And which events played a key role in this change?

3. Slide show. Change does not just occur, it is made. Show the slideshow "How do societies change?" This slide show introduces key tools capable of accelerating societal change. Let the pupils discuss which of these are used in the story about fake grass.

What triggered the change?

Which tools were used, and how did they interact?

Was there any kind of resistance?

Step 2-3: Immersion

Instruct the pupils to read the timeline (1849-2053) and the stories of different objects in the museum. Share the link below with the pupils so that they can access them directly from their devices:

Discuss the timeline and the objects, first in pairs and then as a group. Kick off the discussion with these questions:

What is different where you are, in 2053?

What does no longer exist, what is new?

What does a fossil free society entail?

Let the pupils look through the objects and their related stories in the museum by clicking on the images.

Give the pupils time to study a few objects in detail so that they can retell the story based on the images. Then let them present the story, either to a few classmates or to the entire class.

Divide the class into smaller groups (2-3 pupils) and ask them to consider other objects that should be included in the exhibition.

Hand out and brief the pupils on the assignment. Share the link with the pupils so that they can access it from their devices:

Time for the pupils to create their own contributions to the exhibition!

The assignment works like this: the pupils select an unsustainable object or phenomenon, reflect on why it is unsustainable and think of what (if anything) has replaced this object or phenomenon in 2053.

Once they have chosen a suitable contribution, the time has come to tell a story. The text should describe what replaced the object, why it is sufficiently interesting or impactful to include in the exhibition, what happened to it leading up to 2053 and which events played a key role in that development.

Some suggestions for pupils struggling to come up with something: the lawnmower (or other petrol-fuelled tools), the smartphone, plastic objects, clothing.

Let the pupils illustrate their object or phenomenon with a photograph, illustration or by creating a physical model.

Agree on how and when to present the assignment.

Create a timeline, digital or analogue, containing the pupils' objects and phenomena.

Create a physical exhibition containing the pupils' objects and phenomena. Display at a suitable location at the school, municipal office, library or elsewhere.

Create a digital exhibition, video or slideshow and share in suitable digital channels.

Make a "traditional" presentation in the classroom. It is recommended that there is an audience, perhaps classmates, the school leadership, parents, the local newspaper or even researchers.

Tip: Host a launch mingle to inaugurate it.

Museum objects

Click on an object to read the story behind it!

Complementary materials

Links for further reading and suggestions of related study materials.

About Beyond the Fossil Era

This study material was created in a collaboration between the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Lund University, and it was funded by the research council Formas.

If you want to learn more about the facts that informed the study material or get in touch with the researcher, contact Roger Hildingsson, Lund University: roger.hildingsson@svet.lu.se

Skolartikel
Education for sustainable development
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation promotes education for sustainable development (ESD) and supports schools in taking a holistic approach to sustainability issues. We produce educational materials, offer teacher training workshops and participate in partnership projects to develop methods for ESD.

28 jun, 2021 * 3 min att läsa

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Welcome to the year 2053! Let the pupils imagine a future where the climate targets have been achieved. Let them look back from the future by visiting a museum of the fossil era and create their own contributions to the exhibit.

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Global Ecovillage Network - Community for a Regenerative World

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The Global Ecovillage Network envisions a world of people designing regenerative futures, building bridges of hope, and forging international solidarity.

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The North Sea Link (NSL) Energy Education Centre is a free online tool designed to enhance pupils' understanding of energy, sustainability and interconnectors, whilst encouraging an interest in STEM subjects and careers. Designed for KS2 and KS3 children.

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We know that the world of energy and energy infrastructure can be more than a little overwhelming. So, we've pulled all of our resources into one place, not only for you, but for the young engineers of tomorrow to get stuck into.

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Energy Saving Trust - Energy Saving Schools Challenge

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Energy Saving Trust - Energy Saving Schools Challenge

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Free teaching resources, suitable for classroom or remote learning, to help your students to learn how to address the climate emergency.

Fill in the form below to download the resources.

Over the course of five lessons, students will explore what energy use is and how, through renewable energy, low carbon transport and home energy efficiency, it can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions.

By the end of the challenge students will have created an energy saving action plan which will include a list of different things that they can do at home and in school to help reduce their energy use.

Who is the challenge suitable for?

The challenge is aimed at students between 11 and 15 years old, these resources are great for tutor time, citizenship, geography lessons and personal, social, health and economic classes (PSHE).

What's included?

five lesson slideshows (PowerPoint)

a 26-page teacher handbook

one energy saving action plan worksheet

Back to top

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Energy Saving Schools Challenge - Energy Saving Trust

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Over the course of five lessons, students will explore what energy use is and how, through renewable energy, low carbon transport and home energy efficiency, it can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions.

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By Malgosia Bartosik, Philippa Nuttall Jones and Zam Zadeh

2019 will be remembered as the year something changed, when children went on strike to demand that adults take action to stop climate change.

Inspired by a conversation between two mums (a Polish wind advocate and a British journalist) and a talented young Iranian artist, this comic book tells the story of how renewable energies like wind will help lead the transformation to a cleaner, healthier world for everyone.

Download the book in your language!

Don't see your language?

Our dream is to make this book available for every kid on the planet. We are always looking for support in translating the book into as many languages as possible! If you would like to contribute by translating the text, send us an email.

'Let The Wind Blow' read aloud for you

Are you learning to read? Perfect! Simply play the video in your language and read along!

Download and colour in the drawings!

Download all

Photos & quotes from our readers!

Send us your photo!

Famous people who have received the book!

H.R.M. Felipe VI, King of Spain

H.R.H. Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark

Partners and supporters

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Let the Wind Blow: A children's book about climate change and wind energy

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By Malgosia Bartosik, Philippa Nuttall Jones and Zam Zadeh 2019 will be remembered as the year something changed, when children went on strike to demand that adults take action to stop climate change.

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What is a Green Job for Nature?

In a nutshell, a GJfN is a job that directly contributes to managing, protecting and restoring our natural world.

It matters because we have been losing nature at a frightening rate in recent decades, and that not only damages the natural world but also damages people. We rely on nature to provide us with essential services such as food (e.g. pollinators), fuel (e.g. wood), materials (e.g. medicines and clothing) as well as supporting our physical and mental wellbeing.

Fortunately, the value of nature and the contribution that healthy natural systems make to adapting to a changing climate is being more widely recognised, and with that comes a demand for people to fill the jobs that are needed to manage and restore our natural world whether on land, by the coast, at sea or by our rivers and wetlands.

Find out more about how green jobs contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Don't worry if you don't think that getting 'hands on' with nature is your thing. There are lots of different office-based roles involving managing data, influencing policy or using technology, for example.

A final thought before you go off and explore this site. One day we won't be talking about 'green jobs' as almost all jobs, whether they will be in building construction, transport, manufacturing, retail or other areas of the economy, will be delivered in environmentally sustainable ways, using green technologies and with minimal negative impact (and hopefully a positive impact) on the environment.

Well, that's the plan!

"Getting a GJFN is so rewarding, it's good to know that my career is not only supporting me but also helping others."
Luci Phalp

About Us

CIEEM (or the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management to give us our full title) is the professional membership body supporting ecologists and environmental managers in the UK and Ireland.

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Discover Green Jobs for Nature - Get that Green Job

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Help create a better world for nature and people and one way to do that is to think about a green job for nature.

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ECOSYSTEMS AND

BIODIVERSITY

▶ Natural Environments

▶ Evolution of Biodiversity

▶ Ecosystem Services

▶ Human Relation to Nature

▶ Reconnecting to Nature

▶ Biodiversity Loss

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POST-CARBON ECONOMIES

▶ Economic Growth and

Development

▶ Circular Economy

▶ Climate Change and

Economics

▶ Energy and Emissions

▶ Our Roles in a Post-Carbon

Economy

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RESILIENCE-BUILDING

▶ Strategies for Safety and

Resilience

▶ Climate Anxiety and

Constructive Coping

▶ Strength in

Interconnectedness

▶ Urgency and Community

Action

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CLIMATE JUSTICE

▶ Contemporary

Manifestations

▶ Social Determinants

▶ Historic Economic and

Political Processes

▶ Transformed Futures

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SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES

▶ Engagement with Nature

▶ Renewable Energy Use

▶ Responsible Consumption

▶ Sustainable Living Spaces

▶ Sustainable Mobility

▶ Sustainable Diets

▶ Sustainable Waste Practices

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teach the earth incorporating societal issues climate change

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Activity Links (Google Doc Links) Full Climate Mental Health Support Activities Guide The Emotions Wheel Active Listening Skills Facilitating Discussions & Creating Solidarity Nature Appreciation Connecting ...

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Promovemos el uso de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible en el aprendizaje para que los niños puedan contribuir a un futuro mejor para todos. Desde la ciudadanía y la justicia hasta el cambio climático y el medio ambiente, ¡inspira a los niños a marcar la diferencia!

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Social Action and Philanthropy in Schools | SuperKind

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EMPOWERING CHILDREN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE SuperKind is an award-winning, free platform for schools to bring active citizenship and social action into the cla…

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Social Awareness Causes and Topics for Children | SuperKind

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Causes Change starts with knowledge. Start your change-making journey today by learning about some of the biggest problems facing the world today. Important…

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Sustainability Support for Education DfE 

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Sustainability Support for Education DfE 

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The problem

The education sector is key to a more sustainable future - both in terms of the operations and estates of education settings, and ensuring we are preparing learners with awareness and green skills. Many settings have already made a start on their sustainability journeys. But research tells us they struggle to progress due to lack of time, resource, and sustainability expertise.

We know there are lots of great resources out there to help education settings overcome these challenges. However, educators tell us it can be overwhelming just deciding on next steps, and they don't have the time or know-how to find the right support for their setting.

What we're doing to help

Our aim is to promote the good work that has already been done in creating sustainability support for education settings. We will help settings find resources (such as guidance, support services, toolkits) that suit where they are on their sustainability journey, and guide them to take their next steps.

We will work closely with resource providers over the coming months to add resources that suit different settings across different aspects of sustainability.

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Sustainability Support for Education will help you find ideas and resources that are relevant to you and your setting.

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Creating opportunities to inspire young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

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Join the movement for a green future. Access green skills and careers in sustainability, regardless of sector or background. Find your role in building a sustainable economy.

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The Climate Mental Health Network addresses the mental health consequences of climate change through community engagement and by harnessing the power of media and technology.

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"Empowering young people is what I've been all about for so long, beginning our roots and shoots program, back in 1991, with 12 high school students. [...] Young people, such as those who are here today, such as all of you who took part in this competition."
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, ClimateScience Olympiad Finals Ceremony, COP26 Glasgow.
"Empowering young people is what I've been all about for so long, beginning our roots and shoots program, back in 1991, with 12 high school students. [...] Young people, such as those who are here today, such as all of you who took part in this competition."
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, ClimateScience Olympiad Finals Ceremony, COP26 Glasgow.

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Take action on system climate solutions. Science-backed, easy-to-understand climate education for everyone.

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STEM  Learning Primary Resources on Climate Change

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STEM  Learning Primary Resources on Climate Change

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This cartoon helps pupils explore issues around climate change; what causes it and how it affects peoples' lives around the world.

Concept Cartoons are quick, simple and effective. They are designed to intrigue, provoke discussion and stimulate thinking. Concept Cartoons make concepts problematic and provide...

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This cartoon helps pupils explore issues around climate change; what causes it and how it affects peoples' lives around the world. Concept Cartoons are quick, simple and effective. They are designed to intrigue, provoke discussion and stimulate thinking. Concept Cartoons make concepts problematic and provide...

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Making schools sustainable | National Education Union

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Simple adaptations to education buildings can help meet climate targets, make buildings more resilient to climate change, more energy efficient and healthier places to work and learn.

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Education for All

Learn from experts in sustainable development and join a global community of people committed to making lasting change.

Learn how we can not just coexist on this planet, but come together to save it.

The premier source of high-quality resources and guidance on education for the SDGs.

Universal education for sustainable development is within reach. Jeffrey Sachs President, SDSN

Our Courses

Our portfolio includes more than 40 free Massive Open Online Courses taught by a global faculty from the United Nations, the World Bank, universities such as New York University, Harvard University, the University of Oxford, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and other academic, government, and non-profit institutions.

Lectures are also available in the SDG Academy Library, a searchable catalog of educational videos.

Self paced

Anytime

SDG indicators under FAO custodianship

Explore FAO elearning Academy's free, multilingual courses about the SDG indicators under FAO custodianship.

Self paced

Anytime

Equity and Inclusion in Education

Learn about the ten core aspects of equitable education, why they are important, and what can be done to implement them in practice.

Self paced

Anytime

Decent work and economic growth: Achieving SDG 8

In the pursuit of decent work and economic growth it is essential to understand the drivers of informality and structural transformation, the movement of workers, and changes in inequality during economic development. This course shares research to support policymaking for achieving SDG 8.

Agenda 2030

On September 25th, 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.

Agenda 2030

On September 25th, 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.

Achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 Targets

Meet Our Faculty

SDG Academy courses and degree programs are taught by academics, practitioners, and global leaders. Learn about our faculty here.

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The SDG Academy is the premier source of high-quality resources and guidance on education for the SDGs, with the mandate to enrich the field of sustainable development and advance the UN's Agenda 2030.

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The Climate Dictionary is an initiative aimed at providing an everyday guide to understanding climate change. It seeks to bridge the gap between complex scientific jargon and the general public, making climate concepts accessible and relatable to individuals from various backgrounds and levels of expertise.

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Fusion Skills: Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit

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Fusion Skills: Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit

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In this toolkit, you'll find information, tools, signposts and reflective exercises to help you understand your current ESD practice as well as identify opportunities to further promote and embed Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in your teaching and work.

This is in response to individual skills providers pushing forward with sustainability, the Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education's Climate Action Roadmap for FE Colleges ( 2020), and the professional standards for the FE and training sector by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) ( 2022), which recognise this as part of the attributes teachers and educators are expected to develop, maintain and improve throughout their teaching career.

The toolkit is the result of a project led by Morley College and New City College, funded by the DfE Strategic Development Fund, written by EAUC and supported by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

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Hughes Media Internet +44 (0) 1886 85 33 85 www.hughesmedia.co.uk

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Fusion Skills: Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit

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The EAUC is the sustainability champion for universities and colleges in the UK.

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Future Graduate Skills: A Scoping Study | Sustainability Exchange

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Hughes Media Internet +44 (0) 1886 85 33 85 www.hughesmedia.co.uk

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Climate Commission and Nous Group Climate Action Roadmap for UK FE Colleges | EAUC

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The EAUC is the sustainability champion for universities and colleges in the UK.

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Education for sustainable development (ESD) in different subject areas

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Education for sustainable development (ESD) in different subject areas

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Education for sustainable development (ESD) in different subject areas - The Education and Training Foundation

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Sustainability in the Curriculum resources, to introduce educators, teachers, trainers and tutors to the links between their subject area and sustainable development.

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Hughes Media Internet +44 (0) 1886 85 33 85 www.hughesmedia.co.uk

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Showing the Path to Green Jobs - a guide for careers and student support staff in FHE | EAUC

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The EAUC is the sustainability champion for universities and colleges in the UK.