Eco-Schools

Green Schools is an international programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that aims to empower students to be the change our sustainable world needs by engaging them in fun, action-orientated and socially responsible learning.

Each school follows a seven step change process and empowers their young people to lead processes and actions wherever they can.

Over time and through commitment to the Green Schools Seven Step process, improvements will be seen in both the learning outcomes, attitude and behaviour of students and the local community, and ultimately the local environment. Evidence of success in these areas will eventually lead to a school being awarded with the International Green Flag.

Green Schools is one of the programmes recognised by the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2104), awarding certificates to thousands of schools around the world.

The Green Schools programme extends from kindergartens to universities and is implemented in over 60 countries, involving 48,000 schools and institutions, and over 16,000,000 students. It is the largest international network of teachers and students in the world. FEE EcoCampus is the name of the programme at university level.

The programme was developed in 1992 in response to the need to involve young people in environmental projects at the local level as identified at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development of 1992.

Eco-Schools was launched in 1994 in Denmark, Germany, Greece and the United Kingdom with the support of the European Commission. When the Foundation for Environmental Education became global in 2001, countries outside of Europe began joining the Eco-Schools programme, as well. South Africa was the first country to do so.

In 2003 Eco-Schools was identified by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a model initiative for Education for Sustainable Development.

The International Eco-Schools Programme takes a holistic, participatory approach to learning for sustainability. The aim of the programme is to engage students through classroom study, school and community action to raise awareness of sustainable development issues. It encourages students and teachers to conduct research on the amount of waste, energy or water use at their school and work towards making it a more sustainable environment. Eco-Schools provide an integrated system for the environmental management of schools and involve all stakeholders in this process.

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Wikipedia