Climate action plans for Luton schools

The UK’s stated climate target is to reach net zero carbon by 2050. Where I live in Luton we’re more ambitious and are aiming for 2040, and I’ve been involved in some of the work that’s going into how we do that. The people who will be running Luton in 2040 are in school at the moment, so if we want to take a long term approach to change, schools are a good place to invest in sustainability.

I’ve been doing that myself with the Climate Change Teacher Champions programme, or CATCh, developed by Luton Council and partners. Schools nominate a teacher to take part in a training programme that looks at what schools can do on the environment and climate. They then get one-to-one support to draw up a climate action plan, tailored to their context.

I’m one of the trainers and one-to-one mentors for the programme, and so yesterday I was at a local primary school that is putting the finishing touches to their plan. They have already launched a regular after-school club for green projects, which met for the first time this week. They’re renovating a neglected growing space in time for the spring, starting composting on site, and looking at tree planting, a nature garden and a pond. Monthly assemblies on climate themes will start conversations around waste, transport, energy and so on. I’ll keep supporting them where I can as they look at working out their carbon emissions and working through their long list of ideas.

They are one of twelve schools that have taken part in the programme so far, and each one of them is raising their ambitions for climate action. Some are starting from scratch, others looking for the next steps. A lot of eco-school projects were paused during the pandemic and are re-starting.

You can read a bit more about the project on the Zero Carbon Luton website. I mention it here because we’re just recruiting schools for phase three. On the off-chance that you’re reading this in Luton – and I know some of you are – please do pass on the invitation to any teachers and schools that you know.

And secondly, if you’re working on climate action in schools anywhere in the country (or the world), please get in touch. I’d love to hear what you’re up to, what the challenges are, and how you have overcome them. I’m interesting in case studies of projects that our local schools can learn from, and any resources or organisations that you’ve found helpful that I can recommend to the schools I’m working with.

Climate action in schools can reduce the carbon footprint of the school itself, but that’s only the beginning of its impact. It can reach the families and community around the school, encouraging habits and learning across its sphere of influence. And it brings children into the conversation about climate solutions, not just teaching them the scientific facts, but involving them in the transformation to a greener world.