Zahawi urged to support all UK schools being carbon zero by 2030

The Let’s Go Zero coalition has met with Secretary of State for Education to demand support for school climate action.

The coalition, which represents 700 schools, handed a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, calling for the policies and funding to make all UK schools zero carbon by 2030.

The coalition is supported by more than 700 schools seeking to reach this goal, representing more than 300,000 pupils and 40,000 members of staff. The coalition’s members include the National Education Union, Global Action Plan, IKEA, WWF, the Church of England, and is coordinated by climate solutions charity Ashden.

The letter was signed by: Harriet Lamb, CEO, Ashden; Peter Jelkeby, Country Retail Manager UK & Ireland and Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA; Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary, National Education Union; Nigel Genders, Chief Education Officer, Church of England Education Office; Emma Knights OBE, Chief Executive, National Governance Association; Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF UK; and Sonja Graham, CEO, Global Action Plan.

The letter details how backing zero carbon schools can play a major role in reaching the government’s ambitious target to cut carbon emissions by 78% by 2035, and in the levelling up agenda.  Decarbonising schools and colleges – by investing in modern buildings and technology, on-site energy generation, green spaces, sustainable food and other measures – will not only cut school energy consumption, but also drive job creation in the near-term.

A nationwide schools and colleges retrofit programme would create thousands of new, skilled jobs, and bring economic benefits in local communities.  It would contribute to building the companies, supply-chains, and skills base needed for decarbonising homes and other buildings right across the country.  

Retrofitting the UK’s 32,000 schools is also an effective way to ensure that green economic activity is spread equally, from rural villages to inner cities. Finally, learning in a sustainable environment would inspire students. The campaign also includes a call to help schools put climate action at the heart of their teaching.

The campaign wants the government commit to all UK schools being carbon zero by 2030, and announce long term and consistent policies and funding to enable this.
 
They are also calling for the government to ensures there is investment in training teachers in education for sustainable development across the curriculum, and in equipping colleges and schools to give all learners a connection to nature.

The coalition also wants the government to commit to investing in adapting and retrofitting the school estate.

Harriet Lamb, CEO of Ashden which coordinates Let's Go Zero, said: “There is massive untapped potential to accelerate decarbonisation in education, and we also hope to respond to those young people calling for change, and to inspire and educate the whole next generation to make sustainable, healthy choices in their lifestyle. Young people are a leading force in shaping public discourse around climate change, this letter presents their demands and sets out a credible path forward for the Secretary of State to take.

Louise White, Principal Teacher at Let's Go Zero school Corpus Christi Primary school in Knightswood, Glasgow said: "We have a responsibility as educators to teach sustainability education. It is important to give real world skills that can be used by our learners to make a difference to improve our planet. As stewards of the earth we need to protect our planet for our and successive generations.”