More than 100 pupils and teachers from across North East England gathered on campus for a special event to help them take meaningful action on climate change.
The event was part of a national project coordinated by Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS UK), and was supported in the North East via a collaboration including our Durham Energy Institute.
It aimed to equip pupils with the tools, knowledge and confidence to create and implement their own Climate Action Plans (CAP).
The UK Government asks all schools in England to have a CAP in place because schools and universities represent 36% of the total UK public sector building emissions.
CAPs provide schools with a clear framework to reduce their emissions by implementing energy efficiency measures and nature-based solutions.
The Durham event encouraged pupils and teachers to translate ideas into concrete steps to embed sustainability across their schools.
Hosting and supporting the event reflects our longstanding leadership in climate science, energy systems and environmental sustainability research.
Durham is home to world-leading expertise in areas including renewable energy, geothermal technologies and climate resilience.
We currently have seven researchers attending 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Brazil, working at the forefront of discussions shaping the future of climate action and sustainability.
Participants left the Durham event with clear priorities and practical steps to implement at their schools.
This included mapping habitats in school grounds to identifying opportunities for energy-saving measures and student-led eco-initiatives.
Crucially, the workshops placed students at the heart of decision-making.
City of Durham MP Mary Foy attended and said it was ‘deeply encouraging’ to see pupils come together to take ownership of their education and their future.
She added: “I am proud that young people in my constituency are playing such an active role in driving the change they wish to see – showcasing that the environment is a cause close to their hearts.
“As their Member of Parliament, I’ll be glad to be their voice in Westminster whenever they need me to push these hugely important issues.”
Eva, a student from Escomb Primary School in County Durham, said: “I didn’t realise there were so many ways I could help my school become more environmentally friendly.
“I’m really excited to go back and start creating our own Climate Action Plan.”
Stephanie Wilkinson, a Year 2 Teacher and Science Lead, at Escomb Primary School, said the event had inspired the school to move ahead with its CAP.
Amy Padfield, Senior Project Manager, SOS UK said: “Our workshops have demonstrated that the most powerful resource schools have in setting and implementing CAPS are their students themselves.”
More than 100 pupils and teachers from across North East England took part in a day of climate action.
City of Durham MP addresses attendees at the climate action plan event.
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