Sustainability and climate change: summary of the DfE's strategy

The government has published its sustainability strategy to improve the education sector’s response to climate change by 2030. Find out what it's planning to introduce and when, and how your school will be affected.

Last reviewed on 3 October 2024
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 40916
Contents
  1. What is it?
  2. What’s happening, and when?
  3. Your school doesn’t have to do anything just yet
  4. New initiatives: a virtual environment and climate qualification
  5. Climate education
  6. Green skills and careers
  7. School premises
  8. Operations and supply chain

What is it?

It’s the DfE’s strategy to improve sustainability and its response to climate change by 2030. 

It sets out 4 main aims:

  • Climate education: preparing pupils for a world impacted by climate change through learning and practical experience
  • Net zero: reducing emissions from education buildings and providing opportunities for pupils to get involved in the transition to net zero 
  • Resilience: adapting school buildings and systems to prepare for the effects of climate change 
  • A better environment for future generations: enhancing biodiversity, improving air quality and increasing access to (and connection with) nature in and around schools 

This article summarises the points that relate to your school. You can read the strategy in full via the link above. 

What’s happening, and when?

The strategy sets out a lot of goals between now and 2030. We’ve listed these in their relevant sections below, but here’s a timeline of the key dates: