fbpx

Let’s Go Zero brings zero carbon school campaign to COP26

The Let’s Go Zero campaign has been at the heart of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow – spreading our inspiring message about the power of zero carbon schools to world leaders, global organisations and others with the power to create change. Here are some of our COP26 highlights.

Face-to-face with leaders and changemakers

Our packed scheduled included numerous meetings and events with the UK Department for Education – at one of these we handed our call for school climate action to the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, Secretary of State for Education.

#COP26, the #LetsGoZero coalition handed a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon @nadhimzahawi MP, calling for the policies and funding to make all UK schools zero carbon by 2030. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yhBgDEvGlN

— Let's Go Zero | 📍in #COP26 Blue Zone (@LetsGo_Zero) November 6, 2021

Our Tree of Promises brought students’ climate pledges to the heart of COP – encouraging leaders to make their own ambitious commitments. Politicians, climate leaders and famous faces all dropped by to take a look.

https://twitter.com/MarysCep/status/1454826773196296196

https://twitter.com/LetsGo_Zero/status/1455106049174872072

https://twitter.com/LetsGo_Zero/status/1455945128657424385

https://twitter.com/wwf_uk/status/1455230560796909574

St Vincent’s students call for change

One particular Let’s Go Zero school – St Vincent’s School for Children with Sensory Impairment in Liverpool – was under the spotlight at COP26. Students featured on a nationwide outdoor advertising campaign focused on everyday climate heroes, photographed by celebrity photographer, Rankin. Principal Dr John Patterson told Metro: “our young people have showed limitless creativity and how they can actively be involved in climate action and biodiversity action”.

https://twitter.com/LetsGo_Zero/status/1455918965876740102

The school also played a starring role at the 2021 Ashden Awards Celebration, which took place in Glasgow on November 4. 13-year-old Student Emilio appeared on stage to talk about Let’s Go Zero – receiving a warm welcome from the event’s keynote speaker, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, His Excellency Carlos Alvarado.

https://twitter.com/CarlosAlvQ/status/1456412139548258305

Inspiring communities

Beyond the walls of the official COP26 venues, we got out and about to share the Let’s Go Zero message. Working with campaign partner IKEA UK, members of the Let’s Go Zero team visited the retailer’s Glasgow store to talk to staff and shoppers about the campaign. And we joined in fantastic fringe events such as ​​​​​​​the Girls@COP26 event to promote gender equality to tackle global climate change.

https://twitter.com/gilesbristow/status/1457322111358414848

It’s been an exciting few weeks – but the real highlight is knowing that schools up and down the country have been fired up by COP26, and have used this opportunity to inspire students and tell local communities about the work they are doing.

https://twitter.com/LetsGo_Zero/status/1455835190161518594

We promise to build on this momentum as we continue recruiting schools and pushing for government action to create the zero carbon schools our young people. If a school you know hasn’t signed up yet, check out our resources to encourage them to join the campaign.

Share this Article
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Ebost
More Articles

Lowering water bills: dive into our ocean of great ideas

When it comes to protecting the planet and school finances, you can make a big splash by tackling water waste. The problem costs schools…

From grow-your-own food banks to food-waste wormeries, here are the UK’s prizewinning green schools projects

Twenty-five schools have won green funding to boost nature projects on their grounds. The zero carbon schools campaign, Let’s Go Zero, and OVO Foundation,…

It’s lights, camera, action in the hunt for school sustainability blockbusters

The IKEA X Let’s Go Zero school competition is back for the third year running!  This year, the prize is one of three sustainability kit…
cyCymraeg