Government policies to create zero carbon schools
The UK’s schools are a huge source of carbon emissions, and also shape the future of our communities. This makes them central to the government’s clean power and opportunity missions. But schools need urgent help to decarbonise – and particularly to create modern, energy-efficient buildings.
Let’s Go Zero’s policy calls show how government can lower schools’ emissions and energy bills, prepare them for the growing danger of extreme weather, and create a better environment for young people and staff. Our calls also show how strategic government investment and leadership can unlock billions in private capital for the education estate.
With schools at the heart of communities, visible action will drive wider change too. Our calls will also help build the workforce for a zero carbon future.
Let’s Go Zero has a track record of influencing government policy, and works directly with government on pioneering net zero initiatives and programmes. By fully adopting our policy asks, policymakers will deliver climate, economic and social benefits in every corner of the UK.
More than 9,000 schools
have shown their ambition to be zero carbon by joining the Let’s Go Zero campaign – helping them take impactful steps towards this goal.
67%
of schools supported by Let’s Go Zero to take climate action have saved money and
93%
say it’s built students transferable skills like leadership and teamwork.
£2 billion per year
is the current short fall of funding for building upgrades needed to decarbonise our schools, according to the Department for Education.
Nearly 50%
of schools are already at flood risk – the number will rise if global temperatures increase by 2°C as predicted, which could also cause overheating for a third of the academic year.
Nearly 1/2
of all UK households have school-aged or younger children, putting schools at the heart of our communities.
£1.7 billion
is the annual energy costs of schools – making them the largest public sector contributors to building emissions.
Government has begun to act on several of these calls – see our impact below – but each needs to go further to deliver zero carbon, climate resilient schools.
Since the launch of Let’s Go Zero, we’ve seen numerous policy recommendations adopted by government. The Department for Education’s Education Estates Strategy (February 2026) takes up several of our policy calls – helping schools cut emissions and energy bills, and prepare for extreme weather.
These wins build on earlier progress: all new school buildings delivered by the Department for Education are now net zero in operation.
The Strategy introduces a £710 million Renewal and Retrofit Programme, bringing building condition, climate resilience and decarbonisation together in one funding route – allocated on school need, rather than capacity to bid. This answers our call for a unified funding framework.
The Strategy commits to “unlock privately financed investment” in solar and energy efficiency, echoing the language of our policy calls. Government is moving to pilot a DfE-approved Power Purchase Agreement for school solar from 2026, with all schools and colleges able to procure renewable energy this way during 2027-28 – a first step towards unlocking private capital for the education estate. As this approach develops, it’s vital it works for all forms of innovative finance – including community energy schemes, which keep benefits local and connect schools to the government’s own Local Power Plan.
Climate action plans are now part of what the DfE defines as fully effective estate management, and every education setting will be supported to appoint a sustainability lead through the Sustainability Support Programme until at least 2030. The new Manage Your Education Estate service brings guidance, tools, data and funding together in one place, delivering our call for shared best practice and decision-making tools.
The government’s commitment to two weeks’ worth of work experience for every pupil and the new Renewal and Retrofit Programme create real opportunities to connect young people with green careers – putting retrofit and clean energy projects into schools where students can see them. We’re calling on government to build on this by embedding green jobs in careers guidance, so every young person can see a route into the workforce of the future.
Responding to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the government has committed to enhance climate education in geography, science and citizenship, add sustainability to design and technology, and introduce key climate concepts at primary level – with climate education and sustainability projects also part of a new enrichment offer that Ofsted will consider. This marks major progress on our call for climate education for every pupil – and we’ll keep working with government to ensure it’s solutions-focused, backed by training for educators.
In 2026 we’ve also welcomed MPs and Ministers to Let’s Go Zero schools – including Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones, Minister for Climate Katie White, Minister for School Standards Georgia Gould, Minister for Industry Chris McDonald, and MPs from across the House including Education Select Committee Chair Helen Hayes and Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse.
