Our work
Why does it exist?
The Climate Ambassadors scheme exists to provide free expertise and support to nurseries, schools and colleges to develop and deliver impactful climate action plans.
Our nine regional hubs in England support the development of the peer-to-peer networks that enhance climate action across the whole education system.
Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), we work in partnership to help education settings in the UK take action to become more environmentally sustainable and climate resilient – and to better prepare young people to live in a world with a changing climate.
What does it involve?
The Climate Ambassadors programme is delivered by a consortium of 15 organisations. Eight universities and the Met Office host our regional hubs. Regional hubs support and connect volunteer Climate Ambassadors and education settings. National partners support the delivery of the programme through our digital and training infrastructure, programme management and national and regional engagement planning.
Regional hubs help education settings connect with each other and with other support including the National Education Nature Park, the Sustainability Support Service for Education and Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors.
The programme supports the UK Government’s ambition for all education settings to have a climate action plan in place by 2025 – covering four key areas: decarbonisation; adaptation and resilience; biodiversity; and climate education and green careers.
Volunteer Climate Ambassadors are recruited to inspire climate action planning in education settings and help develop impactful plans. Ambassadors are drawn from universities, the public and private sector, charities and government.
How does it link to other parts of the Department for Education strategy?
The Climate Ambassadors programme is proud to be part of the Department for Education Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. Initiatives, funded by the Department for Education are working together to inspire, to support planning and to take the action needed to meet the challenges climate change presents.
The National Education Nature Park will inspire young people and their education settings to learn about the nature that surrounds them and to develop new skills.
Support to education settings through Climate Ambassadors and the Sustainability Support for Education online service will help them plan and take holistic action to embed sustainability in all they do.
And through the use of data – on climate risk and emissions, the Department for Education and the education sector will be able to act based on evidence.
History
The Climate Ambassadors scheme was initially developed by the University of Reading and STEM Learning in response to the National Climate Education Action Plan.
Originally launched in 2022 with the support of more than 20 UK institutions, the scheme started to unlock and connect world-leading climate and sustainability expertise in the UK with schools and colleges across the country at no cost to the education setting.
Climate Ambassadors was explicitly referenced in the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, published in April 2022. The strategy states: “By 2025, all education settings will have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan” and Climate Ambassadors are identified as supporting settings in the delivery of these plans.
In the first 18 months, the scheme saw around 230 Climate Ambassadors reach more than 80,000 learners and teachers in over 500 schools and colleges. In December 2023, the DfE commissioned a consortium, led by the University of Reading and EAUC, to expand the Climate Ambassadors scheme to reach every education setting in England, at pace. Backed by £2 million of funding, Climate Ambassadors will provide all 30,000 settings with access to tailored advice and support in developing a climate action plan.