As world leaders gather in Egypt for COP27, here in Brighton & Hove we are helping schools take action against the climate and biodiversity crisis with the launch of a new digital platform.
The new Our City, Our World website supports our sustainability, climate change and environmental education strategy for schools in Brighton & Hove. To date, nearly half of the city’s schools are engaged in the strategy.
Brighton & Hove declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2018 and this strategy outlines the crucial role schools play, both in reducing emissions and equipping pupils with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to live in a changing climate.
Our city, our world
The Our City, Our World strategy supports city-wide climate action by:
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Gradually develop an integrated environmental education program by systematically “greening” the curriculum and supporting the development of green skills
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Helping schools develop organizational systems and practices that support sustainability and Brighton & Hove’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030
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Enable children and young people to build a close relationship with nature and in particular our local biosphere, The Living Coast
The Our City, Our World website will support all elements of the strategy, providing a bank of strategic documents and tools for schools to use. It also offers links to local and national contacts, articles and research in the region, and news from local schools involved in the strategy.
(Add Twitter account info when we have name confirmation – hopefully this week)
Make sustainability a priority
Councilor Hannah Allbrooke, Chair of the Children, Youth and Skills Committee, said:
“The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges we face. We launched our Carbon Neutral 2030 program last year in response to this and schools will play a crucial role in our journey to net zero.
“The Our City, Our World strategy puts sustainability at the heart of local schools. Nearly half of the city’s schools are engaged in the strategy, and we hope more schools will join soon.
“We believe we are the first local authority to offer a comprehensive and systematic approach to climate change in schools through the Our City, Our World strategy.
“This fantastic new website is a milestone, bringing together resources, materials and advice in an accessible and engaging way.
“Not only will the website be a useful tool to further engage with schools in Brighton & Hove, but we also hope it will inspire other local councils to develop their own environmental education programme.”