Our main objective was to make young people more aware of climate change and to show them that they can be part of the solution. We chose to focus on very concrete issues that every school faces: waste, energy and water. These have clear ecological and financial impacts, and they offer practical entry points for students to understand how their actions matter. We wanted students to go beyond learning about these topics. They were encouraged to analyse the situation in their own schools, compare it with partner schools, and reflect on what is already being done and what could be improved. By sharing information and experiences between countries, students gained a broader perspective and learned from different approaches. Another important goal was to empower students to take initiative: to communicate about sustainability, raise awareness among their peers, and become active contributors to change. At the same time, we aimed to involve the wider school community – staff, management and parents – so that the school could act as a driver for change at local level. Finally, the project helped students discover the value of international cooperation, strengthen their sense of European citizenship, and develop greater independence.
We applied for this project because we felt a shared urgency to make sustainability more real and meaningful for our students. Climate change is no longer something abstract – it has already affected our lives, and if we want to protect our planet, we need to act now. As schools, we have a responsibility not only to inform young people, but also to give them a sense of hope and the belief that their actions matter. Together with our partner schools, we identified common challenges in our daily school environments regarding energy consumption, waste management and water use. These are issues every school face, and they offer concrete opportunities for students to understand and take action. Through this project, we wanted to raise awareness, encourage responsible behaviour, and show students that even small changes can contribute to a more sustainable future. Although sustainability is already present in education, we felt there was a need to move beyond theory and bring it closer to students’ everyday lives. We wanted more hands-on approaches that show how daily behaviour in school has a real environmental impact. Working together with partners from other countries allowed us to exchange ideas and learn from each other.