My Department currently provides funding to the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce for the operation of the Green Schools programme. Green-Schools is Ireland’s leading environmental management and education programme for schools. Over 3,900 primary, secondary and special schools in Ireland, in excess of 90% of all Irish schools, are currently participating in the programme and over 3,300 schools have been awarded at least one Green Flag. The Irish Green-Schools programme is one of the most successful within the international network. The aim of Green-Schools is to increase participants' awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies, and to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and wider community. In addition to this, my Department also currently provides funding to Eco-Unesco for the operation of the Young Environmentalist Awards which is open to young people between the ages of 10 and 18.
In addition, the Government established a National Dialogue on Climate Action in 2017. The objectives of the National Dialogue, as agreed by Government, are to:
- create awareness, engagement and motivation to act (locally, regionally and nationally) in relation to the challenges presented by climate change;
- create structures and information flows to facilitate people gathering to discuss, deliberate and maximise consensus on appropriate responses to these challenges, and to enable and empower appropriate action;
- establish, on a long term basis, appropriate networks for people to meet periodically to consider evidence-based inputs on the economic, social, behavioural, environmental and public aspects of climate and energy policy; and
- provide regular input, through the NDCA, into the prioritisation and implementation of climate and energy policy which can be reported and monitored at local, regional, and national levels.
My Department is working closely with the Environment Protection Agency to implement the National Dialogue, including the following initiatives:
- regional and local gatherings which will be held across Ireland to engage with local communities on the challenges of addressing climate change. A pilot Regional Gathering was held on 23 June in Athlone, with a second event scheduled to take place in Tralee, County Kerry, on 10 November;
- professionally moderated and accessible expert lectures/debates on key policy issues, hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency; and
- the Tidy Towns Climate Action award, sponsored by my Department
Building on the existing Green Schools Programme, my Department and the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce launched a National Climate Change Action and Awareness Programme in 2017. A key initiative of the National Dialogue, this programme aims to raise awareness of climate change among students; support them and their communities in undertaking climate actions; and educate teachers about the science of climate change. The programme comprises:
- a Green-Schools Climate Change Ambassador Programme. This was launched in September 2017, with the aim of increasing awareness of climate change and promoting climate actions nationally. 108 members of the public were selected as ambassadors for 2018. The Ambassadors received training in the areas of climate science and communications. Recruitment for the 2019 programme is currently underway;
- a Climate Action Week, with all schools invited to participate in a national Green-Schools Climate Action Week in October each year. The week focuses on encouraging schools, teachers and pupils to get involved in climate-related events and to make ‘climate pledges’ via social media to raise awareness;
- Climate Change Teacher Training seminars, run during the school year, to provide key information to strengthen teachers' own knowledge on climate change, followed by practical guidance and ideas on how to introduce the topic into the classroom, along with outlines of curriculum links, lesson plans and resources. This course aims to raise teachers' awareness and build their knowledge and confidence. An online resource is being developed; and
- a Climate Change Resource for second level to be published this month, with work progressing on a resource for primary level. This comprehensive resource links to specific curriculum areas and contains practical lesson plans, activities and information. The resource has been developed with the advice and support of the Junior Cycle for Teachers, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, and several teachers participating in the Green Schools programme.
