NATIONAL OPERATORS MEETING 22ND AND 23RD OCTOBERTRONDHEIM – NORWAY - 2009

Estela Gonçalves Pereira

International Eco-Schools Coordinator

Foundation for Environmental Education

CONTENTS

1. Who runs Eco-Schools?

2. Eco-Schools: What is it?

3. Eco-Schools: in a nutshell

4. Eco-Schools: What is different?

5. Eco-Schools: International Criteria

6. Eco-Schools: How to achieve the Green Flag?

7. Eco-Schools: Participating countries

8. Eco-Schools Growth

9. Involvement

10. Eco-Schools Numbers

11. Eco-Schools Programme – International Projects

12. Eco-Schools Partners

FEE: a network of NGOs

One member organisation per country

Aim: Environmental education for sustainable development

1981: 4 countries – 2009: 58 countries (47 Eco-Schools)

2001: FEEE FEE

5 programmes:

More information: www.fee-international.org

1. WHO RUNS ECO-SCHOOLS ?

▲ VISION

▲ MISSION

To increase the level of awareness on environment

issues, sustainable development among Schools,

Students and local communities.

Improve the skills and creativity of everyone who is

involved acting in a positive and responsible way

towards sustainable development.

To educate students around the globe on

environmental issues as a way to increase awareness

and knowledge, through the action oriented,

participatory, and positive methods of the programme,

as an integral step towards sustainable development.

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2. ECO-SCHOOLS: WHAT IS IT?

A whole-school environmental education, management and certification programme, based on EMAS / ISO 14001

Participative approach: pupils involved in all stages of the process, decision making and activities

A Local Agenda 21 at the wide school community level

Good vector for introducing citizenship education and sustainable lifestyles

The programme presents a tangible opportunity to implement the National Curriculum principles

2. ECO-SCHOOLS: WHAT IS IT?

Eco-schools is an international programme for Environmental Education built on international quality criteria

Aims to raise students' awareness of environmental issues through classroom study as well as action in school and community

It encourages children and youth to take an active role in improving the quality of life in their school and the community

Reduces the environmental impact of the school, following a process based on an environmental audit

3. ECO-SCHOOLS: IN A NUTSHELL

The programme is person oriented not task oriented

It is not invasive and adapts itself to the individual needs of the school

Awarding is criterion referenced not norm referenced

Participation is completely voluntary and democratic

Adopts a bottom-up approach with students as the main actors … no token participation.

School development is intrinsically generated not externally imposed

4. ECO-SCHOOLS: WHAT IS DIFFERENT?

1 - The Eco-Schools Award is the Green Flag

2- Target group: Primary and Secondary level (however, other groups are possible)

3 - Eco-Schools Assessment: Visit to schools for the 1st Green Flag. Then it is a Recommendation to visit. Other ways of assessment schools are possible

4- Annual Award or Bi-Annual Award with schools assessment after the 1st year

5 - Eco-Schools: Continuous improvement – Environmental Performance

5. ECO-SCHOOLS: INTERNATIONAL CRITERIA

1- 7 steps methodology

2- Students actively involved: activities and decision – making

processes

3- Eco-Schools need to implement at least 1 theme from a list

of possible themes

4- Eco-Schools need to network with other schools and with

schools from other countries

5- Eco-Schools need to develop links between schools and

with local authorities and other entities. Local Authorities

need to be involved

6. ECO-SCHOOLS: HOW TO ACHIEVE THE GREEN FLAG ?

South AfricaSloveniaSlovakiaRussiaRomania SwedenSpain Tunisia

FranceFinlandDenmarkCzech Republic GreeceGermanyDominican Rep FYR Macedonia

ItalyIreland LatviaKenyaKazakhstanIceland Japan Jordan

Lithuania PortugalNorwayNetherlands Poland Puerto RicoMalta Morocco

UK: WalesUK: ScotlandTurkey UK: Northern Ireland

UK: EnglandUganda USA

Belgium CroatiaChileBulgaria CyprusBrazil ChinaBahamas

7. ECO-SCHOOLS: PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES?

8. ECO-SCHOOLS: GROWTH

Values from Annual Reports

(Sept. 09)

The final numbers

analysis will be finished

by the beginning of Decembre.

9. INVOLVEMENT

INVOLVEMENT (%) (Sept. 2009)

ECO-SCHOOLS 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09

KINDERGARTENS 10 11 9 9 13

PRIMARY 54 48 63 63 58

SECONDARY 20 18 16 18 20

P+S 4 - - - -

OTHERS 13 23 12 5 10

2007/ 2008

Students 6 375 575

Teachers 392 653

Schools 27 304

Local Authorities 4 927

Green Flag 6 689

2008/ 2009

Students 8 604 397 Teachers 628 903 Schools 31 145 Local Authorities 4 659 Green Flag 9 443

10. ECO-SCHOOLS NUMBERS (Sept. 09)

11. ECO-SCHOOLS PROGRAMME – INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

2007/09 TME via Toyota Fund for Europe, Environment & Innovation Project 2nd Cycle

6 countries / 308 000 Euros

2009/12 HSBC ECO-SCHOOSL Climate Change Project 28-30 countries / 2,5 millions USD

2009/10 Flick the Switch Project / IPIC Partner / European Commission 2 countries / 72 000 Euros

2009/10 TME via Toyota Fund for Europe Environment & Innovation Retailers Pilot 2 countries / 77 000 Euros

12. ECO-SCHOOLS PARTNERS

www.unep.org

europa.eu.int

European Union

United Nations Environment Programme

FEE Portugal / Associação Bandeira Azul da Europahttp://www.abae.pt

www.toyota-europe.com/innovation/environment

www.hsbc.com/

www.ipic.cat/

NOM 2009 PARTNERS

FEE NORWAY

THANK YOU

FOR

YOUR TIME