Michelle Graffagnino, senior lecturer in the School of Education, on the Civic Engagement for Climate Change Education (CCE) conference and the transformative role of CCE education.
Working with children, teachers and researchers across Bristol I have felt an increasing urge to support school colleagues in achieving the vision and aims of the Department for Education’s (DfE) Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. See Leaky spaces for CCE are not enough. The DfE strategy was launched in 2022 and by 2025 every education setting must have a Climate Action Plan and sustainability leader.
At the start of 2025 there was one Climate Ambassador registered at the University of Bristol, Dr Chris Jones. Climate Ambassadors is an initiative funded by the DfE with the aim of helping all education settings make and implement a Climate Action Plan. As a civic university it is important we raise awareness of climate change via our education programmes and research, and champion sustainability and a just transition to net zero.
A campaign was launched in early 2025 to recruit Climate Ambassadors from across the university, advertising the opportunity to staff and students with a climate change background who would be interested in volunteering their time to work with schools on their climate action planning and leadership.
Ed Atkins (University of Bristol) and myself met with the climate ambassadors to provide some context on climate action planning in schools and how the Climate Ambassadors scheme could help. Nicki Schantz, Climate Ambassador Southwest Hub Manager from the Met Office / University of Reading, joined the meeting to introduce the Climate Ambassador scheme. Together we recruited 40 Climate Ambassadors who then went onto register for the Climate Ambassadors – STEM Ambassadors scheme. This included a bespoke training session for the Climate Ambassadors to learn about the four pillars of climate action planning and included examples of good practice across the school estate. Dr Chris Jones shared a video on the importance of the scheme and his work with a primary school climate club. Ella Boston from the National Education Nature Park also recorded a video specifically on improving biodiversity on the school estate. All of the training resources and more were put on a collaborative Padlet for the Climate Ambassadors to share examples of how they are supporting climate action planning in schools.
This cumulated in a conference in July, connecting with like-minded educators, researchers, and advocates all passionate about the intersection of climate change, biodiversity and education. I organised the event with support from the Cabot Institute and Met Office.
Over 50 school settings attended, many representing Multiple Academy Trusts, including both primary and secondary schools, sustainability link governors and the Climate Ambassadors themselves.
The conference started with a brief introduction by Michelle Graffagnino, as a former teacher, thanking schools for coming to the university for the conference. Michelle handed over to Naomi Gornall, Head of Net Zero Carbon & Sustainability at the University of Bristol who shared her experience of climate action planning with school colleagues. Nicki Shantz followed with the Educational Policy Landscape and introduction to the Climate Ambassador programme and 4 pillars of the Climate Action Plan. This was followed by a collaborative workshop on ‘utilising the National Education Nature Park (NENP) scheme to inform and evaluate Climate Action Plans’. The importance of leadership by Helen Burge (Trustee of Institute of School Business Leaders).
After lunch we heard more on the education programmes and research happening at Bristol. Including Ralph Pite’s introduction to the new Natural History GCSE and importance of nature connectedness in the curriculum. Aligning green skills with Ed Atkins (Associate Professor in Geographical sciences). Sustainability at Bristol with Josie Maskell (Education for Sustainability co-ordinator) and then Andy Wakefield (School of Biological Sciences) introduction of Climate Fresk in schools to improve carbon literacy. Finishing with Nicki and myself holding a discussion on the importance of climate and nature in education and a call to action.
The work has been recognised by the STEM Ambassadors scheme as I was nominated for an award and Dr Chris Jones won an award “Dr Chris Jones with the Met Office is recognised for his outstanding leadership of Exminster Primary’s Climate Club, a thriving STEM initiative that deepens children’s understanding of climate science and strengthens their communication skills. His engaging approach makes the club a highlight of the school’s STEM programme.”
We hope this is the start of more civic engagement opportunities for CCE within education settings. The next event includes habitat mapping with school pupils to contribute to the Biodiversity pillar of Climate Action Plan and schools can sign up via CAP bootcamp
The Climate Ambassador scheme is a great project to get involved in. It is free and ambassadors receive training on safeguarding and Climate Action Plans to prepare you to go into schools and colleges to give talks and help education settings with climate action planning. If you have great knowledge of climate change, biodiversity or sustainability the Climate Ambassador scheme helps you make a difference, inspiring the next generation along the way. Sign up on the website Climate Ambassadors. University of Bristol staff can use the hours towards the University’s Days to Make a Difference initiative which entitles every member of staff to an additional day of paid leave to volunteer for a charity, organisation or
other good cause. Volunteering is a great way for staff to contribute our civic mission and be part of our work with other organisations to address the challenges that we face today. Students can also use the hours towards the Bristol Plus Award and enhance their Bristol Skill Profile.
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the fantastic speakers and the attendees who contributed so much to the workshop and discussions. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Met Office and Cabot Institute for their support. Events like these demonstrate the transformative power of a global civic university by convening conversations and driving action to address the challenges ahead.
Here are some reflections from attendees on the day:
“The experience was a powerful reminder of the responsibility we bear to shape the next generation’s understanding of sustainability and the environment, using all the tools at our disposal, through full funded and accessible initiatives such as the NENP, Climate Ambassadors and Climate Action Plans (CAPs).
This conference was a valuable and much-needed opportunity for education professionals to come together with other experts and stakeholders to reflect on the process of creating a school Climate Action Plan. There is currently little support available for schools in this area and it can be very overwhelming and isolating for those individuals that are tasked with pulling together a school’s climate action plan. Further opportunities like this are needed to bring together practitioners, researchers and other professionals with expertise in climate and education. “
Loz Hennessy, Green Schools Project
“The conference held in July was a fantastic forum to hear from a wide range of well selected speakers, who each brought a different approach to ways to address the ongoing climate crisis. The sessions all provided tangible and realistic things we as educators can do to help combat change. Working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders made the task of formulating a CAP seem much less daunting and I left with a real sense of purpose and community. I would definitely be interested in attended other events similar to this to further enhance my approach to CAPs within the school setting.”
Dan Henley – Lighthouse Schools Trust
“One of the standout moments for me during the conference was the diverse range of presentations on offer. It was uplifting to see so many passionate voices discussing how we can bring CCE into the mainstream curriculum. Beyond science and geography but through a hands-on and inter-disciplinary approach. Illuminating the need for teachers to embrace a holistic approach, one that goes beyond simply teaching facts and figures of climate change to embedding sustainability into every aspect of learning and throughout the education estate.”
Nicola Warren-Lee, Associate Professor of Education, University of Bristol
“I recently attended the Climate Ambassadors conference at UOB. It was great to meet a range of people from headteachers, governors other teachers – in person at a central location, to discuss where we are at on our journeys to becoming sustainable and where we are at with producing our plans. The professionals who attended not only provided a range of useful information for us to take away, ponder and act upon, but also igniting further a refreshing drive to make our school communities a better place for all.”
Claire Melton, E-Act Academy
“The Conference was a good opportunity to solidify where we presently sit as a school in terms of the key pillars. It was interesting to see how other schools are affected by the extremes of weather that global warming has brought to them and how they are adapting and improving their resilience. Seeing the issues being presented through differing lenses was insightful and gave a clear perspective of what we must do, however small to have an impact. The discussions on how to engage pupils, so their actions become habit forming, was important and the talk on why talk around climate emotions in the young was highly relevant. I will certainly be getting Andy Wakefield in to introduce Climate Fresk and improve all our carbon literacy.”
Janet Neil – Redmaids’ High School