In order to participate in the HSBC Eco-Schools Climate Initiative, Eco-Schools must:
a) implement the theme climate change according to the Eco-Schools seven step methodology. The theme can be linked to other Eco-Schools themes such as water, litter, waste and biodiversity, amongst others, but climate change should always be the central concern
b) register at the official website
c) share their practices with Eco-Schools around the world
The project will implement the climate change theme in the Eco-Schools international network, encouraging schools to pursue the following aspects:
1 - Physical fabric of the schools
Students will be encouraged to implement the different climate change themes that are appropriate to each country. They need to consider the structure of the school building and the focus on the sustainable schools building issue. Suggestions from the Eco-Committee should be defined at end of each year and can be presented to the local authority.
2 - School curricula
The school curriculum in each country will be considered. As mentioned above, the project is to implement the climate change theme in schools using the Eco-Schools seven step methodology. With this methodology the schools’ curricula need to be linked to the climate change theme, as shown in the table below, through step 5.
3 - Governance of the school
Students need to be involved, when the school management is considered. Continuous improvement is necessary to all of the issues that the schools are addressing.
The eco-committee in each of the schools involved in the project will be responsible for implementing the climate change Initiative in the school during the academic year. At the end of the year, all schools will produce the Eco-Code about the work they have done to combat climate change and will be able to participate in the National Eco-Code competition.
Successful Eco-Schools are awarded the Green Flag, an internationally acknowledged symbol for environmental excellence. In some countries, this recognition happens through a three level system, where schools are awarded either bronze and silver prizes before getting the Green Flag, or one and two star prizes.