Final spurt for the Berlin climate schools

Student projects can still be submitted until the end of the school year

According to the Climate Protection Act, Berlin must become climate-neutral by 2045. A task that poses challenges not only for sectors such as transportation, gastronomy and retail, but also for the administration and, with it, the numerous public buildings in Berlin. Schools make up the largest proportion of these buildings! In 2021/2022 alone, 834 schools were in operation in Berlin. These schools will have to make a decisive contribution if the city is to achieve its climate protection targets. The “Berlin Climate Schools” competition tackles this challenge and addresses those who know their schools best: Berlin schoolchildren. In the annual competition, organized by the state of Berlin and GASAG, pupils and their teachers can submit climate protection projects and win prize money.

Energy-saving winter

Due to this year’s energy crisis, the initiators of the competition launched a special campaign, the Energy Saving Winter. By February 28, over 1,500 pupils had taken part in the campaign and submitted their energy-saving projects. In addition to the prize money to be won, which offers an incentive for pupils and their school, the competition has an educational effect above all. The pupils deal with the topic of climate change and climate protection, learn to classify current crises – such as the energy crisis – and apply these problem areas to their own environment and actions. With a lot of creativity, the children experience self-efficacy in their own actions, especially by initiating projects, from the idea to the planning to the implementation.

Teacher workshops and tutorials for the whole class

To promote climate protection projects at school, the competition offers a range of tutorials and training courses. The Independent Institute for Environmental Issues – UfU e.V. (UfU) is holding online workshops specifically for teachers that deal with the competition and support teachers in giving their pupils the right impetus to develop ideas and work independently. The workshop is recognized as further training.

Next workshop: 20.04.2023, 15:00 – 16:00, Climate protection and adaptation to climate change

UfU also offers a series of face-to-face sessions for the entire school class. From elementary school to secondary level 2, UfU has prepared material to help pupils develop ideas and identify their own options for action. Important questions such as “Can I change the world as a human being?” and “What are the effects of the climate crisis?” are also addressed.

UfU has over 25 years of experience in working in schools and, in addition to numerous energy-saving projects throughout Germany, also carries out numerous teacher training courses, climate neutrality projects in schools and pilot projects in connection with green facades and energy cycles in schools. Marlies Bock is responsible for the department at the institute.