The Green School - Advancing a Step Towards Sustainable Behaviour

Launched in April 2017 by Tata Steel Foundation and TERI, The Green School Initiative aims to foster behavior change for environmental conservation and build resilience in vulnerable communities. It drives school ecosystems by exploring curriculum connections, implementing action projects, and conducting capacity-building activities across four major themes: Energy, Water, Forest & Biodiversity, and Waste, with links to Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030. The initiative focuses on empowering middle school students, teachers, and community members through capacity building training programs to spread climate change mitigation and adaptation messages to a wider audience. This has led to significant awareness and behavioral change in vulnerable communities.

Since its inception in 2017, the project is now in its seventh phase, broadening its reach and empowering more people. Phase VII culminates by expanding the initiative’s reach from 10 schools in 2 states to 100 schools across 7 states: Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. A key aspect of Phase VII is the development of peer education and knowledge transfer, empowering students to be at the forefront of change by adopting innovative approaches to environmental concerns. This phase also focuses on the creation of Environment Management Committees (EMCs), which will serve as student-led governing bodies working to enhance pro-environmental behaviors through actionable projects. The main objective is to develop student-led initiatives that address sustainability on a larger scale.

Building on the achievements of Phase VI, Phase VII further integrates climate change, INDCs, and Sustainable Development Goals into school curricula by creating age-appropriate learning modules. These modules include hands-on activities designed to inspire creative thinking and environmental action. Location-wise teacher training programs, capacity-building workshops also referred to as “BeEcoMatic workshops,” and expert sessions were integral components of this initiative. A major highlight of this initiative is the promotion of traditional knowledge and practices rooted in India’s heritage. In alignment with this, a pan-India campaign, “Sustaining the Roots: Celebrating India’s Food Heritage,” is launched as a key feature of this phase to propagate the traditional food practices of our civilizations.

Phase VII continues to empower students to act as agents of change by adopting traditional practices and working on actionable projects to instill behavior change among their peers. Through hands-on involvement, students are encouraged to lead initiatives that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship, inspiring their communities to follow suit. This approach fosters a deep sense of responsibility towards the environment and equips students with the skills to drive long-lasting positive change.