University of Suffolk to host first student research conference

Why it matters: This comes as the deadline looms for all schools to have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan, as set out in the Department for Education's 2022 Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy.

Around 30 schools from across Suffolk met at St Joseph's College in Ipswich on 2 April to explore the vital role of sustainability in education.

The big picture: The Suffolk Sustainability in Education conference is the first of three events in the East of England supporting schools to deliver on the objectives set out in the DfE's strategy.

The event also aligns with Students Organising for Sustainability UK's (SOS-UK) Green Schools Revolution programme, which helps schools implement aspects of the DfE's strategy.

Who was there: A diverse lineup of speakers contributed, including:

• Joe Billington from the Department for Education

• Young climate advocate Talia Hardie from SOS-UK

What they did: The interactive day focused on embedding climate education into school strategy and culture, with workshops covering:

• Carbon Awareness Training

• Greening the Curriculum and Nature Connectedness

• Facilitated Climate Action Planning

What they're saying: "This is a pivotal year for sustainability in education, with the deadline looming for all schools to have completed a Climate Action Plan and early indications from the Government's Curriculum and Assessment Review that the new curriculum will rightly place a much greater emphasis on tackling the climate crisis," said Hannah Fitzpatrick, Senior Project Manager at SOS-UK.

Councillor Gerald Kelly, Chair of the Suffolk Councils' Environment Portfolio Holders' Group, said: "We know that developing climate action plans is a new and complex challenge for most schools, so Suffolk's public sector leaders wanted support them through the process."

For context: The event was delivered in partnership with the Department for Education, Suffolk Sustainable Schools Network, UK Schools Sustainability Network, Heart Academies Trust, St Joseph's College, The Science Hub, and The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College.

The bottom line: The conference represents one way that Suffolk's local authorities are delivering the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan, promoting collaborative climate action in schools to reach Suffolk's ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2030.