DfE has now translated its Sustainability and Climate Change strategy into a formal policy paper.
This says that the strategy applies to:
- the Department for Education (DfE), its agencies and public bodies
- the education and children’s services systems in England – including:
- early years
- schools (and independent schools where applicable)
- further education
- higher education
- children’s social care
The paper begins:
“DfE has an important role to play in all aspects of sustainability. But the area in which we have the most work to do is reducing our environmental footprint, particularly in the drive to achieve net zero. While the policies set out here are focussed on the environmental aspect of sustainability, this is done with consideration for how those policies will interact with the social and economic aspects of sustainability. The UK government and the devolved governments (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) are committed to climate action, and we will work together in our international action. The targets and strategic aims set out relate to England. It brings together short, medium and longer-term actions that will enable us to make progress towards achieving our 4 strategic aims and overarching vision. It is a strategy to 2030. Action will be reviewed and updated annually to respond to new opportunities, scientific updates, evidence and data.”