Climate Conference:Take Action

Climate Action At County Hall

Cornwall Council hosted a successful Climate Conference on 18 November 2025, bringing together schools, sustainability leads, and partners including Let’s Go Zero and Education Nature Parks to accelerate climate action across the county.

The event focused on providing practical support for schools and empowering young people to make sustainable choices both at school and at home. Planned in collaboration with ASPIRE Academy Trust, the conference united Aspire sustainability leads, headteachers, senior trust leaders, and other educational settings at Cornwall Council Chamber to finalise Climate Action Plans.

This work supports the Department for Education’s requirement that all educational settings have a nominated sustainability lead and a Climate Action Plan in place by the end of 2025.

Working Together for a Greener Future

The day was designed to provide hands-on guidance and resources to help schools, focusing on:

• Helping schools save energy in their buildings to reduce bills and teaching young people to do the same at home.
• Improving biodiversity on school grounds and encouraging nature-based learning.
• Promoting life skills such as gardening and sustainable food practices.
• Reducing water usage and sharing water-saving tips for schools and homes.
• Managing school waste, including food waste, and involving students in these efforts both at school and at home.
• Teaching young people about flood defence and climate resilience, helping them understand how to protect their communities and prepare for extreme weather.
• Encouraging schools and young people to work with and look after their local communities, fostering collaboration and shared responsibility for sustainability and looking after our community spaces.
• Promoting active travel initiatives such as walking and cycling to reduce emissions and improve health.
• Helping schools to locate resources to teach young people about healthy lifestyles – the importance of exercise and eating healthily.
• Supporting teachers with climate education and wellbeing, including outdoor learning spaces that connect students with nature.

Highlights from Feedback

The response from schools was overwhelmingly positive: 100% of attendees said they felt supported by Cornwall Council and rated the event as useful and inspiring. All respondents expressed interest in attending future climate events, showing strong enthusiasm for continued collaboration. Educators enjoyed, Climate Action Plan Writing, Networking with Colleagues, and the Education Nature Park Workshop where they learn how to map out their school grounds.

What Schools Said

“A fantastic day – very inspiring and full of useful ideas.” - teacher

“All of the sessions were helpful, and we’re excited to take these ideas back to our school.”-headteacher

The event was a fantastic day where educators came together in a safe space to collaborate, share ideas, and develop practical solutions to help their schools and young people take meaningful climate action.

Collaboration Success