Forty Hackney schools sign up to Town Hall’s climate education programme – as councillor celebrates pupils’ activism

Students at William Pattern fly the Eco-Schools flag. Photograph: Hackney Council

Forty Hackney schools are now signed up to the council’s environmental education programme – two years after it launched.

Eco-Schools aims to raise awareness of local and global issues, and supports pupils who want to take action in the community to tackle the climate crisis.

Students at Homerton’s City Academy successfully petitioned their school to rid the canteen of single-use plastic cups – stopping 40,000 of them becoming landfill every year.

Pupils across the borough have also planted 1,000 new trees.

Seven schools have been recognised by the World Wildlife Foundation for their teaching on sustainability and protecting the planet.

Town Hall environment boss Cllr Mete Coban in discussion with pupils. Photograph: Hackney Council

Town Hall environment chief Cllr Mete Coban said: “It’s inspiring to see the action young people are taking on the climate crisis, and I’m proud that we’ve been supporting this through the Eco-Schools programme.”

Cllr Coban visited Stoke Newington School on the final day of London Climate Action Week and took part in a roundtable discussion with students.

He said: “It was a pleasure once again to talk to students from Stoke Newington School and Grasmere Primary School about their activism and ambition for rebuilding a greener borough.

“As always, it was fantastic to hear their ideas, answer their questions and discuss what more we can all do to tackle the climate crisis.”