On Earth Day, celebrated on 22 April, UNESCO and partners highlight the growing global movement toward greener education systems.
nearly 112,000 schools in 98 countries have become green schools and received the badge, as part of the Greening Education Partnership.
These include 32,944 nursery schools, 54.292 primary schools, 17,138 secondary schools and 7,535 higher education establishments globally that have adopted UNESCO’s Green school quality standard, published in 2024.
The green school quality standard defines for the first time the minimum requirements for creating ‘green learning environments’ around four dimensions: governance, facilities and operations, teaching, and local community engagement.
Green schools show how education systems can lead the transition toward climate resilience by equipping learners with the knowledge, values and agency to shape a more sustainable future.
UNESCO calls on governments and the international education community to reach the target of 50% of schools in every country being green by 2030, as well as to integrate sustainability issues into all school curricula, according to its Greening curriculum guidance, which provides concrete advice to governments on how to integrate environmental topics into all school subjects at all levels of education.
Global dashboard to track progress
To support and track global progress, UNESCO, in partnership with the the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) have created a global tracker. This dashboard brings together data on schools, curricula, teacher capacity, and community programmes, offering an evolving and real-time picture of progress toward 2030.
These programmes are part of the Greening Education Partnership let by UNESCO. It brings together 98 countries and more than 2,000 stakeholders, around four pillars of action: developing green schools, integrating the environment into every school curriculum, adapting teacher training to climate change, and promoting green communities.
The Ágora School in Brazil
In Cotia, near São Paulo in Brazil, Ágora School is part of the growing network of schools aligned with the UNESCO Green School Quality Standard.
Set in a forest, the school uses nature as a daily learning environment, with students spending significant time outdoors observing seasons, wildlife and natural cycles. Sustainability is built into everyday school life: students run recycling systems, manage waste and take part in environmental monitoring projects.
A green school is a school where people truly interact with nature. The idea is very much that of an organic place with all the transformations happening and can be seen.
In this environment, learning happens through experience, through climbing trees, observing seasonal changes, or simply spending time outdoors. Nature becomes both a space for exploration and a source of understanding. This immersion is combined with intentional educational practices. Students are encouraged to explore, question, and take responsibility for their environment.
Through these experiences, students at the Ágora Schooldevelop not only knowledge, but also a sense of responsibility and agency, key elements of Education for Sustainable Development. This fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, while also nurturing empathy and a long-term commitment to care for both people and the planet.
There are lots of cool activities here that you couldn’t have in a closed-off school made entirely of concrete. I think we can make a difference in the world, to make it better one day, even if just a little.
This lived experience also reflects something broader: how local practices connect to a growing global movement for sustainable education. What has been built over decades in schools like the Ágora School is now being recognized and shared across countries, as more education systems align around a common vision for sustainability.
A global webinar dedicated to “Green Schools through Collective Action” is organized on Earth Day by UNESCO and its partners.