Young people in Northern Ireland have had continued success with the prestigious and internationally recognised Eco-Schools programme, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

This academic year has seen some extremely inspiring work and with 56 schools, including Mullaglass Primary School have signed up to the Plastic Promise, putting an end to throwaway plastics.

The Green Flag award is recognised internationally, setting a standard of outstanding environmentalism and sustainability. This year there have been an amazing 132 Green Flags awarded.

This continued commitment to environmental education despite continued adversity with the implications of the global pandemic, echoes the call for Climate Action by young people across the world in the face of our climate emergency.

Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, MLA said: “Eco-Schools in an excellent programme for educating and informing young people, connecting them to nature and empowering them to create change both locally and globally on our journey towards a sustainable environment.

“Supporting the Eco-Schools programme is a major contributor in working towards this goal. It is encouraging to see the strength of the programme continue to grow and how focused teachers and pupils have remained on working towards a sustainable environment during this pandemic.

“In light of COVID19, and even more so now, we would encourage every school in NI to get involved and engrain the ethos of Eco-Schools into their everyday actions. There is no time like the present to help make change.”

Since then there has been a great increase in the number of schools signing the Live Here Love Here Plastic Promise which allows individuals, schools, and businesses to make a public pledge to reduce their single use plastic consumption and waste. Most commonly, schools are advocating the reduction, and in many cases ban, on single use drinks bottles which is a positive and active step in creating mindfulness about waste in all age groups.