- Pupils' school project inspiring climate action
School children are discovering how tackling the climate
emergency can make a positive difference to their lives.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs visited Longhaugh Primary
School in Dundee to meet pupils creating a mini wildflower meadow
on their school grounds, funded through the Scottish Government's
Climate Engagement Fund.
The school is one of 40 across north east Scotland transforming a
small patch of their school grounds, helping pupils understand
how climate change relates to their lives and the benefits of
taking action. The project is designed to encourage children to
use their creativity and improve their local environment in a
practical, fun and hands-on way, while creating small havens for
Scotland's native pollinators.
The Climate Engagement Fund is supporting climate action with
children and young people right across Scotland. For example, in
the Borders, projects are helping young people explore climate
resilience. In East Renfrewshire, the fund is improving access to
cycling for local families. And in West Lothian, it's engaging
new parents and pre-school children in climate action from an
early age. The Scottish Government also supports the Climate
Action Schools programme, which helps schools in every local
authority area teach pupils about climate change and take
practical action.
Ms Martin said:
Scotland's young people have been at the forefront of calling for
global climate action and projects like this show that they are
leading the way in understanding and responding to the climate
and nature emergencies alongside their communities.
"This mini wildflower meadow shows how hands-on, nature-based
learning helps pupils understand climate change and its impact on
their daily lives. It is giving pupils at Longhaugh Primary a
space to connect with nature, spend time outdoors, and build
climate understanding that will stay with them for life. It is a
reminder of the difference we can all make when we act on climate
change, and the benefits it can bring to our own lives and our
communities.
"As we've seen so starkly this summer, both here at home and
across the world, the impacts of our changing climate are being
felt right now from storms, flooding and water scarcity to
devastating wildfires. That's why supporting hands-on, practical
learning like this remains central to our approach, and it's
exactly the kind of grassroots activity our Programme for
Government aims to support and grow across the country."
Background
The project at Longhaugh Primary School in Dundee is delivered by
The Alba Explorers Centre for Outdoor Innovation CIC and funded
through the Scottish Government's Climate Engagement Fund.
The Climate Engagement Fund is currently supporting eight
organisations to deliver a range of projects across Scotland in
2026-2027, to help people understand the advantages of taking
climate action for nature and for people. This includes social,
health and wellbeing, and economic benefits.
The Programme for Government
will deliver climate action with real benefits: lower bills, more
jobs, cleaner air, warmer homes, safer communities and active
travel. Communities, nature and biodiversity are central to
building Scotland's climate resilience.
