MD2832 London Schools’ Climate Kick-Start

1.1. The London Recovery Board’s programme for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic seeks to build back better and make London a greener, fairer and safer place to live and work. Accelerating the delivery of a cleaner, greener London is one of the Board’s five core aims.

1.2. As part of the recovery programme, the Green New Deal mission, jointly co-ordinated by the Mayor of London and London Councils, aims to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies, and improve air quality by doubling the size of London’s green economy to accelerate job creation for all. This mission has four overarching objectives:

• improve London’s natural environment, improve air quality and tackle the climate and ecological emergency
• promote and incentivise activities that sustain and grow London’s green economy
• prioritise interventions reducing health inequalities and social injustices
• engage Londoners and businesses in the journey to become a zero-pollution and greener city.

1.3. Following on from the fourth objective, 2021 represents a major opportunity to re-engage Londoners in environmental issues and the work the Mayor is doing to put London at the forefront of global green policy.

1.4. There are a number of key events and policies due to launch in 2021 such as COP26, the ULEZ expansion, and several Green New Deal programmes, which can provide useful ‘hooks’ for public engagement work. However, polling suggests that at least 50 per cent of Londoners have never heard of COP26, for example, and are very unlikely to engage with it. The GLA needs to ensure its programmes connect with Londoners and that their relevance is effectively communicated.

1.5. It is proposed that the GLA’s future engagement work will focus on equity, protecting the most vulnerable, and inspiring future generations for change as key themes.

1.6. Young Londoners are among those most likely to feel the worst effects of the climate emergency. The GLA intends therefore to work with a number of partners and London secondary schools to make London an exemplar city in terms of engaging young people on the climate and ecological emergencies.

1.7. This would be focused around a week of activities entitled ‘London Schools’ Climate Kick-Start’ in the autumn term of 2021 on the approach to COP26. The week would comprise:

• Four to five flagship school activities facilitated by the GLA project delivery team (such as a cycle-to-school day, tree-planting activities, a clean-tech careers fair, pedal-powered outdoor classrooms, etc). These will be delivered in partnership with organisations relevant to the thematic area.
• 10-20 grant-funded school activities run by the schools themselves to facilitate specialist activities for the students. It is up to the schools to decide if these are delivered in partnership with external organisations. Grants will be made available via an open call to all London secondary schools.
• Any non-funded secondary schools will also be eligible to host their own events and activities as part of the programme.

1.8. All participating schools will receive a specialist marketing toolkit alongside a free ‘digital lesson’ in collaboration with a well-established education partner featuring high-profile climate ambassadors.

1.9. A similar event delivery model was used to deliver the National Park City Festival (approved under cover of MD2285), where the GLA collaborated with well-established organisations such as the National Theatre, Open City and the London Wildlife Trust to deliver flagship events. Activity grants were promoted via an open call, allowing a diverse range of organisations to submit activity proposals and facilitate their own events.

1.10. The final day of the week will see a London Green Schools event hosted by the Mayor of London, rewarding London schools that are taking action on air pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss.

1.11. At this event, five to ten schools will be awarded more long-term ‘Green Schools’ grant funding of

c. £10,000 to kick-start or accelerate the environmental work they plan to do or are already doing. The funding could go towards an exemplar project such as a green roof, an outdoor classroom, a zero-waste programme etc, and must engage pupils in its design, development and future legacy. Grants will be administered in line with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding code via an open application process.

Legacy

1.12. If successful, the programme could run yearly (in some form), subject to budget availability and a future decision form being approved. Digital elements could be configured to form part of the London Curriculum resources for further engagement on climate and the environment. This would complement the Wild About London Key Stage 2 resource published in 2020. The Mayor could also support the Teach the Future campaign to integrate climate change more effectively into the mainstream curriculum.

1.13. This would build on the existing coalition of stakeholders to make future schools’ engagement more aligned. There would also be student ambassadors keen to engage with the Mayor’s Peer Outreach Workers Team, and the Young Ambassador and London Youth Assembly programmes, to help shape future Mayoral policies. Finally, the London’s Green Schools grants would provide exemplar projects to be replicated by boroughs in future years.

Project partners and stakeholders

1.14. Consultation has taken place with the GLA Education and Youth Team and officers leading on other school-focused projects within the Environment and Energy Team in order to ensure the programme is integrated into a consolidated list of ‘asks’ for schools and that the GLA engages schools effectively.

1.15. Flagship activities will be programmed to ensure the week showcases and enhances the work London secondary schools are already doing to tackle air pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss. The GLA will work with its existing framework of school programmes and the London boroughs (via London Councils and the London Environment Coordinators Forum) to help select exemplar schools. This will include work with trusted partners to facilitate engaging and inspirational activities aligned with the programme’s objectives.

Alignment with other GLA projects

1.16. This programme forms part of an integrated public engagement campaign on climate and biodiversity that includes climate justice project Greener Together (approved under cover of ADD2484) and it builds on the successes and learnings of the National Park City Festival (approved under cover of MD2285).

1.17. The programme will sit alongside a Schools Climate Resilience Programme (approved under cover of MD2827) that will support schools to build their resilience to a changing climate through a package of measures including: water-efficiency improvements (delivered in partnership with Thames Water’s Smarter Business Visits scheme); the installation of sustainable drainage rain planters to green playgrounds and reduce surface-water flood risk; the preparation of bespoke climate adaptation plans; and the development of climate resilience education resources. The programme will work with up to 100 schools, targeting those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and engagement for these schools will be aligned with the London Schools’

Climate Kick-Start programme.

1.18. Schools’ activities would provide a good platform to promote, support or integrate into complementary Green New Deal programmes such as the London Community Energy Fund, Women in Cleantech and guidance on how schools and early-years settings can adapt to climate change. We will also work with the London Sustainable Schools Forum, the Clean Air Schools Framework, the GLA Schools Working Group and the GLA Education and Youth Team to deliver the project.

Budget

1.19. Additional funding of up to £100,000 will be sought from third parties which, if secured, will increase the total project budget to £250,000.

1.20. £50,000 has already been agreed in principle from Bloomberg Philanthropies. In the event however, that third party funding targets are not achieved, planned expenditure will be reduced accordingly.

1.21. The £250,000 budget breaks down as follows:

• £60,000: project team (including grant administration, health and safety, evaluation and outreach)
• £25,000: flagship schools’ activity programme to fund four to five activities
• £70,000: grant funding for activity grants (revenue) and ‘Green Schools’ environmental acceleration grants (capital and revenue)
• £16,000: London Green Schools event
• £29,000: marketing, design and creative costs
• £30,000: schools’ resource/‘digital lesson’ creation
• £20,000: additional resource, overtime and contingency.

1.22. Further partnership in-kind contributions have been secured of approximately £30,000 (Bloomberg Philanthropies) covering staff time, venue and event infrastructure costs.

2.1. The objectives for the London Schools’ Kick-Start programme have been informed by the Environment Communications and Engagement Strategy, plus the Green New Deal objectives. The programme content will also integrate the five principles of the Green New Deal and promote Mayoral strategies and priorities as outlined in section 4.2 – 4.5 below. The Objectives and expected outcomes are as follows: :

• ownership: build public ownership and support for green projects and policies in London: local, tangible and positive examples
• equity: engage under-represented groups with environmental programmes – giving a voice to the worst affected but least engaged
• trust: raise awareness of environmental impacts in London and across the globe and present a positive and optimistic outlook, building trust around why London’s policies are essential for tackling them
• change: encourage changes in behaviours and attitudes towards daily habits, nudging everyone towards greener outcomes
• one message: aligning our public-facing work with the wider External Relations campaign to create press and marketing opportunities around COP and the ULEZ expansion – making a significant impact and showcasing London as an exemplar green city.

2.2. We aim to attract 100 London secondary schools (a sixth of all London secondary schools) to participate via an open call. That equates to around 100,000 pupils directly engaged, and potentially more assuming wider family and peer engagement.

2.3. We will also create a number of video case studies and social media assets to create a broad reach across London, targeting under-represented communities.

3.1. It is proposed that our engagement work focuses on equity, protecting the most vulnerable and inspiring future generations for change.

3.2. Lower-income and Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups continue to be some of the worst affected by environmental impacts in London and the wider UK, as well as being disproportionately affected by Covid-19. However, these groups are often under-represented in environmental programmes and groups (i.e., the worst affected have the least visibility).

3.3. Schools have been shown as a good way to reach under-represented communities, especially in primary and secondary education before higher education begins to exclude some groups in our society.

3.4. Our programme will focus on Key Stage 3 pupils (typically 11- to 14-year olds), with an understanding that we are particularly keen to engage lower-income and Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners by making the programme inclusive and appropriate.

3.5. A full outreach plan will be drawn up for the project to ensure we reach schools with pupils from underrepresented groups. This will be delivered through effective partnership engagement, designing tools and resources effectively, placing less administrative burden on the schools themselves, and incentivising schools to take part through grant-funding opportunities.

3.6. We will also use mapping data to identify and reach out to schools most at risk of the impacts of climate change, air quality, access to green space and health inequalities.

4.1. The key risks and issues are set out in the table below:

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.2. As part of the recovery programme, the Green New Deal mission, jointly coordinated by the Mayor of London and London Councils, aims to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and improve air quality by doubling the size of London’s green economy to accelerate job creation for all. This mission has four overarching objectives, and this programme focuses on the fourth:

• improve London’s natural environment, improve air quality, and tackle the climate and ecological emergency
• promote and incentivise activities that sustain and grow London’s green economy
• prioritise interventions reducing health inequalities and social injustices
• engage Londoners and businesses in their journey to become a zero-pollution and greener city.

4.3. It aligns with the Mayor’s Strategy for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (A Great Place To Live, strategic objective 12) and the Health Inequalities Strategy (objective 3.3: Healthy Places and Healthy Communities)

4.4. It aligns with the London Environment Strategy Proposal 5.3.1.e: the Mayor will work with civil society organisations to develop a series of campaigns that engage Londoners and enable them to enjoy, participate in and contribute to London becoming the world’s first National Park City.

4.5. The primary recovery mission focus of this project is the Green New Deal, but it is also relevant to A New Deal for Young People and Healthy Food, Healthy Weight.

Conflicts of interest

4.6. GLA officers are not aware that anyone involved in the drafting or clearance of this form has any conflicts of interest with the proposed programme.

4.7. If any conflicts of interest arise during the delivery of the programme (i.e., a GLA officer has links with an organisation that applies for a grant) they will declare that interest and not take any part in assessing that grant application or awarding funding to that organisation.

Overview

5.1. Mayoral approval is sought for expenditure of up to £250,000 (including £100,000 match funding if it can be secured) for a citizen-engagement programme with a number of partners and London secondary schools in a bid to make London an exemplar city in terms of engaging young people on the climate and ecological emergencies.

Budget implications

5.2. The costs of up to £250,000 for this proposal will be funded from the 2021-22 Environment Programme budget, specifically the Green New Deal budget allocation as approved as part of the 2021-22 budget setting process (£150,000). The balance of up to £100,000 will be sought from project partners to enable the programme to be enhanced to the level of activity outlined in the main body of this report (paragraph 1.21).

5.3. The match funding target of £100,000 for this programme has not yet been secured and in the event this level of income is not forthcoming, the programme will be reduced accordingly.

5.4. It should be noted, however, in-kind match funding contribution up to the value of £30,000 from Bloomberg has been secured in the form of staff time and venue / infrastructure costs. This match funding in kind is over and above the £100,000 match funding sought as mentioned in 5.1.

6.1. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

• the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London
• in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:
  • (a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
  • (b) consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
  • (c) consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2. In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 of this report.

6.3. Should the Mayor be minded to make the decisions sought officers must ensure that:

• no reliance is placed upon the additional funding it is proposed be sought until legally binding obligations are in place for the provision to the GLA of the same of the same
• to the extent that any of the proposed expenditure concerns the award of grant funding, such funding is awarded on a fair and transparent basis in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and appropriate funding agreements are entered into and executed by the GLA and counterparties before commencement of the same
• to the extent that any of the proposed expenditure concerns the purchase of works, services or supplies, those works, services or supplies must be procured by TfL procurement in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and appropriate contracts are entered into and executed by the GLA and counterparties before commencement of the same.
  

7.1. The table below sets out how the project will be delivered including an outline timetable: