Education for Ecological Transformation is a dynamic international research program that aims to create climate-aware youth by fostering environmental consciousness and behavioural change among school students. The program is jointly funded by the Max Planck Society, Munich and the University of Innsbruck, Austria. The program is led by two researchers based in Europe: Prof. Esther Blanco, a Professor of Economics in the Department of Public Finance at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and Dr. Raisa Sherif, a behavioural economist at the Max Planck Society in Munich.

Currently, the program is being implemented in schools across Spain and Austria. In India, the program is led and implemented by VentureVillage, with active pilot phases already completed across multiple schools.

About the Program

The Education for Ecological Transformation program investigates how raising climate change awareness in young people can influence their environmental values and behaviours. The goal is to help students understand the connection between individual actions and collective environmental outcomes.

Students engage in interactive games, group activities, and thought-provoking exercises that encourage them to reflect on questions like:

“What can we do about climate change?” and “How do my actions impact the environment?”

The curriculum is designed to enable students to:

Understand the science and social implications of climate change
Reflect on behavioural change as a means of climate action
Cultivate a sense of personal and collective responsibility and empowerment

Program Goals

Short-Term:

To cultivate awareness and personal responsibility for climate action among school students by helping them identify small behavioural shifts that can lead to significant ecological impact.

Long-Term:

To nurture a generation of climate-conscious citizens who will lead sustainable initiatives in their homes, schools, and communities. The program aims to build 21st-century skills such as systems thinking, behavioural insight, and environmental leadership.

Learning Approach

The program promotes:

Experiential Learning – Interactive games and reflections that help students internalize complex climate concepts.
Critical Thinking – Students are encouraged to question, analyse, and co-create ideas for a sustainable future.
Collaborative Engagement – Activities foster peer learning, group collaboration, and shared problem-solving.
Local Relevance – Students link global climate issues to their local environment, making learning more impactful.

Outcome

By participating in this program, students gain:

A deeper understanding of climate issues and ecological responsibility
Skills to reduce their ecological footprint
The motivation and tools to take meaningful action at a personal and community level