26 January 2026 marks World Environmental Education Day and highlights the essential role of education in addressing environmental challenges and supporting sustainable development worldwide.

At the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), education is not only central to our mission, it is part of who we are. Environmental education is in our name and underpins everything we do. Through our global programmes, we support learners, educators, communities and businesses to develop the knowledge, skills and values needed to care for the environment and take meaningful action.

FEE works through a network of 110+ member organisations in 85 countries. Across diverse cultural and geographic contexts, FEE programmes connect learning with practical action and long-term engagement.

Within formal education settings, Eco-Schools plays a central role in supporting whole-school approaches to sustainability, empowering students and young changemakers to lead environmental action in their schools and communities and to embed sustainability into everyday learning and operations. The programme currently engages 52550+ schools, involving 13.7million students across 101 countries, making it the World's largest school-based network leading Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Complementing this work, Learning about Ecosystems and Forests (LEAF) promotes outdoor and ecosystem-based learning by encouraging educators to use forests and natural environments as living classrooms. LEAF currently reaches 29 countries and works in partnership with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, supporting the shared goal of making outdoor education accessible for all.

YRE International Competition entry from YRE Slovakia 2025 - 1st place in the Article Category 11- 14 years

Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) strengthens critical thinking and communication skills by enabling young people to investigate environmental issues and share their perspectives through journalism and storytelling. Each year, the programme engages 220,000+ young reporters across 37 countries, with participants producing articles, photo stories and videos on local and global environmental issues. A central element of the programme is the YRE International Competition. The 2024-2025 edition received 234 thought-provoking sumbmissions from 20 countries, following the theme Ecosystem Restoration and highlighting the scale and diversity of youth engagement within the programme.

FEE’s education programmes also extend into higher education through Eco-Campus, which supports universities and colleges in embedding sustainability across campus operations, teaching and governance. As FEE’s sixth programme, Eco-Campus provides a framework for institutions to engage students and staff in long-term environmental action. In 2025, FEE held the second edition of the Eco-Campus International Conference in Malaysia, in co-host with our member Green Growth Asia Foundation, bringing together higher education institutions and partners to share experiences, strengthen collaboration and advance sustainability in the tertiary education sector.

Eco-Campus International Conference (September 2025)

Lagoonis Bistro & Bar, first awarded Green Key establishment in Sint Maarten (2025)

Beyond educational institutions, FEE programmes promote sustainability across public spaces and economic sectors. Green Key engages the tourism and hospitality sector by supporting businesses to reduce their environmental impact while raising awareness among staff and guests. Today, the programme includes 8500+ certified tourism and hospitality sites across 90 countries, demonstrating how sustainability can be integrated into tourism operations worldwide.

Blue Flag Award Ceremony in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (2025). 30 years after its first Awards Ceremony in 1995

In coastal and inland water settings, Blue Flag promotes environmental protection through high standards in water quality, environmental management and environmental education. The last award season in October 2025 announced 5215 beaches, marinas and tourism boats in 51 countries are awarded the Blue Flag, supporting public engagement with aquatic ecosystems and encouraging responsible recreation.

These long-term goals are translated into collective action through initiatives such as Global Action Days, which bring together schools, communities and organisations around shared themes and objectives. The 2026 edition of Global Action Days (#GAD2026) will focus on the theme of Food Security and Climate Change with the goal of mobilising 1 million people across 150 countries. Today 26 January 2026, we are releasing our official GAD2026 Activity Guide helping participants drive meaningful action and bring attention to the important link between climate change and access to safe, nutritious and sustainable food.

A word from OUR CEO

““In a time of accelerating environmental and social challenges, education remains our most powerful tool. It connects global goals with local action and ensures that sustainability is not an abstract idea, but a shared responsibility grounded in everyday decisions,” ”

— FEE's CEO, Daniel Schaffer

On World Environmental Education Day, FEE celebrates the dedication of its member organisations, educators, learners and partners who bring environmental education to life every day. Their work demonstrates that education is not only about understanding environmental challenges, but also about empowering people to shape a more sustainable future.