Ukraine
1.072 young Ukrainian climate protectors from 28 schools representing six cities collected 16,235 Green Footprints
In 2025, Ukraine joined the international educational campaign “ZOOM – Kids on the Move!” again after a longer break. The Green Footprints Campaign was bringing climate awareness and sustainable mobility lessons into classrooms of six pilot municipalities. The pilot phase took place in two waves: in June Kids in Zhytomyr, Konotop and Fastiv participated, and in September to October children from Chortkiv, Korosten and Okhtyrka had been involved. |
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Over one to two weeks, schools and youth centres became laboratories of curiosity and action: children reflected on their routines, discussed climate change, explored sustainable transport options, and recorded their “green actions” as symbolic Green Footprints.
Actions related to water-saving were marked with Blue Footprints.
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In total, 1.072 pupils across 28 schools collected 12.507 green and 544 blue footprints — a visible sign of small, everyday acts adding up to meaningful change.
In Konotop, located close to the frontline, local regulations prohibit educational activities outdoors. Teachers adapted the ZOOM campaign to take place entirely in underground shelters - a powerful example of how climate education continues even under conditions of war.
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Beyond the numbers, the campaign sparked meaningful conversations. Children engaged deeply with the themes and shared their reflections at home with parents. Teachers adapted lesson plans.
As one teacher from Zhytomyr shared:
“When adults talk about climate change, it sounds like a challenge. But when children talk about it, it becomes a promise.”
Ukraine now plans to expand the campaign to other municipalities in 2026 and introduce it in Armenia, Moldova, and Azerbaijan.
The pilot phase offered valuable lessons in adapting climate engagement tools to different school systems, age groups, and even emergency conditions.
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