Summary
The School Run to Net Zero project, developed by the Islands Centre for Net Zero (ICNZ) in collaboration with Heriot‑Watt University’s Transition Engineering Lab, addresses the sustainability of the school journey. The initiative originated when students from a primary school in Orkney reached out with concerns about climate change and their carbon footprint. Within this framework, the school and researchers established a Transition Engineering action‑research lab to explore pathways toward net zero.
Recognising that school transport is shaped by infrastructure, habits, and community culture, the project brought together pupils, teachers, families, researchers, and stakeholders to address this complex challenge and co‑design solutions for low‑carbon travel.
This collaborative process resulted in a prototyped educational programme, developed through iterative cycles of testing and reflection. Combining lesson plans, classroom activities, data tools, and whole‑school events, it enables students to analyse mobility challenges, collect data, design solutions, and engage directly with decision‑makers.
Key aspects
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Students as agents of change
Positions children as active drivers of climate transition, not just participants. -
School mobility as a complex system
Frames mobility as a “wicked problem” shaped by infrastructure, behavior, and culture. -
Action research and iterative co design
Develops solutions through cycles of observation, testing, and refinement. -
Integrated learning modules and data driven inquiry
Combines structured teaching units with real data analysis to support critical thinking and decision making. -
Replicable educational model
Creates a transferable framework for net zero school mobility.