Schools and universities across Europe can now team up with Pact2School climate ambassadors to turn students’ climate ideas into real projects — and student-led projects can compete for up to €1,000 in funding, with the next application window closing on 15 January 2027.
The European Union’s Learning Corner highlighted the campaign on 19 October 2026, inviting schools to join Pact2School, the European Climate Pact’s schools campaign. It is a news story about ambassadors in action: rather than asking young people only to learn about climate change, it puts trained volunteer ambassadors beside them in the classroom and the community.
What is Pact2School?
Pact2School is a campaign run by the European Climate Pact, the European Commission initiative that brings people, communities and organisations together to tackle climate change and build a more resilient Europe. The Pact was launched as part of the European Green Deal, which supports the EU’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
Through Pact2School, schools and universities work with Climate Pact Ambassadors and Partners to explore sustainability, develop creative solutions and make a difference in their communities. Participants can discover new ideas for climate action, connect with people who share their passion for sustainability and showcase their activities through European Climate Pact communication channels.
How Pact2School climate ambassadors work with schools
The route into the campaign is deliberately simple, according to the Pact’s own campaign page:
- Partner up: a school or university teams up with a Climate Pact Ambassador or Partner, found through the Pact’s interactive map or by contacting the Pact team.
- Run a session: the ambassador helps deliver a climate awareness or engagement session suited to the students’ age group, such as a climate walk or another group activity.
- Register the session: the activity is logged on the Pact2School platform so the school is officially part of the campaign.
- Go further: after at least one session, the school can enter the Pact2School Challenge with a student-led project — and organise further engagement activities in the community.
The model matters because ambassadors are local changemakers, not distant lecturers. The European Commission describes ambassadors as people ready to inspire and motivate others to take climate action in their own communities. One ambassador cited by the Commission, Olivia from Spain, developed a simple filtering device made from two plastic bottles and a pair of tights to trap microplastics when she was 13, and has since given presentations on the device, climate change and ocean health to schools, universities and international organisations.
The €1,000 challenge and the January deadline
Student-led projects entered in the Pact2School Challenge have the chance to receive up to €1,000 in project funding to bring a climate idea to life. The funding is a competition prize for challenge entries, not a payment made to every participating school — a distinction schools should note before applying.
Two application windows were set for the current challenge round. The autumn window, for activities planned between November 2026 and January 2027, closed on 9 October 2026. The spring window is now the live one: entries must be submitted by 15 January 2027 at 12:00 CET, for activities planned between February and March 2027. The Pact also points schools to practical resources, activity ideas and winning projects from the first Pact2School round for inspiration.
For schools weighing whether to act, the timing is practical rather than symbolic: a partner found now can run a session this term, leaving the school ready to shape a challenge entry for the January deadline. Related ambassador opportunities continue to open across the climate movement, including the African Climate Alliance’s ambassador programme for emerging climate justice activists, covered in Watan News’ report on the ACA Ambassador Programme 2027.
Key Facts
- What: Pact2School, the European Climate Pact’s campaign linking schools and universities with Climate Pact Ambassadors.
- Funding: Student-led challenge projects have the chance to receive up to €1,000.
- Spring deadline: 15 January 2027 at 12:00 CET, for activities in February–March 2027.
- Autumn window: Closed 9 October 2026 (activities November 2026–January 2027).
- Who takes part: Schools and universities across Europe, partnered with a Climate Pact Ambassador or Partner.
- Background: The European Climate Pact was launched by the European Commission as part of the European Green Deal, supporting EU climate neutrality by 2050.
Conclusion
Pact2School’s appeal is its sequence: an ambassador’s visit first, a student project second, and a funded result third. For schools that want climate education to end in something tangible — a garden, a recycling scheme, an energy-saving project — the January deadline gives a clear, near-term reason to find a partner now.
