Pupils at an Aberdeen secondary school have become the first in the UK to sign up for a new online training programme to tackle climate change.
All S5 and S6 pupils at Lochside Academy, along with 25 members of staff, are taking part in the course, which aims to give participants a better understanding of climate change.
They will earn a climate solutions accelerator certificate upon completion.
Head teacher Neil Hendry said he was proud the school is the first to pilot the course, which could be rolled out nationally if it is a success.
He said: “We are immensely proud of being the first secondary school in the UK to take part in the programme.
“It’s an issue which has ramifications for all of us and none more so than the younger members of our society and by preparing our pupils to face up to the challenge we will be in a much better position to tackle current and future changes.”
Aberdeen City Council’s education convener M Taqueer Malik added: “We pride ourselves as an authority on our imaginative and stimulating curriculum to help give our young people the best starts in life and it is difficult to think of a study more relevant to young lives than the challenges presented by climate change.”
The new training programme is funded by Skills Development Scotland (SDS).
“Preparing our pupils to face up to the challenge”
Rob Orr, energy sector manager at SDS said the training should help the pupils to get more involved in the fight against climate change.
He added: “A key aim of the recently published Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan is to inspire young people to understand and engage with the transition to net zero, and to embed those skills through climate education.”
As well as helping those involved to understand the issue of climate change, the course also aims to educate them on how the subject will transform their lives in the near future.
It has been accredited and developed by Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) in partnership with the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling, The Institute of Directors and Jump Digital.