Hong Kong Green School Quality Standard

In 2022, UNESCO surveyed nearly 17,500 young people globally. 70% could not explain climate change, could only explain its broad principles, or knew nothing about it. In response, the UN Transforming Education Summit was held in September 2022, where the UN Secretary-General launched the “Greening Education Partnership” (GEP). This initiative supports countries in addressing the climate crisis through education.

Coordinated by UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, GEP published the “Green School Quality Standard” in 2024. The Standard integrates sustainability and climate action across four core areas: 1) School Governance, 2) Facilities and Operations, 3) Teaching and Learning, and 4) Community Engagement. It establishes a common global language to prepare learners for climate challenges, working toward greening at least 50% of schools in all countries by 2030.

In 2022, the UNESCO Hong Kong Association (UHKA) and the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HiESD) launched the “Net Zero School Project” with funding from the HKSAR Sustainable Development Fund. The project emphasises climate change as an entry point, helping schools become climate-ready. Schools serve as safe, resilient learning spaces and innovation hubs where learners and communities gain the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to address climate change through sustainable practices.

Following the release of the GEP Standard in 2024, we integrated it into the “Net Zero School Project” training for the 2025–26 school year. Through alignment with the Standard, submissions, participation in international seminars and working groups, and UNESCO assessment in April 2026, we became a GEP member institution and an accredited certification body.

The “Hong Kong Green School Quality Standard”, published through this assessment, is grounded in our local experience of promoting the “Net Zero School Project”, making it closely adapted to Hong Kong’s context. Schools that pass the assessment will be pioneers of net-zero carbon education in Hong Kong and will be listed on the GEP global dashboard of recognised green schools.

Hong Kong Green School Quality Standard

Progression Roadmap — from Commitment to Net Zero Demonstration School

Project News & Blog Posts

Project Schedule

The timeline below is the full scheduele of the Net Zero School Project ( Advanced Level ). For the Progression and Commitment Levels, only the underlined and bolded activities are applicable.

Activity	Date and Time	Venue	Details	Participants
Registration	Until September 15, 2026	Online	Fill in Online Registration Form	All Hong Kong Education Institutions
Schools provide namelist of core carbon accounting team	September 15, 2026 – October 1, 2026	Online	The school needs to organize a core team for carbon accounting (including: teachers – at least 3 teachers from different subjects, at least 1 of whom is a manager or above; Students – 6 to 20 students, they could come from the same or different year groups)	Schools that have registered successfully
Release of the submission templates to schools	October 7, 2026	Online	The following 2 templates will be provided: 1. Hong Kong Green School Quality Standard Assessment 2. Carbon Accounting (through online platform ESDCarbon)	All schools that have registered successfully
Online Guidance Session	Early October 2026	Online (Zoom)	Online Guidance Session for Filling in the Hong Kong Green School Quality Standard Assessment Form ( recorded for late registrants)	All schools that have registered successfully
From Net Zero School to STEAM Education – Teacher Training	Mid – Late October 2026 (1.5 Hours)	Online (Zoom)	With reference to UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development roadmaps and the Green School Quality Standards, how to integrate net zero and climate change into STEAM education and teaching curriculums.	All teachers and management are welcome to participate
School Carbon Accounting Training	Late October – November 2026 (3 Hours)	Online (Zoom)	1. Understanding Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases 2. Understanding Hong Kong’s standards on carbon emission calculation 3. Learn about how to set emission reduction targets and transform towards net zero	Students and Teachers in the carbon accounting core team
School’s ESG practice and strategy — Teacher Training	November 2026 (1.5 Hours)	Online (Zoom)	1. Helping school management understand how to set short-, medium- and long-term goals for school emission reduction based on the carbon emission baseline 2. Why schools need to conduct ESG reporting and how to use reports to communicate with stakeholders.	All teachers and management are welcome to participate
Low Carbon Lifestyle (Primary) / ESG (Secondary) Workshop	November 2026 (1.5 Hours)	Face-To-Face	1. Primary: Low carbon lifetyle actions – what can we do from “food, clothing, housing and transportation” aspects? 2. Secondary: What is “environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG)”? Why schools and corporates need to care about and actively implement ESG practices	Students in the carbon accounting core team
Schools Prepare Carbon Accounting Spreadsheet	Novermber 2026 – March 2027	/	The organiser will support schools through email and telephone communications, as well as conducting monthly progress check-up with schools. Zoom guidance meetings can be arranged if needed.	Carbon Accounting Core Team
School visit – Experts provide hands-on guidance carbon accounting + identify emissions sources at the school	December 2026 – Feburary 2027, book appointment with schools. Each school visit will take 1~1.5hours	Visit to each school	A mentor with professional carbon emission calculation and auditing experience will visit the school to provide guidance to the working group. Help schools to improving carbon accounting spreadsheet and resolve challenges	Carbon Accounting Core Team
Final check – online guidance	March – April 2027, book appointments with schools. Each school will take 30 minutes ~ 1hour	Online (Zoom)	An online mentorship session before carbon verification to ensure document completeness	Carbon Accounting Core Team
Carbon verification	March – April 2027, book appointments with schools. Each school will take 45 minutes ~ 1hour	Online (Zoom)	Auditors conduct online verification for schools	Carbon Accounting Core Team
Submission Deadline of the HKGSQS Assessment Form and Supporting Documents	April, 2027	Online	Schools submit document in preparation for assessment against the Hong Kong Green School Quality Standard	All schools that have registered successfully
Expert Panel Assessment	April – May, 2027	/	/	All schools that have registered successfully
Result Announcement of the HKGSQS Assessment	Mid May, 2027	Online	/	All schools that have registered successfully
“Net Zero Demonstration School” Certification Ceremony and Sharing Sessions	June 5, 2027, World Environment Day	Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development	Celebrate the “United Nations World Environment Day” on June 5, 2027, with certificate presentation and thematic sharing sessions.	Principal of the school and the Carbon accounting core team

Hong Kong Greening Education Partnership Programme Registration Form

項目選項 Project Offerings *

逐步進階 Progression
承諾啟動 Committment

如欲報名「全面領袖」（碳中和學校計劃）項目，請在以下網站報名：https://unesco.hk/web/towards-net-zero-school-project-phase4/

For Advanced Level (Net Zero School Project), please register at the following website: https://unesco.hk/web/towards-net-zero-school-project-phase4/

學校名稱 School Name *

校長姓名 Principal's Name *

校長電郵 Principal's Email *

學校電話 School Tel *

學校地址 School Address *

負責老師姓名 Teacher's Name *

First

Last

負責老師電郵 Teacher's Email *

負責老師手提電話 Teacher's Mobile Phone *

學校類別 School Category *

UHKA 成員學校 Member School (Please refer to : https://unesco.hk/web/schools-network/)
合作機構推薦學校 School Referred by Partner Institutions
有意申請成為成員學校 I would like to Apply for member school
歷屆參與學校 Past participanting schools
以上皆不是 None of the above

付款方式 Payment Method *

信息收集條例 Information Collection Statement *

我同意 I Agree

1. The information provided on the registration form will be used for matters related to the project activities such as organizing or co-organizing events. The information will be handed over to the relevant parties if necessary. You have the right to request access and/ or correction of any information provided by you.
2. Acceptance is subject to the discretion of the UNESCO Hong Kong Association
3. The UNESCO Hong Kong Association reserve the right to change the schedule of the activities according to the registration situation and the schools' arrangements
4. By participating in the project, the students and teachers of the core team need to confirm his/her consent to the posting of personal data, as well as the use of video and photo images with his/her participation by UNESCO HKA and its partners, made during the activities of the project, including in the media.