---
title: "VIRAL – EnVIRonmental evALuation project for secondary schools in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands; Environmental Action Plans rolled out."
sdDatePublished: "2026-09-02T12:01:00Z"
source: "https://education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu/education-for-climate-day-2026-group/topic/make-climate-action-viral"
topics:
  - name: "climate change"
    identifier: "medtop:20000418"
  - name: "education"
    identifier: "medtop:05000000"
  - name: "international relations"
    identifier: "medtop:20000638"
locations:
  - "Spain"
  - "Portugal"
  - "Netherlands"
---


VIRAL – EnVIRonmental evALuation project for secondary schools in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands; Environmental Action Plans rolled out.

Make Climate Action VIRAL

VIRAL – EnVIRonmental evALuation project method for secondary schools was an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership designed to help secondary schools move from isolated environmental awareness activities towards sustained, measurable and participatory climate action. The project brought together schools from Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands with organisations specialising in environmental education and project monitoring and evaluation. Its objectives were to encourage lasting changes in the everyday behaviour of students and school staff, improve teachers’ capacity to manage environmental initiatives and give students an active role in decisions affecting school sustainability.

Implementation began with participatory environmental debates and surveys in the three schools. Students reflected on climate emergencies and examined their habits related to food, transport, energy consumption, waste and other areas of daily life. The results were used to identify behaviours that could be improved and to create an Environmental Committee in each school, composed of students and staff.

Based on this initial analysis, the partnership developed guidelines on individual green practices and behavioural change, offering practical and positively framed actions that could be integrated into school and home life. Teachers participated in training on innovative environmental pedagogies, including outdoor learning and approaches that connect sustainability with different subjects. Students also took part in an international learning activity on the environmental challenges of the twenty-first century and the actions available to them.

The project produced a manual on monitoring and evaluating educational projects and delivered training on digital evaluation tools. Using this knowledge, each Environmental Committee co-designed an Environmental Action Plan adapted to its school’s context, resources and calendar. These plans included concrete activities, responsibilities, indicators and methods for assessing behavioural change.

During the pilot phase, the schools implemented their Action Plans with guidance from environmental and evaluation experts. Teachers and students documented progress, assessed results and identified improvements. Students also participated in a European environmental initiatives summit, where they researched and presented climate actions from their countries, and in a best-practices event, where they shared the most effective school initiatives and reflected on their participation. The project’s materials and experiences were further disseminated through local events, social media and a dedicated website so that other schools could adapt and replicate the methodology.

2.1 | Education for Climate priority

develop green skills and competences

SDG (17) Partnerships for the Goals

2.4 | GreenComp: sustainability competence focus

1.1 Valuing sustainability (Embodying Sustainability Values)

2.3 Problem framing (Embracing Complexity in Sustainability)

4.2 Collective action (Acting for Sustainability)

4.3 Individual initiative (Acting for Sustainability)

2.6 | related EU initiative

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