Reeza Hanselmann
FEE x Running Out of Time
FEE x Running Out of Time

FEE General Assembly in Crete elects new board and welcomes new president

Crete – June 2025

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is delighted to announce the successful conclusion of its General Assembly held in Crete. Representatives from FEE member organisations around the world gathered to reflect, discuss, and plan for the future of one of the world’s largest environmental education networks.

A highlight of the Assembly was the election of a new FEE Board, including the confirmation of a new President. We are honoured to welcome Nikos Petrou as the new President of FEE. Nikos brings a wealth of experience in environmental leadership and a deep commitment to FEE’s mission. We look forward to his guidance in shaping the next chapter of our work.

At the same time, we extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Lesley Jones, who has served with extraordinary dedication as FEE President for the past nine years. Her leadership has been marked by integrity, vision, and an unwavering belief in the power of education to drive environmental change. Lesley’s legacy will continue to inspire the FEE community for years to come.

The General Assembly also served as a platform for important strategic discussions. Members engaged in lively and constructive dialogue on programme innovation, governance, climate education, and the global relevance of FEE’s work. These conversations reaffirmed the strength and solidarity of our network, as well as our shared commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

FEE warmly thanks our Greek hosts and FEE member organisation, Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN) for their gracious hospitality and all participants for their active contributions. The energy, insight, and collaboration on display have set a powerful tone for the work ahead.

We congratulate the newly elected Board and extend a very warm welcome to President Nikos Petrou as we continue building a more sustainable and equitable world together.

Celebrating 13 years of impact: The Litter Less Campaign

A powerful partnership for change

Thirteen years ago a visionary partnership between FEE and the Mars Wrigley Foundation launched a project that would have lasting effects around the globe; LitterLess. What began as a response to FEE’s members and their schools regarding the growing litter crisis, evolved into something far greater- a campaign placing young people at the center of community action to tackle litter and waste on a global scale.

Through FEE’s Eco-Schools and Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) programmes, the campaign empowered young people to lead clean-up initiatives, educate their peers, influence local stakeholders, and advocate for policy change. Its influence extended far beyond the classroom and affected households, schools, communities, and even national policy. LitterLess became a movement that touched hearts, transformed mindsets and mobilised millions.

Legacy of learning and leadership

Across 35 countries, in more than 14,000 schools and through the collective voices of over 7.4 million Eco-Committees members and Young Reporters, the LitterLess campaign helped a new generation to clean up our planet. But this partnership has not just been about the data, it’s also about the individual stories of success it has inspired. It's about the diverse communities in Leicester, England who came together to stop traffic and chant in unison ‘LitterLess’ in a call to raise community action against waste. It’s about the 10th grade students in Bahrain who campaigned about the dangers of e-waste and visited the Bahraini Supreme Council for the Environment. It's about upcycling fashion shows in Australia, crocheting plastic in Kenyan schools, recycled puppet shows in Indian, community gardens in Croatia and much more.

The LitterLess campaign’s impact is both deep and far-reaching. By combining environmental education with action-based learning, LitterLess gave rise to a generation of informed, motivated, and responsible citizens. Students explored real-world issues through citizen science, creative journalism, and hands-on projects while developing the tools to make a lasting difference.

From winning national competitions to changing local waste management practices, the legacy of LitterLess is one of youth-led transformation. It serves as proof that when young people are given the tools and support to act, they can shape the future of their communities and the planet. When you invest in young people from the FEE network; not just as future leaders but as present-day advocates for change, your support makes a real impact.

Looking ahead: Join with us

As we celebrate the conclusion of the remarkable LitterLess campaign, FEE expresses heartfelt gratitude to the Mars Wrigley Foundation for their long-standing commitment and vision. This collaboration has shown how strategic, cross-sector partnerships can deliver scalable, sustainable, and measurable results in environmental education.

Now, FEE is looking to the future and to new partners ready to co-create more impactful initiatives. Our global network spans 85 countries, our programmes are grounded in decades of evidence-based learning and our mission is clear- to empower young people to create a more sustainable world. FEE is ideally positioned to develop and deliver meaningful, mission-aligned projects with corporate, NGO, and institutional partners.

We are now seeking partners, visionaries and philanthropists who believe in:

  • Environmental sustainability

  • Youth empowerment

  • Education for change

If your organisation is looking to leave a legacy like LitterLess then we invite you to talk with us. It’s only through meaningful and genuine partnerships that we can help every young person have a chance to shape how our world looks in the future …we invite you to connect with us.

Let’s explore how we can work together to build a more sustainable world. 📩 Get in touch with Lee Wray-Davies, Director of Education, lee@fee.global. We looking forward to hearing from you!

We've hit 10,000 users on FEE Academy!

We’re proud to share that we’ve reached 10,000 users on FEE Academy!

The need to set up an online learning platform was sown back in 2018. Originally planned as FEE University, it was meant to support the quality delivery of FEE Programmes by providing capacity-building to our rapidly growing member network. The pandemic supercharged the development of the platform, transforming the initial seedling of an idea into a much broader and inclusive initiative. We launched our first courses in early 2021 with just 300 users at the start, and we haven’t stopped growing since.

Today, FEE Academy has attracted users interested in capacity-building and professional development in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) from around the world, with the top five countries being the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, India, Greece and Uzbekistan. Over 5,500 course certificates have been issued across our 20 courses (with additional translated versions), and we’ve achieved an average completion rate of 49%, significantly above the 12 percent median completion rate (Uncovering MOOC Completion: A Comparative Study of Completion Rates from Different Perspectives | Open Praxis).

Our courses range from topics such as circular economy to outdoor education and sustainable tourism. We’ve seen great enrolment in the newly launched course for educators interested in the Young Reporters for Environment (YRE) programme as well as a new training course for Green Key establishments, while other more well-established courses like our introduction to biodiversity course and the Climate Change Education: From Knowledge to Action course developed by the Office for Climate Education continue to be fan favourites.

We’re continuing to build on this with new courses in development, such as the two-course package for educators interested in Eco-Schools, generously supported by PPG Industries, Inc. and a sustainable food systems course from the PLAN’EAT project.

FEE Academy has become an integral tool, not only in supporting our members in delivering high-quality FEE programmes, but also by supporting stakeholders down the line – educators, students, hospitality professionals and more. With FEE being a member of the Greening Education Partnership (GEP), our courses on FEE Academy are also being used to support greening teacher training and education system capacities as part of the GEP’s Pillar 3.

Of course, FEE Academy’s success would not have been possible without the support of many partners along the way. Many thanks to our FEE members who have used and shared courses, the Office for Climate Education, the Mars Wrigley Foundation, the Alcoa Foundation, the Helvellyn Foundation and PPG for helping deliver the resources needed to develop the courses and platform itself.

Testimonials from FEE Academy users

Looking forward, we’re excited to keep developing FEE Academy, creating new courses and improving existing ones, and continuing to provide free Education for Sustainable Development to all.

Sign-up to FEE Academy today and take free online environmental education courses:


Partner with us

If you’re interested in partnering with us to continue developing FEE Academy, please get in touch with pramod@fee.global or reeza@fee.global

Eco-Schools art exhibition in Türkiye

Ankara Eco-Schools celebrate nature through art

The 11th Ankara Eco-Schools Painting and Photography Exhibition took place on 15–16 April 2025 at the Nazım Hikmet Cultural Centre, bringing together students and teachers from 45 Eco-Schools across Ankara. This year’s theme, “My Nature Story”, highlighted young people’s creative reflections on the environment through visual art.

Organised under the coordination of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Türkiye, the event showcased the power of environmental education and collective action.

Read the full story and view all the art exhibition photos from the event on the Eco-Schools website:

Eco-Schools Ankara student pointing at their art
Eco-Schools Ankara student pointing at their art

FEE and ATTA announce partnership to promote sustainable travel practices

ATTA and FEE have created a Memorandum of Understanding with the goal of jointly promoting sustainability awareness, fostering practical implementation, encouraging community engagement, and activating market participation among the members of both organisations. This collaboration will benefit the members of ATTA and FEE (Green Key and Blue Flag programmes), while aiming to build more sustainable destinations and companies.

““The collaboration between ATTA and FEE will lead to the development of more resilient and eco-friendly travel destinations and continue setting a high standard for the industry.””
— Daniel Schaffer, Chief Executive Officer of FEE

By leveraging each other's strengths and resources, this partnership will enhance the visibility and impact of sustainability initiatives. It will provide a robust framework for members to adopt and showcase best practices in environmental stewardship. Additionally, it will facilitate deeper community involvement, encouraging local populations to actively participate in sustainability efforts. This concerted approach is expected to drive market activation, creating a competitive edge for businesses that prioritise sustainable practices. 

According to Shannon Stowell, CEO of ATTA, "Sustainability is no longer an option; it is a necessity for the future of travel. This partnership between ATTA and FEE represents a significant step toward equipping more destinations and businesses with the tools and knowledge to implement meaningful change. By working together, we can create a more responsible and resilient tourism industry that benefits communities, protects our planet, and enhances the traveler experience."

About Foundation for Environmental Education

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world’s largest Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries. With a network of over 50,000 educational institutions, the Eco-Schools, Learning About Ecosystems and Forests and Young Reporters for the Environment programmes empower young people to create an environmentally conscious world through experiential, project-based learning. The Green Key and Blue Flag programmes are globally recognised for promoting sustainable business practices and the protection of natural resources. With over 40 years of impactful experience in ESD, FEE’s strategic plan, GAIA 20:30, prioritises impactful action across all five programmes to address the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. 

About the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), established in 1990, is the largest global network of adventure travel leaders with around 30,000 individual guides, tour operators, lodges, travel advisors, tourism boards, destination marketing and management organisations, outdoor educators, gear companies and travel media who share a belief and commitment to sustainable tourism. ATTA’s mission is to empower the global travel community to protect natural and cultural capital while creating economic value that benefits both trade members and destinations. ATTA offers a portfolio of strategic solutions and a robust ecosystem of events around the world. ATTA has specialised expertise in research, education, media, and promotion.

Environmental education congress for a sustainable future

Article written by Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkiye (TÜRÇEV)

The Environmental Education Congress for a Sustainable Future organised by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkiye (TÜRÇEV) and Ankara University Water Management Institute (ENSTİTÜSU) took place at Antalya-Kemer Crystal De Luxe Hotel between February 10-12, 2025.

In the first comprehensive congress organised in the field of environmental education in Turkiye, 15 universities, 19 municipalities, numerous primary, secondary and high schools, public and private sector representatives and civil society organizations came together to address important issues in line with environmental awareness and sustainable development goals.

Topics such as environmental education, climate change adaptation, sustainable water management, zero waste practices, responsibilities of local governments, the role of the media in environmental awareness, the role of youth and women for the recovery of environmental depletion were highlighted in the congress.

Contribution to Turkiye’s environmental education roadmap

The Environmental Education Congress for a Sustainable Future offers an important platform that strengthens cooperation and information sharing among participants on environmental education and awareness studies. Expert speakers in the field share their views on how environmental sustainability can be better integrated into the education system. TÜRÇEV and ENSTİTÜSU continue their work to spread environmental awareness, stating that the ideas and suggestions emerging from the congress will contribute to environmental education policies.

“Environmental education is one of the cornerstones of building a sustainable future. This congress is an important platform that brings different stakeholders together in order to increase environmental awareness and produce permanent solutions”
— TÜRÇEV President and Former Minister of Tourism Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulkadir Ateş

TÜRÇEV General Manager and Congress Organisation Board Co-Chair Almila Kindan Cebbari stated the importance and contribution of empowering young people and women and highlighting their leadership was clearly understood at this congress. She also stated that they experienced that the network environment created thanks to this congress contributed to local, national and international collaborations.

“Environmental education is the most effective tool we have to combat the climate crisis and water stress we are experiencing, so it should be our primary goal.”
— Dr. Göksen Capar, Director of Ankara University Water Management Institute and congress board co-chair

Left to right: Almila Kindan, TÜRÇEV General Manager, Dr. Pramod Kumar Sharma, Senior Director of Education, Foundation for Environmental Education

In the congress, the session titled “International Approaches in Environmental Education” moderated by TÜRÇEV General Manager Almıla Kından Cebbari was attended by the following speakers: Dr. Pramod Kumar Sharma, Senior Director of Education from the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Mr. Wondwosen Asnake Kibret, UNEP Europe Office Representative; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamil Kurtul, UNICEF Turkiye Program Manager for Equal Opportunities in Education; and Ms. Gökçen Boz, Head of Projects and Social Partners Department of the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkiye. The panel opened up innovative and multi-faceted perspectives on environmental education and provided a highly productive environment for the exchange of ideas.

Critical role of environmental awareness in shaping policy

The Environmental Education Congress for a Sustainable Future concluded with a reaffirmation of the critical role of environmental awareness in shaping policies, educational curricula, and societal attitudes. The wide-ranging panels, workshops, and discussions provided a roadmap for future collaborations among universities, governmental institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations. Participants left the congress with strengthened resolve to integrate sustainability into diverse sectors, underscoring that holistic, multi-stakeholder approaches are essential to ensuring a resilient, equitable, and thriving future for all.

FEE President reflects on recent conference about sustainability action

Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) members in Asia gathered in Ahmedabad, India for the FEE Regional Network for Asia (FENA) meeting on 9 Jan 2025.

Chaired by Lesley Jones, FEE President, and hosted by Sanskriti Menon, from Centre for Environmental Education India and a FEE Board Member, the gathering took place at CEE’s headquarters where important discussions around the theme of sustainability action took place. Read Lesley Jones, FEE President’s reflections on the meeting!

There was recognition of the three big challenges facing us as a world, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, and that we should be in no doubt that we are in a climate and nature emergency.

Climate change resilience and adaptation, nature restoration and talking environmental pollution are inextricably linked and should be embedded across the whole curriculum.

They should also be part of vocational training, teacher training and informal learning outside of the education system, in the workplace, for example.

The Greening Education Partnership is significant as the focus has shifted from input/process to outputs/outcomes. With challenging targets, it is an opportunity to gain support from governments and the private sector to green schools at scale.

Knowledge is not enough – we have to bridge the gap between knowledge and action. Behaviour is not changing, we need to make emotional connections through values and culture. We need to win hearts and minds.

“We need to learn from nature - there is no waste nature.”
— Lesley Jones, FEE President

We need to communicate our messages to all citizens and the importance of visual communication through pictures and objects was emphasised.

Young people have a critical part to play and we need to harness the power of social media as a force for good -create a mass movement.

We need to be better at sharing success/good practice to learn from what is making a positive difference and replicate.

The NGO sector needs to use their voice together to advocate and influence government and business to do the right thing. Need to focus on skills for green jobs – this is how business/industry will change.

In conclusion, the conference showcased many inspiring initiatives, but there is not enough urgency. We need to move fast. There is a lot of talk about the issues, but we need to focus on the solutions.

We need to ask ourselves why we have we not achieved more and recognise that numbers and scale matter. We need to be more ambitious.