Tailor-made Educational Programmes for Schools in the Binz/Alt-Wiedikon area
With the net zero pilot district, the City of Zurich is creating an experimental and learning space in the Binz/Alt-Wiedikon districts, where various climate protection approaches are being tested to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use resources efficiently. By 2031, this will result in a diverse range of solutions demonstrating how liveable and sustainable neighbourhood development can be achieved. Together with residents and companies in the Binz/Alt-Wiedikon area, the City of Zurich aims to identify which ideas and processes effectively support local change.
myclimate is supporting the project, amongst other things, as an expert in Climate Education and is contributing its specialist experience to test how climate literacy can be effectively promoted in a real-world neighbourhood setting. The insights gained are continuously incorporated into the further development of myclimate’s educational programmes and serve as a basis for the City of Zurich to assess their potential for expansion to other districts or the entire city.
Being part of the net zero pilot district makes our projects more valuable and realistic.
Testing Educational Programmes in the District
As part of the pilot district, the tried-and-tested myclimate ‘Zukunftswerkstatt’ programme is being used. In November, for example, pupils from the Wiedikon Cantonal School worked on issues relating to the City of Zurich’s net-zero strategy. In a multi-stage process, the young people developed their own project ideas and engaged intensively with the challenges and opportunities for action in the neighbourhood. A total of seven diverse project ideas emerged, demonstrating how committed and creative the young people are in tackling the challenges in the Net Zero pilot neighbourhood:
- Bike2School competition at the school
- Biodiversity workshops for primary schools
- TikTok account for the Net Zero pilot neighbourhood to get young people excited about climate protection
- School garden at the Wiedikon Cantonal School
- Cookbook on seasonal cuisine, food waste, plant-based diets and recipes from the neighbourhood
- Cookery courses for older people on vegetarian and vegan diets
- Song about consumption and waste in Zurich – including a music video
In addition to the Zukunftswerkstatt, new initiatives are also being developed through a participatory process. Work on establishing the partnership with Bühl School began as early as spring 2025, in collaboration with a working group. In August, the entire school team was involved. A highlight was the major kick-off event in September, attended by 340 pupils from Years 1 to 6 and around 35 teachers. The day included a joint kick-off in the playground, station-based activities on sustainability topics, reflection sessions in the classrooms, vision journeys and a joint brainstorming session for the ‘Bühl-City’ project. Through this, the school community imagined a sustainable future for their school.
I like the fact that our own project has a real practical connection. It helps us not just to stand by helplessly and watch climate change. I also thought it was lovely that we were allowed to draw our own ideas in the fresh air.
Piloting Concrete Projects Together
A central element of the educational work in the net zero pilot district is the joint testing of concrete projects. Together with the pupils, ideas are developed that are based on real-life issues from their local environment. The young people take an active role in this process: from developing initial approaches to formulating concrete project ideas. myclimate provides expert support throughout this process and contributes its experience in action-oriented Climate Education.
Over the coming months, the Wiedikon Cantonal School and Bühl School will receive needs-based support from the myclimate education team. For example, the secondary school pupils will receive direct technical support through coaching, leading up to the award ceremony for the best projects in summer 2026 as part of the net zero pilot district festival. The collaboration with Bühl School takes the form of expert input on climate and sustainability topics, teaching materials, and support in coaching the pupils during their project development.