20 years Green Footprints - Join in!: Results > Results 2023
Green Footprints for the Climate Conference in Dubai
In 2023 "Kids for Climate Action" were on the move in the following countries:
- Austria
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Sweden
- United Arab Emirates
Find out more about what they can report from their Climate Action Weeks on the individual country sub-pages.
Over 3.6 million Green Footprints by more than 250,000 children
from eleven countries - breaking all previous records!
This is a very special gift for the 20th anniversary of the campaign - a big thank you to everyone who has made this happen.
Handover at UN Climate Summit in Egypt
On December 5, at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai, Climate Alliance handed over the Green Footprints from 2023 to the UNFCCC with the great support of children from the German International School Dubai (DISD).
In addition to a poster with their results and their wishprints, the children presented the climate politicians with a song, reminding them that we only have this one world. The lyrics read "Maybe just one chance to end this madness, the future is in our hands." - We hope that the delegates will take this to heart.
"With the campaign, we were able to convey to the children how important environmentally conscious behaviour is. We will definitely be back next year!" emphasised Michael Lummel, Headmaster of Dubai’s German International School, who supported the handover with the choir of fourth-graders.
Also, the 20th anniversary of the Climate Alliance's Green Footprints Campaign was subject of the Footprints handover at the UN Climate Summit. Since 2003, children all over Europe have been diligently collecting Green Footprints, Grüne Meilen, Gréng Meilen, Groene Voetstappen etc., for example, by walking to school or using energy sustainably at daycare centres and at home. Over the past two decades, the campaign has reached well over 3 million children from 42 countries. Together, they have collected 44,456,936 green footprints, sending a clear message for more climate action to political decision-makers year after year.
"20 years of Green Footprints is a success story! We should all see the tireless commitment of the children as a challenge to do more. The big decisions for a future worth living must be made together, here and now," comments Thomas Brose, Executive Director of Climate Alliance.
The little climate protectors once again came up with lots of creative solutions for their own contribution to climate protection, which we are happy to document here on the website - enjoy browsing!
This year's handover was supported by the UN Youth Delegates from Climates Austria as well as a group of Indigenous Peolpes Delegates from Amazonia.
Also Leonore Gewessler, Climate Minister from Austria was present and expressed her great graditute to every single Green Footprint collector in a short video.
Many thanks to all supporters!
Results at a glance:
- 2023 Campaign Report
with wishes of children and statements of participating schools - 2023 Green Footprints Poster
- Press release
- pdf PR Template for participants
- Photos in our flickr album
- Climate Alliance at COP 28
Climate Alliance was accompanied at the handover by Barbara Botos, the Hungarian Climate Ambassador, Cornelia Jäger from the Austrian Climate Ministry, Andrea Gössinger Wiese from the Province of Styria and numerous UN youth delegates from Austria and Germany, including Undine Fleischmann and David Jablonski. A group of indigenous people from the Amazon also joined us spontaneously.
Many thanks to everyone for so much great support!
The 4th grade choir, German International School, Dubai
togehther with Michael Lummel, Headmaster, Inga Rehbein, Elementary School Prinicipal, (red blouse) and some teachers accompanying the children
The Austrian Climate Minister Gewessler also celebrated 20 years of Green Footprints with us in Dubai. She had the results poster of the Austrian Climate Footprints with her.
Minister Gewessler (center), Thomas Brose, Managing Director of Climate Alliance (to her left), Silke Lunnebach, Climate Alliance (second from left) and some (senior) UN Youth Delegates from Austria (far right David Jablonski, Lena Rauter and Jasmin Lang, left side Philipp Steininger)
Copyright BMK / Cajetan Perwein