Hungary

A New Ministry of the Environment and a Motto That Invites Reflection!

As every year, children in Hungary are out and about during their climate action weeks in September and October, collecting Zöld Mérföld / Green Miles. After 16 years, Hungary once again has its own dedicated Ministry of the Environment, a real sign of hope for climate protection in the country. This year's Green Footprints campaign by our partner organisation Reflex takes place under this promising sign, running under the motto "ELÉG" (Hungarian for "enough").

The word carries several layers of meaning: it asks how much would actually be enough to fairly meet everyone's needs. A question that feels especially pressing against the backdrop of a hot, dry summer in which nature in Hungary is visibly suffering from drought.
At the same time, the word "ELÉG" also contains "LÉG", the Hungarian word for air, a reference to wind and air as a source of energy.

So far, 35 schools and kindergartens with around 7,000 children and young people and 700 teachers have registered for the campaign, and registration is still open, so more institutions are likely to join.
The action period runs from 1 September to 16 October 2026, with feedback from participating institutions expected by the autumn school holidays. We don't yet have photos from the participating schools and kindergartens, but we're already looking forward to seeing them in the coming weeks.

During the action weeks, institutions can choose from a colourful range of ideas: from greening schoolyards to a shared "wind picture" made of kites and pinwheels, to a writing and drawing campaign titled "What are you doing for the Earth? One thought is enough!".
Natural shade providers for the schoolyard, homemade pinwheels made from recycled materials, and seasonal dessert balls made from local ingredients are also on the list of ideas.

This year, the children are especially passionate about the campaign "Raise your umbrella for our future!". An umbrella campaign through which they are advocating for a new Hungarian climate law. It ties in with a larger civil society movement: back in September 2025, 34 organisations, including Reflex, had already called for such a law. In July 2026, a draft bill was completed together with around 40 experts and nearly 200 civil society organisations (find out more here).

We'll keep you posted!

Stand: 17. September 2026