The Co-Creation of Nature-Based Schoolyards as a Climate Change Education Initiative: An Analysis of Sustainability Competences

The implementation of nature-based solutions in school environments for climate adaptation can be a powerful climate change education initiative for community members when guided by an inclusive approach in both design and maintenance. In this chapter we explore how the co-creation of nature-based schoolyards promotes stakeholders’ knowledge, skills and attitudes to make and keep their school environment more sustainable and climate adapted while disentangling perceived barriers to build these competences. We relied on the GreenComp approach in sustainability education as a conceptual and analytical framework, and used the Barcelona pioneering programs on schoolyards climate adaptation and naturalization as a case study. We discuss how the co-creation of nature-based schoolyards can be understood and applied as a disruptive educational intervention, boosting climate change education based on reflection and action at schools while promoting sustainability competences in teachers and other stakeholders. Finally, we also make recommendations on how these sustainability competences could be enhanced and promoted among users in future school greening projects.