Himalayas Schools Lead Climate Action

The Global Net Zero Campus Movement Reaches Godawari, Bagmati (Nepal)

January 24, 2026 | Godawari, Bagmati Province, Nepal

Nestled near the foothills of the Himalayas, schools in Godawari Municipality, Bagmati Province, have long been recognised for their strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. On January 24, these schools formally committed to joining the global Net Zero Campus movement during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Godawari, guided by invited guest, Dr Rajendra Shende, renowned global environmental expert, climate advocate, Founder-Director of Green TERRE Foundation, and former Director of UNEP.

“This exemplary initiative by schools in the Kathmandu Valley to adopt the Net Zero Campus model is the first of its kind among schools in the Himalayan region. It goes beyond awareness of the climate crisis by equipping students with hands-on skills through experiential learning on campus to catalyse real climate action,” said Dr Shende from Pune, India,during the virtual meeting.

More than 560 universities and institutions across 16 countries are already part of the Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) and have begun similar actions to achieve Net Zero campuses. Until now, these initiatives largely involved university students aged 18–26. For the first time in the Himalayan region, students below 18 years of age will now be systematically trained and skilled for climate action.

The meeting was organised by Rtn. Youraj Roka, President of the Rotary Club of Godawari, in collaboration with Green TERRE Foundation, with a focus on transforming schools in Godawari into environmentally responsible and climate-resilient institutions. “The Rotary Club is committed to initiatives that deliver real and measurable community impact. Enhancing climate-action skills among school students is therefore a key priority,” said Dr Roka.

The meeting was attended by around 20 Rotarians including Rotractor, participants from India. Dr Shende shared practical insights on achieving Net Zero Schools through climate-friendly practices, renewable energy adoption, waste management, and behavioural change. He underscored the importance of local action in addressing global climate challenges, highlighting schools as powerful agents of change for a sustainable future.

Ashutosh Acharya of the Rotary Club of Godawari reaffirmed the Club’s commitment to leading climate action initiatives in close collaboration with local stakeholders, beginning with the implementation of the Net Zero School model at Vajra Academy. “This initiative marks a milestone and a significant step forward in Godawari’s journey towards sustainability and environmental leadership,” he said. The initiative is expected to generate long-term environmental, educational, and social benefits for the Godawari region.

Green TERRE Foundation (GTF) is a not-for profit organisation in India. It is a global and local youth forum for sustainable solutions for our developmental imperatives. By nurturing the planet’s ecosystem GTF facilitates universities and higher to mainstream the future policy-makers and policy-implementers through experiential learnings. It encourages the deployment of digital technologies to speed and scale the sustainability.

Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) (www.sccnhub.com) is a flagship project of Green TERRE Foundation. SCCN is a Global Network of 550+ Universities and Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) from 15 countries that localises Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Net Zero in their campuses. SCCN is mentored by Erik Solheim, (former Minister of Environment of Norway as well as former USG of United Nations), Ovais Sarmad former Dy Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, Prakash Javadekar (former Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change) and Dr Vijay Bhatkar former Chancellor of Nalanda University.

Dr Rajendra Shende                                                                                      Rtn. Youraj Roka
Founder-Director, Green TERRE Foundation & SCCN                          President, Rotary Club of Godawari
Pune, India (www.sccnhub.com)                                                            RI District 3292 (Nepal & Bhutan)
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