The Eco-Schools programme was developed in 1994 by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and introduced into the UK in 1995.
It is an international initiative that encourages pupils to engage with environmental and sustainable development issues. It provides a highly structured system for the environmental management of schools. In Wales the programme is managed by Keep Wales Tidy and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, the Countryside Council for Wales and Waste Awareness Wales.
The programme is a learning resource and topic areas include: Litter, Waste Minimisation, Transport, Healthy Living, Energy, Water, School Grounds and Global Citizenship. Pupils take key roles in decision making and participation in order to reduce the environmental impact of their school. In this way, Eco-Schools extends learning beyond the classroom and develops responsible citizenship attitudes both at home and in the wider community.
The Eco-Schools International Green Flag, awarded to schools with high achievement in their programme, is a recognised and respected eco-label for performance in Education for Sustainable Development. The Eco-Schools programme is a long-term activity, with the award being re-assessed and renewed every two years.
Eco-Schools are distributed throughout all 22 Welsh Local Authorities and include a broad range of Pre-school, Primary, Secondary and Special schools. There are presently over 90% of schools in Wales registered on the Eco-Schools programme. 
Visit the Eco-Schools Wales website to register on the programme and apply for awards at www.eco-schoolswales.org Here members can gain access to supporting resources and materials and visitors to the home page can download the latest newsletter and discover information on forthcoming events and competitions.