As the climate crisis accelerates, educating young people about sustainability is essential. But
classrooms and formal learning should not be the only means of doing it. To encourage more
engaging and intuitive learning, educators across Europe are increasingly turning to
experiential methods – such as outdoor activities and sport – to help young people understand
their role in protecting the planet.


That’s what the Greentrace project is all about. Led by the Faculty of Physical Activity and
Sports Sciences at the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV), Greentrace is a European project
that uses sport, outdoor exploration, and youth participation to inspire more sustainable
practices. It seeks to empower young people to drive change in their communities.
Rather than focusing on theory alone, Greentrace is built around active learning. Young people
learn about sustainability by moving, exploring nature, and collaborating in outdoor
environments through sport-based activities, team challenges, and environmental games.
Exposing young people to such a broad scope of activities:


● Creates a stronger connection with nature
● Advances leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
● Shows how small, sustainability-focused changes to everyday life can make a big
impact


According to Florentino Huertas, Greentrace project coordinator in Spain, “it is necessary to
strengthen the skills of youth leaders and other educators working with this age group through
new, sustainable learning designs in multidisciplinary contexts.”


Greentrace is set to fulfil this need through a digital platform where all project resources will be
freely available to students and educators. Key materials include a sustainability learning report
and an interactive manual for youth leaders. All the resources featured on this platform have a
common objective: they are designed to be practical, adaptable, and easy to apply in local
contexts across Europe.


The project also closely involves other organisations across Europe, including CUS Padova
(Italy), Anatta Foundation (Netherlands), Budapest Association for International Sports
(Hungary), and Active Youth Association (Lithuania). At its core, Greentrace reflects the
strength of European collaboration in addressing global challenges through education to build
more sustainable and resilient communities.


To learn more about Greentrace, follow its progress, and access educational resources, visit
https://greentraceproject.net/