This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Blueprint for councils on climate change
31/08/2001
Council are advised to take a more environmentally sensitive approach to the potential effects of climate change, in guidance published today.
Deputy Environment Minister Rhona Brankin today launched the blueprint Community Leadership and Climate Change in Scotland: Guidance for Chief Executives of Scottish Local Authorities. The leaflet provides guidance to councils on reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights the actions local authorities can take which will also contribute towards wider objectives in areas such as social justice and health improvements.
A strategy on climate change could result in:
- lower fuel bills through helping people tackle fuel poverty and its health effects;
- increased competitiveness of business through reduced costs;
- new employment and training opportunities;
- a better transport system through improved access;
- improved local air quality;
- increased resilience to the effects of climate change leading to greater protection and a better quality of life for people locally.
Rhona Brankin Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development said: "Climate change is recognised as the most serious environmental threat we currently face. It cannot be addressed effectively by a single agency and requires to be considered as a priority by all of us. Community engagement is essential and local government is uniquely placed to play a leading role. Councils have lead responsibility for developing Community Planning in Scotland and this is a vital area for action to help us deliver our Kyoto commitments.
"Climate friendly policies will help reduce the worst anticipated impacts of climate change and therefore contribute to the environmental objectives of the Scottish Climate Change Programme. They also offer economic and social opportunities. By taking early action to address and adapt to the expected impacts of climate change our communities will benefit from an improved environment, increased employment opportunities and healthier homes.
"If we ignore climate change the prospects are bleak - additional costs and misery from increased storm damage and flooding, lost revenue and perhaps failure of businesses in the agriculture, fisheries and tourism sectors and higher incidence of health problems such as respiratory diseases associated with damp.
"Local authorities are major users of energy. Reduction measures offer financial savings as well as acting as a signal to others that wasting energy is unacceptable. In addition, by seeking to obtain supplies of energy from new renewable sources, which are exempt from the climate change levy, local authorities will reduce costs and be at the forefront of encouraging investment and expansion of Scotland's renewable industry.
"Climate change will impact on our country and our communities. That is now considered a
certainty. That is why it requires a commitment at the highest level and, by working together, we can prepare for the challenges we will face. We ignore climate change at our peril."
BACKGROUND
- Climate change will have wide ranging implications for people, the economy, and the natural and built environment of countries across the world. Research shows that Scotland is likely to become warmer, wetter and windier with an increased risk of flooding as a result of climate change.
- This guidance was put together jointly by the Executive, CoSLA and SOLACE, each of whom has a keen interest in how local authorities contribute to the objectives contained in the Scottish Climate Change Programme.
- The Scottish Climate Change Programme, published in November 2000, details measures in devolved areas aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases believed to be causing climate change. This programme of measures contributes to the UK Climate Change Programme which was also published in November. The UK Programme contains measures aimed at delivering the UK Kyoto commitment of a 12.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-2012 and moving the UK as a whole toward the domestic goal of a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. Copies of both the Scottish and UK programmes are available on the Executive's climate change web-site at www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange