FOREWORD
SCOTLAND WILL NOT LOOK THE SAME IN 2050 AS IT DOES NOW
Stewart Stevenson
Minister for Transport,
Infrastructure and Climate Change
Over the coming decades, changes in our climate will cause more frequent extreme weather events, threatening human life, homes and essential infrastructure. Incremental changes in climate, though less obvious, also present significant challenges with consequences for natural resources essential to life including fresh water supplies and food production. Climate change is also putting pressure on vital ecosystems and is changing our landscapes.
Scotland is taking necessary action to limit further climate change by establishing world-leading emissions reduction targets and the legislation required to achieve this ambition. With similar ambition from global partners, we can limit future climate change. But this will not protect us from the change driven by emissions already 'locked-in' to the system.
The Government's Economic Strategy sets out the Scottish Government's Purpose to create a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth. Unchecked, the impacts of climate change will threaten our achievement of this Purpose: affecting economic growth itself and our desired characteristics of growth - solidarity, cohesion and sustainability. Scottish organisations will face new risks to their business continuity. Long-life assets, such as transport infrastructure, may require early and expensive replacement if they cannot withstand new climate conditions. Communities may face both the economic pressures and long-term health implications of flooding.
With effective, co-ordinated planning we can ensure that Scotland is as resilient as possible to the future impacts of climate change while simultaneously ensuring low-carbon economic growth. It won't be pain free; climate change comes at a cost. We and our children will have to pay the price of past development. But with the right planning, the costs will be kept as low as possible and new opportunities can be taken. This challenge needs to be taken up not just by government, but across all sections of society - from businesses and individuals to local governments and public bodies.
We are now one of only a handful of nations with a national plan for climate change adaptation. This is new territory for Scotland and the Scottish Government. The Climate Change Adaptation Framework will provide a focus and drive to foster innovative ways to adapt to climate change. We will seek to lead and share this knowledge with partners in Scotland and with other nations - in particular, developing nations - as part of our global response to climate change.
Working together, we can be better prepared and more resilient to the challenges of climate change. I want Scotland to make choices today that look inspired tomorrow.