Edinburgh’s residents and businesses are being urged to follow the lead of the city’s young people in taking action on climate change by joining the Council’s new Net Zero Challenge.
The challenge aims to encourage citizen action across the city and comes as COP26 climate talks get underway in Scotland.
Pupils at St Peter’s RC Primary school to the south of the city centre are growing produce in the school vegetable garden for use in meals and snacks, as part of the school-wide approach to support the city’s 2030 net zero target.
Pumpkins grown in the school’s vegetable garden have been used to make pumpkin muffins, apples have been turned into chutney, and other seasonal produce such as leeks and potatoes for soup. Food recycling is commonplace at the school with waste turned into compost for the vegetable garden to nurture new crops.
Pupils also turn non-recyclable plastic items such as crisp packets and snack wrappers into ‘ecobricks’. After washing the wrappers, the pupils cut them into small pieces and stuff them tightly into used bottles. The ecobricks are collected and can be joined together to make furniture and in structures for gardens and play parks.
Inspired by the pupils actions the City of Edinburgh Council is calling on people of all ages, and businesses, to follow their example and take part in the Net Zero Challenge and highlight through social media what they are doing to cut their carbon emissions using the #MyClimateAction hashtag.
Edinburgh residents and businesses are being encouraged to measure their carbon footprint to discover where they can take climate action in their personal life, with advice and support on hand at NetZeroEdinburgh.org
Participants taking up the Net Zero Challenge can visit NetZeroEdinburgh.org which features ideas on how residents and business can make a difference – such as:
calculating your carbon footprint
looking at the way you heat and power your home to make it more energy efficient
choosing public transport or trips by foot or bike
thinking about what you buy and where you buy it from to make things last.
Council leader Adam McVey said: “Edinburgh’s young people are strongly advocating for change and explaining why we need to tackle climate change to secure their future. We know our residents and businesses understand the need to change to get to net-zero.
“Awareness of climate change and the impacts on our city has never been higher, but we know from recent climate consultations that some people are still unsure of where they can start taking action.
“Measuring your carbon footprint is free and easy to do. And it lets you know the areas of life where you can make the biggest impact on your personal emissions.
“With COP26 taking place in Scotland, this is the perfect opportunity for all of us across our Capital to work together and take steps to cut our emissions. By all working together we can make a difference and hit net-zero by 2030 and secure the future of our children and grandchildren.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day added: “Hitting Edinburgh’s net zero target by 2030 is something that everyone who lives and works in the city will need to play their part in. That’s why it’s really it’s great to see the pupil’s at St Peter’s leading the way on climate action within their school as small changes do add up as we all do something different.
“That’s why we’ve launched the Net Zero Challenge as a quick and easy way to find out how you can help make a difference and create a cleaner, greener city.
“Because we all have a responsibility to act now and play our part in protecting our city for generations to come.”
Teacher Catherine McCabe, who helps lead St Peter’s sustainable activities, said: “Taking steps to be more sustainable and cutting our carbon footprint has become part of daily life at school.
“Whether it’s growing food in our vegetable garden, making compost from food waste or turning crisp wrappers into building blocks that can be used in making furniture, the kids are so involved in playing their part, from nursery and as they move through the school.
“It’s really inspiring to see the children getting so hands-on at this age and developing such good habits they can carry through their lives and, along the way, inspire others in the city to do their bit to take action on climate change.”
Chancellor to set out plans for UK to be the world’s first net zero aligned financial centre, calling for other countries to follow suit
Over $130 trillion – 40% of the world’s financial assets – will now be aligned with the climate goals in the Paris Agreement, thanks to climate commitments from financial services firms
New UK climate finance projects funded from the UK’s international climate finance commitment will help developing countries to fund green growth and adapt to the changing climate
The Chancellor will set out the UK’s plans to become the world’s first net zero aligned financial centre and welcome “historic” climate commitments from private companies covering $130 trillion of financial assets as he hosts Finance Day at COP26 today (3 November 2021).
These commitments will help to create a huge pool of cash that could fund our net zero transition, including the move away from coal, the shift to electric cars, and the planting of more trees.
Convening the largest ever meeting of finance leaders on climate change, Rishi Sunak will set out the UK’s “responsibility to lead the way” and unveil a fresh push to decarbonise our world-leading financial centre.
Under the proposals, there will be new requirements for UK financial institutions and listed companies to publish net zero transition plans that detail how they will adapt and decarbonise as the UK moves towards to a net zero economy by 2050.
To guard against greenwashing, a science-based ‘gold standard’ for transition plans will be drawn up by a new Transition Plan Taskforce, composed of industry and academic leaders, regulators, and civil society groups.
In his opening keynote at Finance Day, Mr Sunak will hail the progress made to “rewire the entire global financial system for net zero” under the UK’s leadership of COP and reveal that over $130 trillion – around 40% of the world’s financial assets – is now being aligned with the climate goals in the Paris Agreement, including limiting global warming to 1.5C.
These commitments come from over 450 firms from all parts of the financial industry, based in 45 countries across six continents, and have been delivered through the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which was launched by the UK to harness the power of the financial sector in the transition to net zero.
The UK has also worked as chair of the G7, and in partnership with other G20 countries, to ensure all economic and financial decisions take the risks of climate change into account. The UK has convened over 30 advanced and developing countries from across 6 continents and representing over 70% of global GDP to back the creation of a new global climate reporting standards by the IFRS Foundation to give investors the information they need to fund net zero.
Celebrating this progress, the Chancellor will urge financial firms to “mobilise private finance quickly and at scale” and call on governments to enact bold climate policies to take advantage of these enormous financial resources.
Reiterating the importance the UK COP Presidency has placed on getting finance to the most vulnerable countries, Mr Sunak will also highlight that the $100 billion climate finance target will be met by 2023 and urge developed countries to boost their support to developing countries – including by helping them tap into the trillions of dollars committed to net zero by the private sector.
The UK will seek to address barriers to finance faced by developing countries with a series of new green initiatives funded from its international climate finance (ICF) commitment, including £100 million to respond to recommendations from the UK co-chaired Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance to make it faster and easier for developing countries to access finance for their climate plans.
In total, the UK will spend £576 million on a package of initiatives to mobilise finance into emerging markets and developing economies, including £66 million to expand the UK’s MOBILIST programme, which helps to develop new investment products which can be listed on public markets and attract different types of investors.
And in a further advance towards the $100 billion goal, the Chancellor will announce the launch of an innovative new financing mechanism – the Climate Investment Funds’ Capital Markets Mechanism (CCMM) – that will boost investment into clean energy like solar and wind power in developing countries.
The UK is already the biggest donor to the multilateral Climate Investment Funds, having contributed £2.5 billion, and will now give the returns from its investments (known as reflows) to CCMM. This new fund will use reflows to help it issue green bonds worth billions of pounds in the City of London – the world’s leading green finance centre – and could leverage an extra $30-70 billion from other sources for specific clean energy projects.
Janine Hirt, Chief Executive Officer, Innovate Finance said:“As the voice of UK FinTech, we passionately support the development of the UK as the first net zero aligned financial centre.
“Net Zero transition will be driven by finance and capital markets and it will be enabled by technology and data. As a leading global centre for financial services and for financial technology and innovation, the UK can and should lead the way in rewiring the entire global financial system for net zero.”
Dr Ben Caldecott, Director, UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment (CGFI) Chief said:“This is huge. The world’s largest international financial centre will become the world’s first net zero-aligned financial centre.
“This is underpinned by world-leading regulation and the economy-wide adoption of net zero transition plans. This will spur demand for green finance and accelerate decarbonisation, not just in the UK but wherever UK firms do business.
“This will make a real difference and means the UK financial services sector will play an even larger role in providing the capital and financial services required to deliver net zero globally.”
“The UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment is excited to act as the secretariat, together with E3G, for the new Transition Plan Taskforce to develop a ‘gold standard’ for transition plans and associated cutting edge metrics.
“We are the UK’s national centre established to accelerate the adoption and use of climate and environmental data and analytics by financial institutions internationally.”
Julie Page, Chief Executive Officer, AON said:“We welcome and support the Chancellor’s plans for the UK to be the world’s first net zero aligned financial centre.
“All industries have an important role in helping to achieve this goal and through Aon’s own 2030 net-zero commitment, we will contribute to this historical commitment and help lead the way towards a net zero economy.”
Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE, Chief Executive, Green Finance Institute said:“Today marks the day that green finance has reached a point of critical momentum. The amount of capital committed to the transition to net zero has reached unprecedented levels.
“The task before us now is to come together in radical collaboration to unlock investment opportunities at speed and scale so we can channel this wall of capital into real economy outcomes that not only positions the UK as the world’s first net zero financial centre but also delivers a just and resilient net-zero global economy”
Kay Swinburne, Vice Chair of Financial Services, KPMG UK said:“This announcement will provide the financial services industry with a valuable set of unified metrics to measure progress towards decarbonisation and it is brave to put a gold standard in place for all companies raising funding.
“We’re pleased to see the UK lead by example by not only establishing the GFANZ initiative, but also expanding private sector commitments and supporting a science based approach to reporting standards.”
James Alexander, Chief Executive, UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF) said:“We warmly welcome the Chancellor’s ambition to make the UK the world’s first net-zero aligned financial services centre.
“As the first major economy to legislate to cut emissions to net zero by 2050, this is a natural step in the UK’s climate leadership journey and recognises the central role of the sustainable finance sector in addressing the climate crisis.
“UKSIF and our members look forward to actively engaging in these next steps, particularly helping to build a shared definition of a good quality transition plan and more broadly a net-zero finance sector.
“Government and regulators should work closely with the financial services industry to identify the policies and actions required to progress our sector towards this world-leading ambition.”
Investing to tackle climate change
The crucial role of private investment in efforts to achieve net zero will be set out by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon later today (Wednesday) as part of Finance Day at COP26.
The First Minister will join the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at the opening session of a Green Investment Showcase to detail how private investors can help drive the green industries of the future.
The First Minister will emphasise Scotland’s role as a world leader in sustainable industries and highlight the associated investment opportunities that exist, including through Scotland’s Green Investment Portfolio – now valued at £2 billion and which is expected to reach £3 billion in 2022.
The Showcase, hosted by Scottish Enterprise, will be attended by international and UK-based institutional investors, along with climate and clean tech companies seeking investment.
The First Minister said: “COP26 provides what is possibly our best chance to advance the societal and economic change that is demanded by the climate emergency, delivering lasting action towards net zero and a climate-resilient future.
“By grasping the opportunities provided by green industries and supply chains, we can create the good green jobs of the future and secure a just transition away from fossil fuels.
“The role of private capital is fundamental to achieving this and governments must do what they can to channel investment into areas supporting transformational change.
“Through our Green Investment Portfolio, which is already valued at £2 billion, the Scottish Government highlights a range of exciting, commercially assessed investment propositions to investors and showcases businesses in Scotland as world leaders in innovative green industries of the future.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said: “COP26 is a landmark moment in the fight against climate change. We need to take bold action now or we will face catastrophic consequences in the years to come.
“Climate action and economic growth must go hand in hand – in London I’m investing in green technology which generates good quality jobs, for Londoners and across the UK. Turning the tide on climate change will require record investment and coordinated action from everyone – cities, businesses, governments and communities.
“That’s why I am committed to working with the Scottish Government in pioneering green investment and I’m proud to announce that I will be committing over £30 million in additional funding in London which will help encourage up to £150 million of private investment in low carbon projects and create jobs that will help achieve our 2030 net zero target.”
The British Dental Association has warned the Scottish Government plans to revert to pre-COVID models of care risks sparking a flight of dentists from the NHS, with potentially devastating consequences for patient access across Scotland.
In October Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf wrote to all NHS dental teams that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022. Since the first lockdown NHS practices have operated under a COVID support package, reflecting pandemic pressures and tight infection control restrictions that continue to limit capacity across the service.
According to a new survey of dentists in Scotland [1]:
80% of dentists estimate their practices will reduce their NHS commitment should the Scottish Government withdraw emergency support and return to pre-COVID models of care. Over a third (38%) of dentists indicate they are now likely to change career or seek early retirement in the next 12 months should the policy be taken forward. 15% say they are likely to practice dentistry outside of Scotland, and 1 in 10 estimate their practice is likely to cease operations.
Half of dentists report that they are operating at less than 50% of pre-COVID capacity. While the Scottish Government has offered a support package to boost capacity, many practices are unwilling to commit to a broken NHS model. Over 30% say they have not applied, andamong those half (50%) say they are now unable to commit to the NHS long-term. Support for ventilation costs requires a minimum 3 year commitment to the NHS.
9 in 10 of dentists (89%) estimate the removal of emergency funding will have a high impact on the short-medium term sustainability of their practices.
BDA Scotland have warned from the outset that a return to a ‘business as usual model’ – low margin and high volume – will put practices under unsustainable financial pressure and will likely lead to closures or movement to the private sector. Practices are facing an unprecedented backlog, with recent data from Public Health Scotland indicating that the number of treatments delivered in the year to March 2021 was less than 25% of those delivered in the previous 12-month period, corresponding to over 3.5 million appointments lost as a result of the pandemic.
NHS dental care free at the point of use remains a centrepiece SNP policy. BDA Scotland has said the Scottish Government must change course to achieve that goal, develop an interim funding package to support dentists and their teams as they work through the backlog, and begin work on a new, sustainable model for delivering care.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“Free NHS dentistry for all is a worthy ambition. Rather than exploring ways to actually achieve that goal the Scottish Government has blindly headed down a road that could destroy this service.
“COVID has slashed our capacity, yet emergency support will end. Yes, Ministers have offered some support, but with small print many practices simply could not sign up to in good conscience.
“Dentists are unwilling to be shackled to a corpse. When aid hinges on committing to an NHS model that is now frankly unsustainable it is unsurprising take up appears so modest.
“We doubt Humza Yousaf wants to be remembered as the man who killed NHS dentistry in Scotland. Without a willingness to reflect on choices made in recent weeks that risks being his legacy.”
A Fife church that provided school children with tablets to help with online learning has received £1,500 prize money in a national competition.
The Good News church competition was launched by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical to shine a light on churches’ bright ideas and success stories, community heroes and ingenuity in the face of adversity.
St Luke the Evangelist Church in Auchmuty, Glenrothes was chosen as the regional winner for Scotland – earning themselves £1,500 to support the church’s work in the community.
The church, led by former teacher Father Gerry Dillon, provided computers and tablets to local pupils to take part in online learning during the UK-wide lockdown.
Father Gerry Dillon, Priest of St Luke the Evangelist, Glenrothes and St Finnian’s, Lochgelly, said: “We are delighted to win and very grateful to Ecclesiastical for the award which we’ll be putting towards our AV equipment.
“The AV system will widen access to our community space(s), and to the community groups and services working with people and within our community. It will also make it possible for us to partner with global projects and initiatives who can broaden individual and community horizons.
“This scheme not only helped us partner with the local school to support the learning of children through digital devices, but also to develop parents’ literacy, numeracy and digital skills – which has been an unexpected benefit of this initiative.
“Going forward St Luke’s will continue to be an additional space in the community that will be of use for the ongoing well-being of the whole community, as well as developing nurturing opportunities, especially with local schools and youth groups.”
St Luke’s will now join four other churches in the national final where they can win a further £6,000 as overall winner – bringing the total winnings to £7,500.
Helen Richards, church director at Ecclesiastical, said: “Congratulations to St Luke the Evangelist Church, our regional winner for Scotland. Their efforts to support local pupils who were without access to computers or devices needed for online learning during the pandemic really impressed our judging panel.
“Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought with it, churches have remained a beacon of hope to the communities they are based in.
“That’s why this year’s theme for our church competition is ‘Good News’! We wanted to help shine a light on those unsung heroes in our communities and the new initiatives that churches have come up with to help those most in need – spreading the ‘Good News’ far and wide.”
Members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite shortlisted church to help decide the overall national winner, who will receive a further £6,000.
For those of you expecting to hear more about the Friendship Benches project, and perhaps even see some of the finished benches, prepare to be disappointed. Bad weather on the chosen weekend meant the decorating work could not go ahead outside as planned and has had to be postponed.
We’ll keep you updated on a revised timetable and let you know when the results can be seen.
Talking of delays, yet more problems with getting the new Victoria Primary School building ready for pupils, has meant that the earliest the Heart can expect to be in possession of the keys to the old site is now January 2022. We will of course update you when we have a more concrete timeline to share.
In the meantime however, time does not stand still. There is always work going on behind the scenes with the Trustees and volunteers, and new Working Groups are being formed to help make the transition from community vision to community reality.
These groups will be dealing with practical working arrangements for the site, community projects, and communications and marketing. If you would like to help out in any way, please use the Volunteering page on the website to get in touch.
Projects of course are always underway, despite Covid, especially as we ease out of full lockdown.
We recently collaborated with an exhibition entitled Forth Reflections, which was held in Ocean Terminal. Collaborators were Edinburgh Wellbeing PACT and the Forth/Edinburgh Shoreline Project.
This was an exhibition of crafted calico squares made by local residents, who used the squares to highlight a particular stretch of the Forth coast that meant something special to them.
They were used creatively to highlight concerns about pollution but also to illustrate the importance of living near water and how it helps individual well-being. On hand to talk to visitors were some of the Heart’s Trustees and collaborators, who discussed what well-being, one of the Heart’s main community objectives, means and how it can be improved.
Here’s what some of the visitors said:
“Living near the sea, walking, wandering with that Scottish sea breeze, gives me life and energy and reminds me to breathe.”
“I love to look at the ocean because you can lose yourself there.”
“Such pleasure taken in lockdown walking by the sparkling sea, such sadness at the pollution.”
There was more support also, for the Heart of Newhaven Community project as a whole:
“I think the Heart of Newhaven is a very good idea for people to have somewhere to go after we have all been in isolation for so long and it will be very positive to move on.”
“There is a great need of places to go that are suitable for people with disabilities. During lockdown there was nowhere to go and it’s taking time for people to feel comfortable about going out again.”
“The Newhaven area needs a community centre – there is nothing like that here.”
It is exciting to be able to report that the Heart is one of six designated community hubs along the banks of the Forth chosen to host exhibitions and activities associated with the wider Restoration Forth programme.
Restoration Forth has obtained a substantial grant for the many facets it involves, including the restoration of seagrass beds which provide the right habitat for, among other things, the oysters that used to be so plentiful in the Firth.
You can read more about the project and the new funding here:
Heart of Newhaven Community is happy to be actively collaborating with such exciting initiatives and even more will be taking place once we’re in our new home.
Remember as ever, to check the Heart of Newhaven Community website and social media for any updates or news.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is advising that the safest place to enjoy fireworks is at a professionally-organised public display as fewer people are injured here than at private gatherings.
Ashley Martin, RoSPA’s public health adviser, said: “We see hundreds of firework-related injuries every year, and they literally change lives, with people receiving scarring that requires lifelong treatment.”
“If there are organised displays available in your area we’d encourage members of the public to attend, as these will be put on by those trained in the use of fireworks, and will ensure that you and your family are safer.
However, as we head towards Bonfire Night and Diwali, we face the possibility that many public firework displays may not go ahead, whether it’s down to COVID-19, reduced stocks, or a change in safety labelling.
Ashley continued“If you are attending a private event, or putting on your own display, we’d urge you to adhere to the Firework Code, and make sure you are buying any fireworks only from reputable retailers. Please be aware that rules around the use of fireworks can vary depending on which part of the UK you live in.
“Check that the firework box carries a CE or UKCA mark, make sure you’re only buying category 2 and category 3 fireworks, and before using please check the distance requirements on the instructions.”
Thinking of holding a fireworks party?
Follow the Firework Code:
Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable, and check the time that you can legally set off fireworks
Only buy fireworks which carry the CE or UKCA mark, keep them in a closed box and use them one at a time
Read and follow the instructions on each firework, using a torch if necessary
Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back
Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
Never return to a firework once it has been lit
Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them
Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire
Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.
Seed funding made available to help communities combat climate change
To achieve the ambitious changes needed to tackle climate change, environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is urging communities across the nation to come forward and register events as part of Scotland’s Climate Festival.
The exciting new initiative aims to kick start climate conversations and inspire community led climate action. Whatever the outcome of discussions by world leaders at COP26 in Glasgow, it will augment the scale and increase the impact of empowered local voices across Scotland.
Community climate action is already widespread across Scotland and, building on that, we are calling for communities already hosting events, big and small, physical and online, to sign up to be part of Scotland’s Climate Festival – amplifying the call for greater action and raising awareness of the changes we all need to make if Scotland is to become a Net Zero Nation by 2045.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “COP26 coming to Scotland is a unique opportunity to advance the society-wide transformation demanded by the climate crisis. That’s why we are determined to make sure the event reaches out far beyond the negotiations in Glasgow, into every community in the country.
“Scotland has made great progress in delivering its world-leading climate targets and is already over half-way to net zero. To end our contribution to climate change within a generation, we will all need to play role. Our communities and young people will be at the heart of that action.
“This programme will help empower everyone to take action to tackle climate change – especially those that might have not previously engaged.”
All climate event organisers will have access to expert advice and resources to help promote local events in their community. They will also be offered the opportunity to work with national agencies, such as Sustrans, Zero Waste Scotland and Community Energy Scotland, to create and support events.
Climate events will be added to an online festival map and events calendar further promoting action and engaging wider audiences.
And, to help voices of people everywhere to be included, a Seed Fund has been opened to support organisers set up community climate festivals and events across Scotland.
Funds of up to £500 are available and will support groups that are interested in starting a new climate event in their local community, or in getting their fledging event to the next stage.
Catherine Gee, Deputy CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “The hosting of COP26 in Scotland must be a catalyst to broaden and intensify climate action so that everyone, from all areas of life, can play their part combatting the climate emergency.
“Scotland’s Climate Festival will bring the issues discussed before, during and after COP26 right to the heart of our communities, providing much needed energy and mobilisation to support local action whatever the global agreement is.
“Building on our track record of supporting communities and young people we aim to further unlock opportunities for those currently not engaged in climate change action by providing resources, links to national agency supporters, webinars, branded communications kits and seed funding.”
Scotland’s Climate Festival is supported by the Scottish Government.
Financial organisations are operating heavily in ore mining, oil extraction, shale drilling, coal mining and – worst of all – they are active in the destruction of the world’s forests.
The rapid destruction has now reached 70% of our forests. Behind these ghastly figures stand the faceless multinational financial organisations.
The felling of the world’s trees reduces the ability of the forests to produce the oxygen that we humans need to breathe. The rate of oxygen decrease is destructive to humans, animals and sea stocks.
We have the knowledge of this terrible destruction being carried out by these exploiters. The oxygen cannot be replaced because the forest has been chopped down – it has gone!
We know who is doing this and they know who they are – causing catastrophe!
Our government – all governments – must immediately stop this destruction of the rain forests, the soil erosion and the terrifying population dispalcement.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
NOTE: Tony may be heartened by announcements expected from the COP26 conference later today – ED.
