In just two weeks leaders from almost every country on earth will gather in Glasgow for COP26 to negotiate how the world can come together to tackle the threat of climate change.
Alongside, the COP26 Green Zone will shine a light on the amazing and diverse world of climate action from 1st November.
From all over the globe, youth activists, Indigenous Peoples, small and large businesses and grass roots communities will be bringing COP26 to life with cultural performances, exhibitions, talks, film screenings and technical demonstrations.
Over 200 events will take place in the Green Zone over the 12 days of the summit. Hosted in the iconic Glasgow Science Centre, it will welcome visitors from 9am – 6pm each day.
Tickets are available free of charge, and most of the events will also be streamed live on the COP26 YouTube channel where people can access content for free and from anywhere in the UK or around the world.
Edinburgh has officially launched its ambitious target to become a Million Tree City by 2030 as part of its commitment to be net zero by the end of the decade.
Lord Provost Frank Ross was joined by representatives of the Edinburgh Million Tree Forum on Wednesday to plant a gingko tree in the grounds of Lauriston Castle as they pledged their commitment to making sure Edinburgh will be home to one million trees by the end of this decade. Edinburgh will join counterparts all over the world in becoming a Million Tree City.
The Edinburgh Million Tree Forum is made up of representatives from relevant Council services, the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, the Woodland Trust, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Trees of Edinburgh, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the Edinburgh Living Landscape Initiative who are all working together on an updated vision for trees in Edinburgh and find ways of planting more trees, more quickly.
Following the planting of the gingko tree, the group were then taken on a tour of the grounds by volunteers from the Friends of Lauriston Castle where two more trees were planted.
Edinburgh already outstrips other Scottish cities by having more trees per head of population – there are currently more than 730,000 urban trees, compared to around 519,000 residents.
The move to increase the number of trees in the city will help Edinburgh lessen the impacts of climate change by providing cooling in heatwaves, surface water management for heavy rainfall as well as some carbon storage and a home for wildlife.
Woodland Trust has contributed a grant of £298,055 from its Emergency Tree Fund to support project delivery. This money will support project management and kick-start tree planting, fundraising, public engagement and volunteer activity between 2021 and 2023.
Before planting the tree, Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Ross said: “We may have more trees in our city than people but to get to our city’s 2030 net zero target, we must plant more.
“Climate change will impact on all of us, and we all need to play our part to mitigate the effects. A key aspect of the proposed Climate Strategy is for us all to build upon our previous efforts, and Edinburgh Million Tree City Project, offers us all the opportunity to do just this.
“This is not a project for the Council, it is a project for our city, our communities, and for us as citizens, with a shared ambition for Edinburgh to have at least one million trees by 2030.
“While 75% of our trees are privately managed, we have a shared responsibility to manage our trees well, and to act when they get damaged or require treatment or replacement. I’m delighted to plant this gingko today and I am keen that this young tree symbolises, like a barometer, the growth of the project.
“Each inch demonstrates how our stakeholders and communities are coming together to plant more trees, delivering the millionth tree or more.”
Culture and Communities Convener Donald Wilson said: “We’re very proud that Edinburgh is already one of the UK’s greenest cities, with more trees than people, more green space and more green flag parks than any other place in Scotland for people to enjoy. But we want to do even better, especially as we strive towards our hugely ambitious target of making the city net zero by 2030.
“It’s impossible to overstate the benefits trees bring to the urban landscape. They help clean our air, reduce the risk of flooding, keep us cool in the summer and warmer in winter and give the wildlife in our city a home, as well as making neighbourhoods look and feel tranquil and appealing. They are essential to the wellbeing of our citizens.
“We estimate that Edinburgh needs around 250,000 more trees to be planted in the next 10 years on a both public and private land and I’m excited that our project has now officially launched and look forward to working with partners and citizens as we go forward. As the project continues we’ll be reaching out to residents and advising on ways they can help help and get involved.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener Amy McNeese-Mechan said: “By joining other global cities such as New York and Shanghai, as a Million Tree City we’ll be able to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to lessen the impact of climate change and help Edinburgh take climate action and make the city an even greener place to leave for future generations.
“Our dedicated Parks, Greenspace and Cemeteries service is leading a project to increase tree cover to help Edinburgh fulfil its Climate Emergency commitments and become a Million Tree City by 2030.
“It is an ambitious target but it is an achievable one and we’ll reach it if we continue to work together with our partners and citizens. Whether you live in the city, own land or property, if you are a business, charity or a school, or if you just love Edinburgh and want to see it flourish for future generations, we can all do our bit and I look forward to the project progressing.
Tim Hall, Head of Estates and Programmes with Woodland Trust Scotland said: “We launched our Emergency Tree Fund to support local authorities planting new urban trees needed to help tackle the climate and nature crises.
“I am delighted we are backing this ambitious bid to make Edinburgh a Million Tree City, which will bring huge benefits to people and wildlife.”
Charlie Cumming, the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust Chief Executive said: “ELGT are delighted to be working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the Woodland Trust to deliver such an ambitious and worthwhile tree planting project over the next 10 years.
“The benefits of this increase in tree planting will not only address the effects of climate change but will also encourage community participation with the residents of Edinburgh and will benefit people’s health and wellbeing.
“With so much focus this month on COP26 we appreciate that we need to start making an impact now; with more tree planting we will be able to improve our neighbourhoods and streetscapes and have a long lasting impact on our local environments.”
Two further community tree planting events took take place this week organised by partners.
School pupils helped Edinburgh & Lothian Greenspaces Trust to plant a “Wee Forest” of 600 whip trees in West Pilton Park funded by Nature Scotland yesterday and a further 400 whip trees were planted in Redwood Park in Colinton Mains by The Conservation Volunteers, organised and funded by the Council.
More details will be released about how citizens can get involved in the coming months or the team can be contacted via email.
Smaller countries’ actions crucial to tackling climate emergency
The First Minister has called for immediate, ambitious action from smaller countries as part of the international response to the climate emergency as the pivotal COP26 conference in Glasgow approaches.
Speaking at the TED international Countdown Summit in Edinburgh, the First Minister pointed to Scotland’s role as a powerhouse of the industrial revolution and more recent technological feats – including the world’s largest floating windfarm, off Aberdeen, and the world’s most powerful wave power turbine, being tested in the Pentland Firth – as a demonstration of how smaller countries can provide climate leadership.
During the speech, she also highlighted Scotland’s world-leading emissions reduction legislation and emphasised the need to ensure a just transition that helps prevent countries who may not have the means to respond or adapt being hit hardest by its effects.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: ““Scotland, this small country, has decarbonised faster than any G20 country. We have just become the first nation in the world that is not an independent nation to publish an indicative nationally defined contribution – showing how we will meet the objectives of the Paris agreement, and we pledge to cut emissions by three quarters by 2030, and to be net zero by 2045.
“It is often states and regions and small nations that can step in when the bigger countries fail to act – and if we raise our ambition, and if we follow that through with action, then we can spur the bigger countries to go further – and faster, too.
“It’s not enough to cut our own emissions, although that is vital. We have to make sure that we are helping those who have done the least to cause climate change to do so too, and with the spirit of justice and fairness absolutely at the heart of that. Countries of all shapes and sizes must step up to this challenge.”
FIRST MINISTER’S TED SPEECH IN FULL
I’m going to start today with a question.
In other contexts, perhaps a risqué question perhaps – not one you would expect from someone in my position in a talk about climate change.
But it’s important.
Does size matter?
My answer – perhaps also unexpected – is that no, it really, really doesn’t.
And Scotland is proving that.
About a mile from here – in the National Museum of Scotland – you will find on display a steam engine designed by the great engineer James Watt.
A hundred miles from here, just off the coast of Aberdeen, is the world’s biggest floating windfarm.
And then, just a bit further north from there, in the Pentland Firth, we find the biggest wave power turbine being tested.
These are all extraordinary feats of technology and engineering, but they also demonstrate how Scotland – a relatively small country – led the world into the industrial age, and is now helping to power the world into the net zero age.
And there’s a lesson for us in that – when we talk about tackling climate change, we so often talk about the contributions of America, Russia, China, Brazil.
And that is important – we won’t limit global warming without these countries.
But we also have to recognise that the ambition, the leadership, and the action of small countries matters to.
In the words of the current Prime Minister of Estonia – “Small countries have no time for small objectives”.
And I really agree with that – we see examples of the leadership that small countries show everywhere we look.
Take Bhutan – one million people or thereabouts – became the first in the world to commit to being carbon neutral for all time.
Since then, 130 countries of all sizes have followed suit.
Or Fiji – in 2017, it hosted the UN climate conference and did so much to highlight the existential threat that climate change poses to island nations.
Now, a country like Scotland, with a rich industrial past, has a special responsibility. We have disproportionately contributed to climate change, so we must do more – now – to help tackle climate change.
So in recent years, Scotland, this small country, has decarbonised faster than any G20 country.
We have just become the first nation in the world that is not an independent nation – yet – to publish an indicative nationally defined contribution – showing how we will meet the objectives of the Paris agreement.
So we pledge to cut emissions by three quarters by 2030, and to be net zero by 2045.
We are also seeking to galvanise change on a global stage.
So we are currently the co-chair of a coalition that brings together 200 states, regions, devolved countries – like ours – to demonstrate leadership in meeting the challenge of climate change.
Now that coalition is not represented formally at UN summits – we are not signatories to the treaties that emerge from these summits.
But, collectively, we represent two billion people across the world.
And about half of the reduction in global emissions that we need to see will depend on the actions we take. They will depend on the legislation we pass; the infrastructure we build; the investments we fund.
So my point today is that yes, big countries matter, but the leadership of small nations matters too.
It’s often states and regions and small nations that can step in when the bigger countries fail to act.
So when Trump – disgracefully – took the America out of the Paris agreement, it was a coalition of states and cities that kept the momentum going.
And if we raise our ambition, and if we follow that through with action, then we can spur the bigger countries to go further – and faster, too.
And there’s one final point, where our voice and our contribution matters.
So often it’s states or devolved nations like Scotland that have to respond most directly to the impacts of climate change. Heatwaves, floods, hurricanes – we have to deal with the implications.
Now for Scotland, California, New South Wales – that is difficult but manageable.
For many others across the world, it is not. So climate justice matters too.
Which is why I’m proud that Scotland was the first country anywhere in the world to establish a climate justice fund.
It’s not enough to cut our own emissions, although that is vital.
We have to make sure that we are helping those who have done the least to cause climate change to do so too, and with the spirit of justice and fairness absolutely at the heart of that.
So, to conclude, my message today is that countries of all shapes and sizes must step up to this challenge.
We cannot allow our size to be something to hide behind.
When it comes to tackling climate change, size really, really does not matter.
We must think big in our ambition, we must act big in what we do, and we must be big when it comes to the impact we make.
The climate emergency can only be successfully tackled through greater focus on adapting to the inevitable climate impacts that we are already seeing, the Environment Agency has warned today (13 October) as it urged world leaders to step up to that challenge at COP26.
In a report to the UK Government, the agency has warned of more extreme weather leading to increased flooding and drought, sea level rises of up to 78cm by the 2080s, and public water supplies needing more than 3.4 billion extra litres of water per day by 2050. It has urged governments, businesses and society to embrace and invest in adaptation, rather than living with the costs of inaction.
With COP26 less than three weeks away, it has welcomed the UK Government’s focus on adaptation as well as mitigation, and the fact that climate adaptation is one of the Summit’s four key goals, but urged that more action is needed at a global level to protect the billions of lives and livelihoods that are at risk.
Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: “The climate crisis is global, but its impacts are in your village, your shop, your home. Adaptation action needs to be integral to government, businesses and communities too and people will soon question why it isn’t – especially when it is much cheaper to invest early in climate resilience than to live with the costs of inaction.
“While mitigation might save the planet, it is adaptation, preparing for climate shocks, that will save millions of lives. Choosing one over the other on the basis of a simple either/or calculation is like telling a bird it only needs one wing to fly.
“With that in mind, it is deeply worrying that adaptation is in danger of being grievously undercooked at COP26. Not by the UK Government, but by the world at large.
“Significant climate impacts are inevitable. We can successfully tackle the climate emergency if we do the right things, but we are running out of time to implement effective adaptation measures. Our thinking must change faster than the climate.
“Some 200 people died in this summer’s flooding in Germany. That will happen in this country sooner or later, however high we build our flood defences, unless we also make the places where we live, work and travel resilient to the effects of the more violent weather the climate emergency is bringing.
“It is adapt or die. With the right approach we can be safer and more prosperous. So let’s prepare, act and survive.”
Even with a 2°C temperature rise compared to pre-industrial levels, key projections within the report include:
Winter rainfall is expected to increase by approximately 6% by the 2050s and by 8% by the 2080s, compared to a 1981-2000 baseline.
Summer rainfall is expected to decrease by approximately 15% by the 2050s compared to a 1981-2000 baseline.
London’s sea level is expected to rise by between approximately 23cm by the 2050s and 45cm by the 2080s.
River flows will be more extreme. Peak flows are expected to be up to 27% higher in the 2050s, while in the summer months river flows could be 82% lower by as soon as 2050.
Public water supplies are expected to require more than 3.4 billion extra litres of water per day if no action is taken before 2050.
Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Chair of the CCC’s Adaptation Committee, said: “We’re pleased to see the Environment Agency publishing its latest climate change adaptation plan.
“This road map will be vital to ensuring our natural and built environments are well adapted to the significant changes in our climate taking place today, with more to come.
We urge all Government agencies, authorities, regulators and businesses big and small to get their adaptation plans together before the deadline on 31 December.
“We look forward to assessing the EA’s plan in early 2022 as part of our independent appraisal for Government of similar plans from across the public and private sectors.
The report also sets out five climate “reality checks” to make the case for urgent action on adaptation:
The Environment Agency alone cannot protect everyone from increasing flood and coastal risks: rising sea levels and extreme winter rainfall will mean it will not be technically, socially, and economically viable to protect every community. Instead, alongside constructing and maintaining defences, we must help communities learn to live with risk, minimise damage, and return to normal life quickly.
Climate change makes it harder to ensure clean and plentiful water: existing issues with water stress will be exacerbated by climate change bringing altered temperature and rainfall patterns. Measures to tackle these pressures are underway, but a strategic approach to water management and faster progress on improvements are needed.
Environmental regulation is not yet ready for a changing climate: climate change is increasing the impact of environmental incidents, for example lower river levels means pollutants diffuse slower and have a greater impact. It is vital that environmental policy and legislation keeps pace with the escalating challenge to allow us and other regulators to protect the environment.
Ecosystems cannot adapt as fast as the climate is changing: industrialisation and urbanisation have left the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and climate change means wildlife in England will continue to be altered. We must recognise importance of natural ecosystems in supporting life (including our own) in our health and wellbeing. Nature must be the essential foundation of development, rather than being seen as an impediment.
There will be more and worse environmental incidents: both natural and man-made environmental incidents will be made worse by climate change. This will place an increased burden on emergency response, and divert resources from other activities.
The report highlights how the Environment Agency is working with government, businesses and communities to prepare for the impacts of climate change, including delivering a record £5.2 billion programme of new flood and coastal defences over the next six years.
While the risks are serious, they can be addressed by early action, and the report also sets out how the Environment Agency is meeting those challenges.
This includes:
Working with government, businesses and communities to implement the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy and our vision to create a nation ready for and resilient to flooding and coastal change up to 2100.
Working with water companies and Ofwat on the National Framework for Water Resources, which sets out how we will address future challenges to water supply.
Helping to deliver the £10 million Natural Environment Readiness Fund, helping to support projects in attracting private sector finance into investment in the natural environment.
Focusing on nature based approaches, restoring and creating peatlands, wetland and other habitats to create climate-resilient habitats for wildlife, reduce flood risk, improve water quality and improve access to greenspace for people
Using our role as a regulator to help businesses understand and reduce their climate impact and prepare for the future.
Secondary school pupils will compete against thousands from across Scotland to build the best green-hydrogen powered Lego vehicle to highlight the role the fuel could play in tackling climate change.
More than 700 pupils from across the city will have just two hours to design, build and race a green hydrogen-fuelled vehicle of their own design as part of the nationwide Scottish Schools Hydrogen Challenge.
And over the next two weeks, competitors will be challenged to design vehicles that can travel the furthest on the zero-emission fuel, for a spot in the regional final at the Assembly Rooms on October 8th.
The three best teams from the regionals will then take part in a grand final in Glasgow during the COP26 climate conference in November where they will be pitted against pupils from Fort William, Wick, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and Stirling and Glasgow.
Councillor Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Engaging and empowering young people on climate change is vital as Edinburgh transitions towards net zero by 2030.
“Green hydrogen has the potential to prevent millions of tonnes from being released into the atmosphere. This competition is an excellent opportunity to engage young people ion innovating for a net zero future whilst also creating a learning environment which will drive higher levels of creativity and improve peer collaboration.”
Councillor Adam McVey, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, added: “We know that climate change is a subject which is really important to young people across our city.
“This national challenge not only provides young people with opportunities to apply learning from STEM subjects to this competition but will help to highlight the role that new technologies such as green-hydrogen play in helping to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.
“It will also provide the finalists with a unique and memorable experience of competing at COP26 during the global conference and show we can be inspired by the solutions to climate change.”
Pupils from James Gillespie’s High School, Broughton High School, The Royal High School, Leith Academy, Liberton High School, St Augustine’s High School, Portobello High School and Drummond High School will all take part in the national challenge which is run in partnership with Arcola Energy,ITM Power and ScottishPower.
Scotland’s Climate Week runs from Monday 13 September to Sunday 19 September
A week-long programme of events and initiatives launches across the country today to engage businesses, organisations and communities in Scotland’s response to the global climate emergency ahead of COP26.
Scotland’s Climate Week 2021 will turn the spotlight on the November summit by highlighting Scotland’s national and international actions on climate change while building awareness, generating conversations and encouraging commitment to further climate action.
Climate Week will include the launch of a series of Climate Festival events, part of a new engagement programme designed to empower local communities in the climate debate and ensure an inclusive approach which leaves no-one behind.
Businesses, organisations and individual groups are being encouraged to take to social media to make a pledge they will commit to during COP26 to tackle climate change.
Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson said: “COP26 coming to Scotland is a unique opportunity to advance the society-wide transformation required for us to become a net zero nation.
“I am determined to make sure the conference reaches out far beyond the negotiations in Glasgow. It must reach every community and deliver a lasting legacy that accelerates our emissions reduction whilst making absolutely sure we do that in a way that’s fair and leaves no-one behind.
“Becoming a net zero nation will require a huge national effort with all of us embracing the significant changes and the chance to secure a better future for us all. It’s crucial that everyone takes this opportunity to get involved. Only by taking action together will we succeed in creating a fairer, greener and climate resilient society.
“In addition to being part of the events taking place up and down the country this week, businesses, organisations, community groups, and individuals can be part of the COP26 Call to Action by making a pledge on social media to commit to climate action for the two weeks of the summit and beyond.”
Scotland’s Climate Week runs from Monday 13 September to Sunday 19 September.
SEPA is introducing new flood hazard mapping which will provide a clearer indication of surface water (also known as pluvial) flood risk now and in future. This will enable people, communities and businesses to better understand the risks and act to reduce the impact of surface water flooding.
The introduction of the new mapping will support delivery of SEPA’s Flooding Services Strategy being published in autumn 2021. It is key to the organisation’s vision of a society that is resilient to flooding and adapted to future climate change.
Surface water flood maps have been publicly available on the SEPA website since 2013, however, our 2018 National Flood Risk Assessment identified surface water as the largest source of flood risk affecting Scotland.
The mapping, which will be provided by JBA Consulting, will provide a complete refresh of our national surface water flood maps using the most up-to-date data on current and future rainfall, improving our flood map products to provide more confident results of where surface water flooding is likely.
The project will involve an initial pilot stage which will trial high resolution modelling and mapping methodologies, and a range of model assumptions and parameters across four pilot areas: Aberdeen, Glasgow, Peebles and Torridon. When the pilot stage ends early next year, an agreed approach will be rolled out across Scotland and the mapping will be produced in a sequence of 11 geographical phases.
Vincent Fitzsimons, Head of Hydrology & Flooding at SEPA, said: “The latest landmark climate change report from the IPCC is a clarion call for what the world already knows, that the climate emergency is accelerating. SEPA is urgently responding to ensure Scotland’s communities and businesses are resilient to flooding and adapted to future climate change impacts.
“A major part of this is to ensure information on flood risk is available to those who need it most. This means we need to continually improve the quality and availability of our flood map products, with a particular focus on surface water flood risk.
“Our significant investment in this project to improve surface water flood hazard mapping for Scotland is one step on the journey to ensure people and businesses are resilient to flooding and adapted to our changing environment.”
David Bassett, Director, JBA Consulting said: “We’re delighted to be appointed by SEPA to complete the national surface water flood hazard mapping for Scotland. We have been working on flood risk in Scotland for over 20 years and in that time our technical experts have accrued excellent knowledge of the risk and the issues, and the structures in place to help.
“Scottish Government surface water management planning guidance issued in 2018, highlighted that 23% of annual average damages associated with flooding across Scotland were forecast to come from surface water flooding. Of the 27,500 homes predicted to be at risk, 39% are in areas of higher social vulnerability.
“Climate change was also predicted to increase the numbers of homes and businesses at risk by 45%.
“With flood events never far from the news headlines, recent surface water flooding in Edinburgh showed the vulnerability of many urban areas. The role of consistent 2m grid surface water flood risk mapping across Scotland is more important than ever, and we’re pleased to lead on this national mapping project.”
Support to protect Scotland’s coastlines
New maps forecast impacts of climate change
An estimated £1.2 billion of Scotland’s buildings, transport infrastructure, cultural and natural heritage may be at risk of coastal erosion by 2050, according to new research.
As part of the Scottish Government’s Dynamic Coast project, funded by the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), the University of Glasgow has developed new maps to serve as a coastal change adaptation planning tool for government, agencies, local authorities as well as communities and businesses.
With evidence from the maps, the government is encouraging local authorities to prepare coastal adaptation plans, supported by an additional £12 million of investment. In recognition of the heightened landscape of climate-related risk in Scotland, Dynamic Coast will form part of a wider national programme to build resilience.
The Scottish Government has also already announced plans to host a National Climate Resilience Summit in the Autumn, to raise awareness and build momentum across the public and private sectors in advance of COP26.
Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson visited the sand dunes in Montrose, which help protect the town from coastal flooding and erosion.
Mr Matheson said: “I welcome the publication of Dynamic Coast 2 which shows us that at least £20 billion of assets, road, rail and residential property, lie within 50 metres of our coast. With nature protecting some £14.5 billion of these assets, maintaining our natural coastal defences must be a key part of our resilience and adaptation strategies.
“We are already locked into future sea level rise and therefore we must plan for the worst case scenario on the coast. Modelling suggests however that we will see erosion influencing the majority of shores this decade. The Dynamic Coast maps will be a valuable tool in our fight against climate change, and we are now preparing guidance to help local authorities produce new adaptation plans.
“Here in Montrose, up to 80 metres of beach has eroded since the 1980s and a further 120 metres could erode over the next 40 years, breaching the main dune ridge. Angus Council is working with local stakeholders, including Montrose Port Authority and Montrose Golf links to identify the most sustainable solution for the town.
“COP26 in Glasgow represents the world’s best chance – perhaps one of our last chances – to avert the worst impacts of climate change. However, even in the best case scenario for global emissions reductions it is clear that we must also be preparing for the impacts that are already locked in.
“By doing this we can deliver on the principles of the Paris Agreement with lasting action to secure a net zero and climate resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.”
NatureScot Climate Change Director Nick Halfhide said: “This latest research from Dynamic Coast highlights that natural defences, such as sand dunes, protect three times the value of roads, railways and buildings than sea walls do.
“That’s why we must invest in Scotland’s nature. Nature based solutions are essential in our response to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change, and with COP26 coming to Glasgow in the coming months, there’s no better time for Scotland to take ambitious action.”
Director of the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) Professor Bob Ferrier said: “CREW is delighted to have supported the development and launch of the Dynamic Coast project.
“This nationally significant research will assist decision-makers and others to understand how Scotland’s coastal assets need to adapt to the pressures of climate change and improve our collective resilience in the face of this challenge.”
SP Energy Networks has launched a recruitment drive for 152 green jobs to help support multi-billion pound network investment
Roles in engineering, construction, sustainability, analysis, safety, environmental planning available with the majority, 135, based in Central and Southern Scotland
These green jobs will be at the forefront of the transformation of the electricity network in the region and vital to delivering Net Zero
SP Energy Networks has launched its largest recruitment drive this century with 152 green jobs on offer over the next four months. The news was announced this morning as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited SP Energy Networks’ training centre, Dealain House, to announce the New Green Jobs Workforce Academy.
The 152 green jobs will be at the forefront of work to enhance the electricity network to enable the rapid uptake of renewables and low carbon technologies needed to help Scotland and the wider UK reach its Net Zero target.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:“To help tackle climate change Scotland is already investing in green skills and attracting new green job opportunities. It is great to see ScottishPower creating 135 new green jobs in Scotland and I would encourage other employers to follow their lead.
“The Academy’s career advisors stand ready to support individuals interested in these jobs access the right training to help their career progress.
“Looking ahead to COP26 in Glasgow in November, Scotland can be proud that our climate change ambitions, backed by investment in creating a highly skilled green workforce, will be showcased on an international stage.”
In the year when Glasgow hosts the UN’s climate change summit, COP26, the Glasgow headquartered company is pleased to be able to offer such a diverse range of green opportunities.
Frank Mitchell, CEO of SP Energy Networks, explains more:“With less than 100 days to go to COP26 in Glasgow, we’re bringing truly green jobs to Scotland to support the country with its ambitions to be Net Zero by 2045.
“These roles offer a variety of career opportunities in a company that is committed to Net Zero and is investing millions of pounds every single day to help bring about a cleaner, greener future.”
The majority of roles will be based in Central and Southern Scotland where SP Energy Networks is responsible for the operation and maintenance of over 4,000km of cables and lines that make up the transmission network. This network connects generation infrastructure like windfarms into the electricity system and transports that electricity onto towns and cities.
Over the next five years, SP Energy Networks is investing £2 billion in its transmission network to support the increase in renewable energy needed to meet Scotland’s climate change targets and to ensure a resilient and reliant network fit for the future as electricity demand grows.
To help deliver this investment, SP Energy Networks is recruiting 126 candidates who will work across a number of major projects to build a transmission network fit for Net Zero.
This increases the staff employed in SP Energy Networks Transmission business by over 25% and is on top of the 135 apprentices and graduates across SP Energy Networks who started this year.
An additional 26 positions will be recruited into SP Energy Networks Distribution business to accelerate projects that support Net Zero ambitions.
These posts offer long-term, skilled roles across varying disciplines including engineering, project management, construction, environmental planning and sustainability.
Frank adds: “We currently directly employ around 2,700 staff and over the next 12 months we are embarking on our largest recruitment drive in over 20 years. This demonstrates the scale of work we’re about to begin, investing billions in our network to help the UK reach its climate change targets.
“In our transmission business alone, we’re investing £2bn out to 2026 and we’re only just beginning. We also have very ambitious plans for our distribution businesses, and if our plans are agreed with Ofgem, we will be expanding these new 152 roles considerably.
“The opportunities we have range from Planning Engineers to Programme Analysts to Project Managers and offer long-term, green jobs that will be right at the heart of the transition to Net Zero through a green economic recovery.
“We’re about to start work on a number of major projects critical to helping Scotland achieve its climate ambitions and you could be part of it. I would encourage anyone with an interest to come forward and see if a career with SP Energy Networks is for you.”
Further information on the roles available can be found here:
Scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every region and across the whole climate system, according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, released today.
Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some of the changes already set in motion—such as continued sea level rise—are irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years.
However, strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases would limit climate change. While benefits for air quality would come quickly, it could take 20-30 years to see global temperatures stabilize, according to the IPCC Working Group I report, ClimateChange2021:thePhysicalScienceBasis, approved on Friday by 195 member governments of the IPCC, through a virtual approval session that was held over two weeks starting on July 26.
The Working Group I report is the first instalment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), which will be completed in 2022.
“This report reflects extraordinary efforts under exceptional circumstances,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. “The innovations in this report, and advances in climate science that it reflects, provide an invaluable input into climate negotiations and decision-making.”
Fasterwarming
The report provides new estimates of the chances of crossing the global warming level of 1.5°C in the next decades, and finds that unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach.
The report shows that emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are responsible for approximately 1.1°C of warming since 1850-1900, and finds that averaged over the next 20 years, global temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5°C of warming. This assessment is based on improved observational datasets to assess historical warming, as well progress in scientific understanding of the response of the climate system to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
“This report is a reality check,” said IPCC Working Group I Co-Chair Valérie Masson-Delmotte. “We now have a much clearer picture of the past, present and future climate, which is essential for understanding where we are headed, what can be done, and how we can prepare.”
Everyregionfacingincreasingchanges
Many characteristics of climate change directly depend on the level of global warming, but what people experience is often very different to the global average. For example, warming over land is larger than the global average, and it is more than twice as high in the Arctic.
“Climate change is already affecting every region on Earth, in multiple ways. The changes we experience will increase with additional warming,” said IPCC Working Group I Co-Chair Panmao Zhai.
The report projects that in the coming decades climate changes will increase in all regions. For 1.5°C of global warming, there will be increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons and shorter cold seasons. At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health, the report shows.
But it is not just about temperature. Climate change is bringing multiple different changes in different regions – which will all increase with further warming. These include changes to wetness and dryness, to winds, snow and ice, coastal areas and oceans.
For example:
● Climate change is intensifying the water cycle. This brings more intense rainfall and associated flooding, as well as more intense drought in many regions.
● Climate change is affecting rainfall patterns. In high latitudes, precipitation is likely to increase, while it is projected to decrease over large parts of the subtropics. Changes to monsoon precipitation are expected, which will vary by region.
● Coastal areas will see continued sea level rise throughout the 21st century, contributing to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and coastal erosion. Extreme sea level events that previously occurred once in 100 years could happen every year by the end of this century.
● Further warming will amplify permafrost thawing, and the loss of seasonal snow cover, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and loss of summer Arctic sea ice.
● Changes to the ocean, including warming, more frequent marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, and reduced oxygen levels have been clearly linked to human influence. These changes affect both ocean ecosystems and the people that rely on them, and they will continue throughout at least the rest of this century.
● For cities, some aspects of climate change may be amplified, including heat (since urban areas are usually warmer than their surroundings), flooding from heavy precipitation events and sea level rise in coastal cities.
For the first time, the Sixth Assessment Report provides a more detailed regional assessment of climate change, including a focus on useful information that can inform risk assessment, adaptation, and other decision-making, and a new framework that helps translate physical changes in the climate – heat, cold, rain, drought, snow, wind, coastal flooding and more – into what they mean for society and ecosystems.
This regional information can be explored in detail in the newly developed Interactive Atlas interactive-atlas.ipcc.ch as well as regional fact sheets, the technical summary, and underlying report.
Humaninfluenceonthepastandfutureclimate
“It has been clear for decades that the Earth’s climate is changing, and the role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed,” said Masson-Delmotte.
Yet the new report also reflects major advances in the science of attribution – understanding the role of climate change in intensifying specific weather and climate events such as extreme heat waves and heavy rainfall events.
The report also shows that human actions still have the potential to determine the future course of climate. The evidence is clear that carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main driver of climate change, even as other greenhouse gases and air pollutants also affect the climate.
“Stabilizing the climate will require strong, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and reaching net zero CO2 emissions. Limiting other greenhouse gases and air pollutants, especially methane, could have benefits both for health and the climate,” said Zhai.
