Joanna Lumley, actor, presenter and activist has announced her support for Sacha Dench – known as the Human Swan – in her intrepid circumnavigation of mainland Britain by electric paramotor.
Joanna Lumley came across Sacha’s planned climate expedition through a crowdfunder call out for the expedition and was inspired to try and become more involved.
Joanna decided to just call Sacha, and as a result of that conversation Joanna will be following Sacha and meeting up with her at various places around the country as Sacha completes the Round Britain Climate Challenge.
They will be filming a documentary together for ITV as the journey progresses, in which Joanna will be the presenter.
Joanna said: “Sacha Dench’s adventures are stories you can only dream of – facing down all barriers and blessed with the courage of a lioness she literally soars into history books, and inspires everyone who has the luck to follow her phenomenal challenges.
“Sacha is clawing attention towards the greatest crisis mankind has faced in recorded time.
“Her journey is going to be irresistible and I shall be following her, on charts and in person, I am so proud to support her: with your help we shall be the wind beneath her wings.”
Sacha added: “ Joanna’s call came totally out of the blue and it’s just fantastic that Joanna is so supportive of this mission to look at how climate change is affecting different regions of the country – and highlight the amazing things that individuals, community organisations and companies are doing to combat it.
“We want to get everybody involved and one of our aims is to get 140,001 people to take personal climate action between 18 June and 17th July through Count Us In https://www.count-us-in.org/ – so please sign up now! If we achieve this number we’ll get a Guinness World Record too!
“I am so looking forward Joanna joining me to meet many of the inspiring people along the route.”
Most everyone is aware of climate change and the great threat it poses for humankind as the changes sweep around the world. Livestock, all animals, birds, fish and sea creatures are all under threat.
The human race is threatened by water shortage, crop failures that are associated with drought and continued destruction of the world’s forests by financial interests acting solely in their own selfish interests of making money, despite knowing that the amount of oxygen needed by humans to live is dropping from 100% to 70%. Yet companies and financial interests continue to operate climate polluting industries.
These polluters, bug and small, must go. There is no alternative. These are polluters of air, water and the oceans which are not theirs to destroy to maximie money making.
G7 leaders expected to agree a series of measures to address the climate crisis and protect nature
G7 leaders to kick off new partnership on infrastructure investment today to propel global green economic growth, as they commit to increase international climate finance
UK launches £500m Blue Planet Fund to protect the ocean and marine biodiversity
Comes as the G7 is expected to endorse an ambitious Nature Compact to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030
Sir David Attenborough will address leaders on the importance of action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees on the final day of the G7 Summit in Cornwall
G7 leaders are expected to agree plans today (Sunday) to transform the financing of infrastructure projects in developing countries, part of a raft of measures at the Summit to address the climate crisis and protect nature.
The ‘Build Back Better for the World’ plan will bring together G7 countries under the UK’s presidency to develop an offer for high quality financing for vital infrastructure, from railways in Africa to wind farms in Asia.
The new approach is intended to give developing countries access to more, better and faster finance, while accelerating the global shift to renewable energy and sustainable technology. The Government will build on this with other countries ahead of the COP26 Summit in November.
The Prime Minister has also launched the UK’s Blue Planet Fund from the G7 Summit’s ocean-side setting in Cornwall. The £500 million fund will support countries including Ghana, Indonesia and Pacific island states to tackle unsustainable fishing, protect and restore coastal ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, and reduce marine pollution.
The G7 will endorse a Nature Compact at this afternoon’s meeting to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 – including supporting the global target to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of land and 30 percent of ocean globally by the end of the decade.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Protecting our planet is the most important thing we as leaders can do for our people. There is a direct relationship between reducing emissions, restoring nature, creating jobs and ensuring long-term economic growth.
“As democratic nations we have a responsibility to help developing countries reap the benefits of clean growth through a fair and transparent system. The G7 has an unprecedented opportunity to drive a global Green Industrial Revolution, with the potential to transform the way we live.”
The G7 are also expected to commit to almost halve their emissions by 2030 relative to 2010. The UK is already going even further, pledging to cut emissions by at least 68% by 2030 on 1990 levels (58% reduction on 2010 levels).
Leaders will set out the action they will take to slash carbon emissions, including measures like ending all unabated coal as soon as possible, ending almost all direct government support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas and phasing out petrol and diesel cars.
Sir David Attenborough, renowned British environmentalist and the UK’s COP26 People’s Champion, will address the leaders of the G7 countries plus guests Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa at a session on Climate and Nature later today and urge them to take action as the world’s leading economies to secure the future of our planet.
Sir David Attenborough, Environmentalist and COP26 People’s Champion, said: “The natural world today is greatly diminished. That is undeniable. Our climate is warming fast. That is beyond doubt. Our societies and nations are unequal and that is sadly is plain to see.
“But the question science forces us to address specifically in 2021 is whether as a result of these intertwined facts we are on the verge of destabilising the entire planet?
“If that is so, then the decisions we make this decade – in particular the decisions made by the most economically advanced nations – are the most important in human history.”
In addition to taking action at home, G7 leaders will commit to increase their contributions to international climate finance to meet the target of mobilising $100bn a year, which will help developing countries deal with the impacts of climate change and support sustainable, green growth.
This is the first-ever net-zero G7, with all countries having committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest with ambitious reductions targets in the 2020s. The Leaders’ Summit is an important stepping-stone on the road to COP26, which the UK will host in Glasgow in November.
Dealing with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling the climate emergency and the post-Brexit devolution settlement will feature heavily in the work of the new Scottish Parliament, according to a new paper by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Published as our new MSPs return to Holyrood, the Key Issues for Session 6 paper outlines the challenges facing MSPs as they confront the scale of the COVID-19 recovery, with researchers stressing a balancing act is required to promote recovery while keeping new variants at bay.
Following Brexit, MSPs will also have to contend with the new constitutional arrangements and the impact on the powers of the Scottish Parliament. SPICe also highlight the ‘twin crisis’ of climate change and biodiversity loss, with significant changes expected in coming years to tackle this emergency across all sectors of the economy and society – raising the challenge of how Parliaments can best engage with and scrutinise disruptive change.
The briefing explores 26 key issues alongside the three themes, covering each major area of devolved policy – from mental health provision and changes in family law, to the business base in Scotland and changing car use.
Speaking as the briefing was published, Clerk and Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament David McGill said: “The Key Issues for Session 6 briefing is an example of the vital work that SPICe produces for parliamentarians. It outlines the key subjects likely to be of particular interest for the new Parliament with tailored, impartial analysis of the issues that matter to MSPs.
“While the new Session will deal with a range of issues over the next five years, SPICe has identified the broad themes likely to feature heavily in the work of the Parliament as well as the key issues from across all areas of devolved policy.
“This briefing can either be read from cover to cover or readers can dip into whichever issues interest them the most. I hope it proves to be both a thought provoking and useful reference tool in the months and years ahead.”
Statistical Publication, City of Edinburgh Council
Edinburgh residents believe that climate change is an immediate and urgent problem according to the latest Edinburgh By Numbers report produced by the City of Edinburgh Council.
The report showed that nearly three quarters (73%) of people across the Capital are very concerned about the climate emergency.
The 14th annual edition of Edinburgh by Numbers provides a statistical overview of the Capital and how it compares to other UK cities in terms of People, Work, Economy, Tourism, Education, Environment, Property, Travel and Connectivity.
This year’s report, covering the time period 2009 to 2019/20, gives a snapshot of a pre-pandemic Edinburgh.
It paints a comprehensive picture of the city’s landscape before the Covid-19 crisis hit the world while also bringing to life our key priorities – as laid out in our three-year business plan, ‘Our Future Council, Our Future City’ – ending poverty, becoming net zero and enhancing wellbeing.
Cllr Adam McVey, Council Leader, said: “These figures show the opportunities that Edinburgh offers to so many of our residents, and demonstrate the attraction for so many people to move here, work here, travel here and study here.
“Although we’ve had a huge disruption to all areas of our lives, our communities and the city more widely during the Covid-19 pandemic, looking at these figures, to pre pandemic times, should give us a sense of optimism about how we go forward.
“We will take stock of the last year and by using our strengths and the resilience we’ve gained, Edinburgh will build back a fairer, stronger and greener economy for the benefit of all our citizens.
“A greener, fairer recovery won’t be without its challenges but our approach to recovery will build a more sustainable future. Through the Edinburgh Guarantee, we’re expanding support to all ages getting back into fair work, education and training.
“We’re working with retail and hospitality businesses through our Forever Edinburgh campaign to help residents and visitors alike sustainably rediscover our beautiful city’s offer all year round.
“We’re welcoming back students to our world-class universities and colleges – once it is safe to do so – to continue their studies, building the skills we need for Edinburgh’s future and creating new technologies that are delivering such a bright economic future for the Capital with opportunities across our communities.
“We also look forward to growing centres of innovation that we invest in, such as the Edinburgh BioQuarter, that feed into the inclusive growth of our economy.
Depute Council Leader, Cllr Cammy Day said:“Tackling inequality and sustainability issues is high on the list of our priorities. Before the pandemic, our economic strategy was focused on good growth, on tackling inequality, on well-being, and also on sustainability.
“The Edinburgh Poverty Commission, an independent group working alongside the council to alleviate poverty in the city, is throwing its full weight behind this and we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in projects to support this agenda in areas including transport, infrastructure, electronics, pensions, etc.
“We’ll also continue to look at new ways to continue to meet our net zero carbon emissions targets through our City Mobility Plan and our ambitious 30-year housing building and capital investment programme delivering 20,000 affordable and energy efficient homes and carbon neutral neighbourhoods through developments such as the Granton Waterfront, Fountainbridge and Meadowbank.”
Active Travel
In line with the City Mobility Plan, reducing emissions through active travel was also a priority for those going to work. The report highlights that 37% of people took the bus or cycled, over three times the Scottish average. Edinburgh also reported the lowest percentage of journeys undertaken by car or taxi to work at 41.0%, compared to 66.4% of people in Scotland that used these as their main modes of travel to work in 2019.
In the 10 year period, from 2009-2019, Edinburgh saw a growth in new business, with start-ups consistently outstripping closures. More than two fifths (42.1%) of new businesses in the city are still trading after five years, a rate of survival higher than most other UK cities.
In 2019, one in ten (9.6%) people employed in Edinburgh worked in finance and insurance – twice the average across other UK cities – while 50,000 people are employed in the health industry, accounting for nearly 15% of all jobs in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, relative to other UK cities*, also has a much higher employment share in accommodation and food services, information & communications, and less relative employment in transport and storage, construction and manufacturing.
Forever Edinburgh
The Capital has a renowned global reputation for its hospitality, heritage, culture, festivals, culinary experiences and so much more. From 2013 to 2019, the number of visits by overseas visitors to Edinburgh increased by nearly one million, with the defined summer period proving popular in 2019 with 41% overseas visitors arriving during July to September.
In line with the Edinburgh 2020 Tourism Strategy, driving visitors to visit throughout the year and seasons is key to building a more sustainable tourism sector for the city.
While the traditional peak season increased by 42% – from 568,000 to 804,000 visits between 2013 and 2019 – the increase in the off-season period of October to March was greater – seeing an increase of 113% between January and March, and 143% between October and December.
This will continue to be a focus for the Edinburgh 2030 Tourism Strategy and the push for short-term let legislation to properly control both the concentration and management of holiday lets, putting people and communities at the heart as Edinburgh builds back its thriving tourism sector.
Live and Study
Edinburgh continues to be a vibrant city attracting people from around the world to live, work and study here. In the ten years to 2019 Edinburgh’s population grew by 13.3% to 524,000 people, three times faster than Scotland (4.4%).
Migration (53,000) has been the main driver for population growth in Edinburgh from 2009 to 2019 – five times higher than the net effect of births and deaths for the same 10-year period (10,390). The size of overseas migration to Edinburgh grew to 6,710 in 2018/19, after falling for two consecutive years in 2017/18 to 4,310, returning to levels seen in 2015/16 (6,790).
As reflected in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021, Scotland also has a reputation for excellence in education. In 2019 the number of students enrolled in an Edinburgh university was higher than the number of students in primary and secondary schools.
Four in five (81.6%) higher education students in Edinburgh were from the UK and, compared to other UK cities, Edinburgh has one of the highest proportions of higher education students per 1,000 population.
Also, during 2019, three in five (62.7%) people in Edinburgh’s workforce in employment is educated to degree level or above.
Housing Overview
With more and more people coming to work and study in the Capital this puts increasing pressures on our housing stock with demand outstripping supply, pushing house prices to a premium.
In September 2020, the average property price in Edinburgh was £280,154, higher than most other major UK cities outside London. This compared to the next Scottish city, Glasgow which recorded the average property price of £144,828 – around half of the average cost of Edinburgh.
To support this demand, in the five years to 2019 there were 11,732 new build home completions in Edinburgh. Since 2015, the annual number of new build starts in Edinburgh has exceeded 12,500 – more than double the number of new start builds between 2010 to 2014.
In 2019, a quarter (25%) of Edinburgh households lived in private rented accommodation while more than half (59%) own their own homes. Both are higher rates than recorded across Scotland as a whole and other Scottish cities respectively.
From 2017 to 2019 the number of purpose-built student rooms was 2,677, a slower pace than the previous period, with around 1,500 fewer rooms built than in 2014-2016 (5,036).
*Throughout the Edinburgh by Number Report, Edinburgh is always compared to a comparative group of eight UK cities plus on occasion London.
One of the largest gatherings of international parliamentarians to discuss the climate emergency will take place at the Scottish Parliament in November, it has been announced today.
The two-day event, which is being organised by GLOBE International in partnership with the Scottish Parliament, forms part of the wider programme of events surrounding the UK hosted, COP26 conference in Glasgow.
The International Legislators’ Summit is due to take place in a hybrid format at the Scottish Parliament on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 November 2021. The Summit will invite international parliamentarians to engage in discussions around the theme of ‘accelerating climate action and delivering a green, fair and resilient recovery’.
Ken Macintosh MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, said: “The eyes of the world will soon turn to Glasgow as we look towards what international progress can be made to tackle the issue of climate change as it hosts COP26 later on this year.
“The Debating Chamber of this Parliament has not shied away from tackling important issues. So it is particularly fitting that the Parliament can support this global event and provide a platform for international parliamentarians to discuss some of the most important issues that will affect the world in the coming years.”
Gillian Martin MSP & Convener of Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee said: “This event will help highlight the critical role that Parliaments all over the world will have to play if we are to effectively tackle the climate emergency. Only through effective law-making and detailed scrutiny can we be confident that national Governments can deliver on their global and national commitments.
“It will facilitate collaboration, open communication and shared learning which will be so important to us all on our shared journey through the climate emergency.”
Juan Carlos Villalonga, President of Globe Argentina & Chairman of the Board of GLOBE International, said: “Five years on from Paris, few could have foreseen that the world would be thrown off course by a global pandemic and COP26 delayed by a year. COVID19 has revealed the systemic and interconnected nature of crises.
“As we gather in Glasgow to address the climate emergency, our response as legislators must be similarly systemic and interconnected. We must work together to raise ambition for accelerated action on climate change.
“Action which succeeds most when it delivers co-benefits and simultaneously addresses related crises such as biodiversity loss and inequality in our communities.”
* Hybrid/virtual arrangements are assumed for this event to ensure that it is able to proceed despite any COVID-19 restrictions in place on 5 and 6 November
The Scottish Greens’ Lothian MSP, Alison Johnstone, has called for Lothian Pension Fund to end its multi-million pound investment in fossil fuels and instead make more socially responsible investments.
New research from Friends of the Earth Scotland shows that council pension funds in Scotland invest £1.2bn in fossil fuel giants, with devastating consequences for communities, climate and their own finances.
Lothian Pension Fund, which is operated by City of Edinburgh Council for its own area and on behalf of East Lothian, West Lothian and Midlothian, have agreed not to make new investments in fossil fuel companies they do not already invest in, but this does not end existing investments in climate-wrecking companies, or prevent them from increasing.
Alison Johnstone said: “Public pension funds in Scotland continue to invest millions to bankroll fossil fuel companies every year. Lothian Pension Fund invests £165m in major polluters, at a time when leadership is needed in tackling the climate crisis.
“The public don’t want to see these pension funds exacerbating the problem, particularly when this cash could be invested into socially responsible endeavours like green energy production, house building and public transport improvements.
“This year the world will come to Scotland when Glasgow hosts the UN climate change summit. It’s time for Scotland to take a lead in tackling the climate crisis, and one of the most straightforward ways we can begin to do that is by ending these public investments in big oil and gas.
“Lothian Pension Fund must show that it is serious about tackling the climate emergency by bringing its influence to bear and ending these obscene oil and gas investments.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will urge G20 leaders to take more ambitious action to defeat the pandemic and address climate change, as he attends a virtual summit this weekend.
Hosted by Saudi Arabia, the G20 Summit will bring together world leaders for two days of discussions on how to drive the global recovery from coronavirus and build back better.
At a session on ‘Overcoming the Pandemic and Restoring Growth and Jobs’ today [Saturday 21st], Boris Johnson will note the UK’s commitment to equitable global access for coronavirus vaccines and encourage others to step up and support the COVAX initiative, to ensure developing countries are not frozen out of the race for a vaccine.
On Sunday [22nd], he will welcome recent Net Zero commitments from a number of G20 countries at a session on ‘Building an Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Future’, and call on others to make the same pledge. Ahead of the Climate Ambition Summit co-hosted by the UK on December 12th, the Prime Minister will warn that we risk failing future generations if states do not take bold steps to reduce their emissions.
Speaking ahead of the G20, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “The G20 committed in March to do ‘whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic and protect lives and livelihoods’. As we meet this weekend, we must hold ourselves to account for that promise.
“If we harness the collective ingenuity and resources of the G20, we can chart a path out of the pandemic and build a better, greener future.”
The Prime Minister is attending the G20 remotely from Downing Street on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November. Both sessions are expected to take place in the afternoon.
Climate changing carbon dioxide emissions from SEPA regulated industrial sites drop 57% in a decade – down 5% in the last year.
2019 Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) contains data from 1,327 regulated sites published by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
The Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) 2019 data – this year experimental official statistics – was published today 29 September 2020 by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. This year’s data covers annual mass releases of specified pollutants to air and water and information on off-site waste transfers from 1,327 SEPA regulated industrial sites.
Greenhouse gases
The two largest contributing pollutants in terms of emissions are carbon dioxide and methane which drive the overall greenhouse gas trend.
While carbon dioxide continues to drive the overall emissions trend and remains the largest contributing pollutant in terms of the emissions for 2019, the data shows Scotland’s carbon dioxide emissions have reduced significantly in the last 10 years. Emissions of the gas are down 57 per cent in the decade and 5 per cent annually to around 11,293,146,000 kg since 2018.
Whilst overall carbon dioxide emissions fell by 5% in the last year, direct emissions from those waste and waste-water management sector facilities required to report under SPRI increased by 76% over the last decade, partly driven by a move towards waste incineration instead of landfill for residual waste management. However, their emissions of greenhouses gases remain small relative to the energy sector.
The shift away from landfill towards recycling and incineration has resulted in further reductions in direct Methane emissions. While methane does not remain in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide it is initially far more impactful on the climate because of how effectively it absorbs heat. Methane emissions decreased significantly – by 44% – over the decade to 2019, and by 4% between 2018 and 2019 to 26,777,357 kg.
2010
2018
2019
% change 2010-2019
% change 2018-2019
Carbon dioxide
26,384,456,678
11,849,079,760
11,293,145,941
Down 57%
Down 5%
Methane
47,912,442
27,878,368
26,777,357
Down 44%
Down 4%
Nitrous Oxide
250,912
89,846
96,543
Down 61%
Up 8%
Hydrofluorocarbons
1,465
3,513
1,263
Down 14%
Down 64%
Perfluorocarbons
1,604
4,418
3,945
Up 146%
Up 11%
Sulphur Hexafluoride
207
107
221
Up 7%
Up 106%
All measurements in kilogrammes.
Energy transition
A number of variables influence SPRI emissions. In the long term, the shift away from use of coal as a fuel is a significant factor. Carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector have fallen by around 70% since 2010, largely due to the closure of coal fired power stations. As emissions from the energy sector have fallen, releases from other sectors now form a greater proportion of the greenhouse gas emissions reported to SPRI.
Some of the decreases observed for these gases can be accounted for by investment in new technologies and renewables, and landfill gas recovery systems.
Wider economic drivers and the weather are other factors identified as affecting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from SPRI sites.
Circular economy
Scotland’s progress towards a circular economy is also highlighted in both SPRI and separate ‘2019 Waste landfilled in Scotland’ and ‘2019 Waste incinerated in Scotland’ Official Statistics released today by SEPA.
As Scotland reduces, reuses and recycles more than ever before, waste which cannot be recycled is now being diverted from landfill as new energy from waste (incineration) infrastructure comes online. As a consequence methane emissions from the waste sector decreased by 47% over the decade, from a high ceiling of 40,868,900 kg in 2010, to 21,575,000 kg in 2019. Capture of gas at landfill sites has also contributed to the reduction.
Consequently, as methane emissions from landfill have reduced, carbon dioxide from incineration sites have increased 83% over the last decade from a low base of 1,090,000,000 kg to 2,000,000,000 kg in 2019. Emissions from this sector are small compared to that of the energy sector.
These trends represent direct emissions of greenhouse gases from specific parts of the waste management sector. They do not take into account efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle our waste. Scotland’s Carbon Metric shows that in 2018, the overall impact of Scotland’s waste management system – taking into account reduction, recycling, incineration and landfill – was 30% less than in 2011.
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of SEPA, said: “These experimental official statistics chart the progress we’ve made as a nation with our globally ambitious climate change targets, with some pollutants emitted from regulated businesses falling in the last decade. They also reflect the realism of a modern, Western European economy in transition.
“The successful businesses of tomorrow will be those that are sustainable. As Scotland’s environmental regulator, our firm focus remains to helping Scottish businesses innovate and emerge stronger and more sustainably from the current public health pandemic, enabling leadership in a decade of climate emergency.”
Minor year-to-year fluctuations in pollutants can often be attributed to changes at a few sites, due to increases or decreases in production, changing source products and new sites opening. All pollutants have a reporting threshold, below which sites do not need to report a value to SPRI. An increase in production can move a site’s releases above the threshold, giving the appearance of a larger increase.
The latest UK climate projections show a trend towards drier and warmer summers, with the west of Scotland set to become wetter and the east drier, plus more frequent instances of heavy rainfall.
New research by the James Hutton Institute shows that these changing weather patterns are likely to make private water supplies across Scotland more vulnerable to droughts, a major issue considering that private supplies provide drinking water to 4% of Scotland’s population, and to many more through businesses and tourist facilities.
Summer 2018 was unusually dry and warm and many private water supplies ran dry leaving people needing assistance from their local authority. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) responded on behalf of the Scottish Government by commissioning a report into how climate change is likely to impact the resilience of private water supplies in the future, focusing on water scarcity.
If, as projected, drier and warmer summers are more frequent, private water supplies will be increasingly vulnerable to water shortages. North east Scotland is forecast to experience the largest increase in water shortages, and it is also where there is the highest density of private water supplies.
Dr Mike Rivington, project lead and co-author of the report, said: “About half of Scotland’s private water supplies are estimated to be within areas of increased vulnerability between now and 2050.
“Future levels of vulnerability are due to reduced water quantity availability combining with specific catchment scale water use, such as for agriculture. Across Scotland this will vary in space and time due to changes in precipitation and temperature that affects the overall water balance.”
Co-author Dr Ioanna Akoumianaki highlights the need for a better understanding of water storage at landscape scales and the potential impacts of dry weather on springs, rivers, lochs and the water table to help assess the risk of private water supplies drying up.
She added: “Awareness of that risk and collaboration between users, local authorities and experts will be key to addressing the challenges and achieving rural supplies that are resilient to changes in the climate.”
Environment and Climate Change Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “This important research provides more evidence that climate change is having a growing impact on our natural environment and resources – and on our everyday lives.
“The prolonged dry weather in 2018, and again this spring, shows that Scotland is not immune to water scarcity. Events like this will only become more frequent, which is why it is essential that we continue to build on our understanding of climate change effects with research like this. This will help develop our critical adaptation work and support of communities across the country.”
But it’s not just changes in our climate that present potential problems. CREW recently published a study led by Glasgow Caledonian University showing that private water supplies play a vital role in rural economies in Scotland, with many micro- and small businesses relying on them. Reliance on private supplies makes communities in remote areas of rural Scotland potentially less resilient, economically and otherwise.
The report argues that it costs more – directly and indirectly – to access and maintain private supplies and issues with water quality can be detrimental to businesses, further affecting the fragile, interdependent nature of small rural communities.
Whilst tourism is widely regarded as a welcome economic opportunity in rural areas, the sudden rise in water demand, such as along the heavily promoted North Coast 500 tourist route, was recognised as an issue requiring urgent attention. Better regulatory oversight and support and enhanced communication between relevant agencies both locally and nationally is essential so rural businesses and communities can continue to grow.
Prof Bob Ferrier, Director of CREW commented: “Scotland’s climate is changing, and it is important to understand the impacts of that change on our society. Reliance on private water supplies puts users increasingly at risk of both the impacts of climate change and the low resilience to economic impacts.”
Funded by the Scottish Government, CREW is a partnership between the James Hutton Institute and Scottish higher education and research institutes. For details see www.crew.ac.uk.
