Tickets are now available for the up and coming Grow Wild hub training day at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh in collaboration with the Grow Wild UK team, Edible Gardening Project, Water Works (Grow Wild flagship lead Mark Brand), Roy Watling (Mycology Expert) and more. Continue reading Grow Wild at The Botanics!
Community-led organisations from across Edinburgh and surrounding areas invite the public to join them on Saturday 18th March (1pm – 6pm) in Southside Community Centre for the second Climate Festival. Continue reading A free family-friendly event: Edinburgh Climate Festival
Forthquarter Park open as usual while environmental officers carry out tests at old gasworks site
Investigaations into contamination on the former Granton gasworks site are underway after local residents raised concerns over an unusual number of pet dog deaths following visits to Forthquarter Park. Environmental health officers are working with National Grid, the owners of the park, to investigate the reports but the park remains open while the tests are ongoing. Continue reading Forthquarter Park remains open while investigations continue
Changeworks has partnered with the University of Edinburgh to deliver IDEAL, a cutting edge research project exploring how smart technology can help save energy in the home. They are looking for Edinburgh households (EH1-EH17) with gas combi boiler heating to participate.
The benefits include:
· Gaining insight into your home energy use
· Receiving a free android tablet used to display energy use information
· Receiving tailored advice from University of Edinburgh experts
· Hopefully saving money on gas and electricity bills
For more information visit changeworks.org.uk/projects/ideal
To get involved email your name, address, and contact details to IDEAL@changeworks.org.uk, or call 0131 539 8610.
Two Green MSPs are lobbying the Scotland Office to intervene in the potential sale of the Green Investment Bank. Alison Johnstone and Andy Wightman are urging the UK government’s office in Scotland to ensure that the bank maintains its commitment to environmental causes and that it safeguards the 55 jobs it has in Edinburgh, the city the MSPs represent at Holyrood. Continue reading Plea to save ideals of Green Investment Bank
Councillors on the city council’s Transport and Environment Committee will hear next week that air quality in Edinburgh is improving. However the latest figures produced by Friends of the Earth Scotland show that there are now more pollution zones across Scotland than there were twelve months ago – and that much more needs to be done to address a problem they say is becoming a ‘public health crisis’. Continue reading Putting the brakes on air pollution
Change to Special Uplift charges on the cards
An action plan aimed at improving Edinburgh’s waste and cleansing service has made good progress in its first months, according to the city council. Since its implementation, the 65-point plan has seen an overall reduction in missed collections, as well as an increase in the percentage of street cleansing enquiries addressed within timescale. Continue reading ‘Encouraging’ improvement in waste and cleansing service, says council
Detailed designs are set to be drawn up for a controversial £5.5 million project to create a’family-friendly’ west to east cycle route through the city centre following a public meeting of the city council’s Future Transport Working Group last week. The decision to press ahead has infuriated many residents and local traders, almost three thousand of whom objected to the ‘cycle superhighway’ proposals. Continue reading Green light for bike superhighway
A plan to improve Edinburgh’s resilience to climate change has been launched. Edinburgh Adapts 2016-2020 is the city’s first climate change action plan, and aims to help the city prepare for and adapt to the effects of a changing climate.
The plan has been developed by the Edinburgh Sustainable Development Partnership in collaboration with Adaptation Scotland and more than 40 key stakeholders from across the city. It was unveiled on Thursday by Councillor Lesley Hinds, Chair of the Edinburgh Sustainable Development Partnership, and Ruth Monfries, Chair of the Edinburgh Adapts Steering Group, along with Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, Chair of the Edinburgh Sustainable Development Partnership, said: “While we’re making every effort to address the causes of climate change, we can’t avoid the fact that its impacts are already affecting us.
“By working with partners to produce Edinburgh Adapts, we are able to better understand the effects a changing climate will have, enabling us to become both a resilient city and a greener, safer and healthier place to live.”
Climate Change Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “Tackling the effects of climate change is crucial as the challenges of increasingly unpredictable weather and extreme conditions are only likely to increase if we don’t take action now.
“That’s why I’m delighted to welcome Edinburgh’s first Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan which is ambitious but achievable with the medium to long-term vision of Edinburgh Adapts telling the story of Edinburgh’s adaptation journey to 2050. It provides us with an illustration of what we could do to make us more resilient to the impacts of climate change when public and private stakeholders, the third sector and community groups work together.
“Scotland has set an example to the world by exceeding its ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets six years early, but we cannot be complacent and must work with a wide range of partners to build on the strong progress we have made and be ready to deal with the impacts of climate change we know are coming.”
Ruth Monfries, Chair of the Edinburgh Adapts Steering Group, added: “Raising awareness of the impacts of climate change and sharing knowledge can help us better manage the risks and realise the opportunities in being well prepared – to help us ensure that a climate ready Edinburgh remains a great place to live, work and visit.
“Organisations across the city are working together to help Edinburgh meet the challenges of a changing climate. The first Edinburgh Adapts action plan sets out the initial steps towards achieving our vision. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and partners on the steering group are collaborating on actions to make this happen.”
Edinburgh Adapts builds on the Resilient Edinburgh Climate Change Adaptation Framework, which was approved by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Committee in 2014, and provides a platform for bringing together adaptation activity from across the city.
In line with the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, actions aim to respond to climate changes which, if current trends continue as projected, will result in warmer, drier summers and milder, wetter winters.
As well as ensuring overall governance of adaptation in the city, the plan aims to protect and enhance Edinburgh’s wildlife and green spaces, providing nature-based solutions to climate-related problems. Planning and development play a key role in ensuring the city adapts, including the use of green infrastructure to offset predicted changes in weather and rainfall and naturalising flood prevention measures when feasible. Actions involving working with communities and raising awareness of the impacts of climate change on local areas are also integral to the plan.
Its progress will be overseen by a steering group including representatives from the Council, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Edinburgh Living Landscapes, The University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh College, Historic Environment Scotland, Edinburgh World Heritage and Adaptation Scotland.
In conjunction with Edinburgh Adapts, Our Vision for a Climate Ready Edinburgh has been developed by partners which, aims to tell the story of Edinburgh’s adaptation journey, first in 2025 and then in 2050.
Find out more about Edinburgh Adapts online.
The city council’s rollout of 20mph speed limits for residential and shopping streets continues, with new signs and lines starting to be installed for Phase 2 from December. Continue reading 20mph roll-out continues: next time it’s North
