Tag: environment

Scotland’s recycling rate starts to recover as covid restrictions ease

Scottish household waste statistics 2021

  • Scottish 2021 household waste figures reflect the reality of easing pandemic restrictions
  • Scotland generated 2.48 million tonnes of household waste (0.45 tonnes per person) in 2021
  • Overall household recycling rate was (42.7%) up slightly on 2020
  • Recycling of household wood and construction wastes increased after lockdowns
  • Carbon impact of Scotland’s waste increased by 53,000 tonnes CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2021, but is down 860,000 tonnes CO2e since 2011

Waste from all sources landfilled and incinerated in Scotland 2021

  • Waste from all sources landfilled in Scotland in 2021 increased 22.4% largely due to more soils and sorting residues being landfilled  
  • Waste from all sources incinerated in Scotland in 2021 increased by 7.4%, also mainly due to an increase in sorting residues incinerated

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) statisticians yesterday published Official Statistics which provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2021, as well as waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland in 2021.

The figures, when compared to 2020, reflect the impact the pandemic had on Scotland’s waste. An increase in both the amount of waste generated and amount recycled are likely due to a bounce back after lockdowns and other restrictions were lifted.

Increases in waste wood and construction waste are likely due to people restarting of home improvement projects. 

SCOTTISH HOUSEHOLD WASTE STATISTICS 2021

Scottish households generated the equivalent of 0.45 tonnes of waste per person in 2021, with 0.19 tonnes recycled, 0.12 tonnes sent to landfill and 0.14 tonnes diverted through other means, such as incineration.

The total amount of household waste generated was 2.48 million tonnes in 2021, an increase of 55,000 tonnes (2.3%) from 2020. Of this, 1.06 million tonnes (42.7%) was recycled, a 0.7 percentage point increase from 2020. 

Data for every one of Scotland’s 32 local authorities are available on SEPA’s website.

Carbon impact of Scottish household waste  

The Scottish carbon metric measures the whole-life impact of resources. A measure of national performance, the metric takes a holistic view, from resource extraction and manufacturing emissions, through to waste management emissions. This is measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).  

The carbon impact of Scottish household waste generated and managed in 2021 was 5.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which equates to 1.08 tonnes of CO2e per person. This was an increase of 0.9% (53,000 tonnes CO2e) from 2020, largely due to more waste being generated.

While the amount of waste generated by Scottish households in 2021 was 4.7% below 2011 levels, the carbon impact of Scottish household waste generated and managed was 12.8% (0.86 million tonnes CO2e) below the 2011 level.

Amount of recyclables collected at the kerbside continues to rise

The amount of segregated recyclate collected via kerbside collections in 2021 was 721,000 tonnes, an increase of 5,400 tonnes (0.7%) from 2020. The change was more pronounced for rural authorities (up 4,700 tonnes, 1.6%) compared to urban authorities (up 600 tonnes, 0.1%).

These increases continue the overall trend since 2013 when 578,096 tonnes was collected, an overall increase of 24.8%.

Less than half as much waste sent to landfill as in 2011

2021 was the first time in 10 years there was no decrease in household waste sent to landfill – though the amount was more than half what was disposed of in 2011.

The increase of 4,000 tonnes to 664,000 tonnes, was a 0.6% increase from 2020, but 54.4% less than 2011. While there was an increase in the amount of waste landfilled, there was a slight decrease in the percentage sent to landfill (down 0.4 percentage points).
  
Waste recycled and diverted from landfill

The 2021, Scottish household waste recycling ratewas 42.7%, up 0.7 percentage points from 2020. The amount of household waste recycled between in 2020 and 2021 increased by 41,000 tonnes (4.0%) to 1.06 million tonnes.

The majority was recycled or reused (677,000 tonnes, 63.8%), composting contributing the remaining 384,000 (36.2%).

The increase in waste recycled between 2020 and 2021 is likely due to a bounce back from the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown and other restrictions in 2020, which resulted in the amount of waste recycled and the waste recycling rate falling to the lowest levels since 2013.

The amount of household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 758,000 tonnes, an increase of 10,000 tonnes (1.4%) from 2020. Most was managed by incineration (612,000 tonnes, 80.7%), which was also the case in 2020, although the proportion of the total was higher (81.9%) in 2020.
 
Wood and construction wastes largest changes in materials recycled

Of the seven material categories that were the most recycled or reused in 2021, wood wastes showed the largest change compared with 2020 (increase of 10,000 tonnes, 14.7%). These were followed by construction and soils waste (increase of 8,000 tonnes, 9.0%).   

The increase in the recycling or reuse of these two wastes in 2021 follows a 21.5% reduction for each in 2020. This decrease is likely due in part to a reduction in the number and scale of home improvement projects, resulting from pandemic factors, such as lockdown and the inability to source raw materials.   

WASTE FROM ALL SOURCES LANDFILLED AND INCINERATED IN SCOTLAND 2021

Also published today were statisticsproviding the details of waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland for calendar year 2021. The corresponding data set for all waste generated and recycled in Scotland during 2021 will be published in March 2023.

Total waste landfilled in Scotland

The total quantity of waste landfilled in Scotland in 2021 was 3.2 million tonnes, an increase of 587,000 tonnes (22.4%) from 2020.

The increase was largely due to more soils (increased 297,000 tonnes, 35.7%) and sorting residues (increased 221,000 tonnes, 32.1%) being landfilled from 2020. These increases are likely due to a resumption of construction activity in Scotland following extended lockdowns and other pandemic restrictions in the previous reporting period. 

The waste landfilled in Scotland statistics are available on SEPA’s website  

Waste incinerated in Scotland 

The total quantity of waste incinerated in Scotland in 2021 was 1.35 million tonnes, an increase of 93,000 tonnes (7.4%) from 2020. Sorting residues made up a third (33.3%) of all waste incinerated (450,000 tonnes, up 74,000 tonnes – 19.5%). 

This increase is likely to due to a resumption of construction activity in Scotland after pandemic restrictions and an increase in treatment of residual waste, which was delayed in 2020 due to pandemic lockdowns at local authority recycling centres.

Hazardous waste comprised 0.2% (2,000 tonnes) of waste incinerated in 2021 and was solely composed of hazardous health care and biological wastes.  

The waste incinerated in Scotland statistics are available on SEPA’s website. 

Gary Walker, Waste and Landfill Tax Manager at SEPA, said: “The latest official statistics reflect the reality of the easing of COVID pandemic restrictions, as household waste recycling centres re-opened.

“While Scotland has seen a reduction in the amount of waste generated in the last decade, the latest figures are a timely reminder of the need for a continued focus on recycling by us all.

“Recycling is a simple daily step everyone can take to build a more sustainable Scotland. We can all make choices to reduce the amount of waste we generate and keep products and materials in use for as long as possible through re-use and recycling to help Scotland tackle the climate emergency.”

Scotland’s Climate Week: Firms receive £9.4m to help cut carbon

Decarbonisation fund recipients announced as applications re-open

Ten companies have been awarded a total of £9.4 million to help Scottish industries reduce carbon emissions through decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects.

The recipients from the second round of the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF) are predominantly involved in the manufacturing and food and drink sectors.

The projects include a more energy efficient dryer at a seaweed processing facility, whilst several brewers and whisky distilleries will also receive funding for projects that aim to reduce the emissions that are created during energy-intensive manufacturing processes.

The projects awarded funding have the potential to reduce emissions by 40,482 tonnes of CO2 a year, the equivalent of the annual emissions from 17,000 households.

A further £160,000 has also been made available to conduct up to four engineering or feasibility studies into future projects that will aim to reduce emissions and increase efficiency within the sector by creating a pipeline of future projects.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the funding while visiting Graham’s Family Dairy, where previous SIETF funding allowed them to upgrade steam production and heat distribution infrastructure.

The First Minister said: “Reducing emissions in our manufacturing sector will be a crucial step in ensuring Scotland reaches its net zero target by 2045.

“I am pleased that the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund continues to support companies across the sector to embrace decarbonisation, improve efficiency and reduce their impact on the environment.

“This week is Scotland’s Climate Week, which puts a renewed focus upon the ongoing climate emergency and our efforts to tackle it. And as households and businesses struggle with rising energy costs, it has never been more important to support industry to become more energy efficient.

“I welcome the work that the Fund has already supported and I hope that many more businesses will apply in the future.”

Up to £34 million of Scottish Government funding will be made available through the lifetime of the five-year SIETF, which runs until 2026. The third round of applications is now live.

Robert B Graham, Managing Director at Graham’s Family Dairy said: “The SIETF programme has enabled us to accelerate our industrial decarbonisation programme, driving energy efficiencies and reducing waste.

“SIETF funding support has meant we have been able to deliver a number of process decarbonisation projects in parallel, to achieve scalable impact across our supply chain and share results to support Scottish industry & businesses with their journey to net zero.”

Peter Davison and Kieran Healey-Ryder from the Sustainability Leadership Team at Whyte & Mackay, which has secured second round funding, said: “As whisky makers we believe in a sustainable future for what we do here on Jura.

“This Scottish Government programme is a galvanising platform for industry to come together and solve for a green future right across these islands.

“This grant will accelerate our journey towards a sustainable future for whisky making here on Jura.”

The Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund was launched on 11 December 2020. The first recipients of SIETF were announced on 8 October 2021.

SIETF supports industrial sites with high energy use to transition to a low carbon future. It will improve the international competitiveness of many companies whilst protecting jobs.

The application window for the third round of projects will remain open until 18 November 2022.

The second round of recipients of SIETF funding are detailed below:

NameCompetitionSectorLocationTechnology
Grant offered: over £2m
DSM Nutritional ProductsDeploymentFood and drinkEast AyrshireMechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) technology
Whyte & MackayDeploymentFood and drinkArgyle and ButeSteam boiler with biomass fuel burner and flue gas purification
Grant offered: £1m – £2m
Pauls MaltDeploymentFood and drinkAngusThe installation of a hot water network and CHP
Grant offered: £500k – £1m
BrewdogDeploymentFood and drinkAberdeenshireFood grade (green) CO2 production via CO2 capture
Carbon Capture ScotlandDeploymentDry Ice ProductionDumfries and GallowayCO2 Feedstock Recycling
Uist AscoDeploymentManufacturingWestern IslesInstallation of a more efficient dryer with heat recovery
UPMDeploymentManufacturingEast AyrshireReplace existing pumps with three energy efficient turbo blowers
Grant offered: £250k – £500k
DiageoDeploymentFood and DrinkAberdeenshireInstallation of High Temperature Heat Pump
MacphieDeploymentFood and DrinkAberdeenshireConversion of oil fired steam plant to natural gas
Tennent’sDeploymentFood and DrinkGlasgow CityAir compressor and spent grain transfer and smart air injection and spent grain removal technology
Grant offered: £100k – 250k
DSM Nutritional ProductsDeploymentFood and drinkEast AyrshireHeat recovery DCM evaporator and preheat feed effluent columns
Grant offered: under £125k (study only)
DiageoStudyFood and drinkFifeNatural gas to electricity transition
GlenAllachie DistilleryStudyFood and drinkMorayMechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) technology
IneosStudyPetrochemicalsFalkirkEnergy efficiency of pyrolysis furnaces
TennentsStudyFood and drinkGlasgow CityInvestigation of low carbon heat pump technology

Scotland’s Climate Week 2022: Edinburgh’s commitment

City council leader Cammy Day said yesterday: The climate crisis represents the single greatest threat to all humankind, and it is something that we must face together.

Whilst recent events such as the death of Her Majesty The Queen, the ongoing cost of living crisis, and events in Ukraine have dominated our thoughts and indeed the news cycle, we must now turn our efforts back to arguably the most pressing issue of our time. 

As Scotland’s Climate Week begins today, I would like to reiterate our commitment to becoming a net-zero city by 2030 and spearheading the climate fightback here in Scotland’s Capital. This is a cornerstone of the Council’s long-term goals, and I am determined that we will play our role in the wider climate effort.  

As Council Leader I will be attending the UK100’s Climate Leadership Academy this autumn. This programme for leaders across the UK will provide knowledge on decarbonisation, financial transition, energy, and nature/adaption.

I relish the opportunity to speak to other local government leaders from across the country and the political spectrum. The climate crisis is a collective problem and as such requires a collective and cooperative solution.

To achieve net-zero, everyone must play their part in driving climate action. A reduction in emissions needs to take place across all areas of society and business sectors. Overwhelmingly, the scientific evidence clearly shows that to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, the increasing global temperature must be limited to 1.5°C.

Here in Edinburgh, we are already on our way to becoming a greener city.

This summer we launched a citywide network of electric vehicle chargers located on streets and at park and ride sites, which will help people to choose cleaner, low emission electric cars.

In June the city was awarded silver status by the Sustainable Food Places Network, recognising the Capital’s pioneering work to promote healthy and sustainable food. The City of Edinburgh Council was also ranked third in the UK by Climate Emergency UK in their scorecard of local authority’s climate action plans.

Edinburgh’s ten-year City Mobility Plan aims to transform the way we move around the city, reducing emissions and air pollution, positively impacting public health, and tackling congestion amongst other benefits. Actions include projects like City Centre Transformation, Trams to Newhaven, George Street and First New Town, 20-Minute Neighbourhoods and the extension of 20mph speed limits, as well as behaviour change initiatives and seamless public transport ticketing.

At the start of #ScotClimateWeek I would like to call upon our fantastic residents, businesses, and partner organisations to renew their climate commitments. Our dedicated climate webpage  is filled with information on Edinburgh’s 2030 climate strategy, tracking our progress and climate action in the city. I would encourage everyone to educate themselves on the climate crisis and find out how small, individual changes can make a lasting impact.

Encouraging people to consider alternatives to travel by car like walking, wheeling, cycling and travel by public transport is essential to our net zero goals and we’ve set a target of reducing the kms travelled by car in Edinburgh by 30% by 2030. Last week we marked Car Free Day and this Sunday (2 October) we’ll be holding a fun event on Waverley Bridge to celebrate the occasion. The area will be transformed into an inclusive community hub of information, inspiration and activity encouraging people to consider more sustainable forms of transport.

There is also an Edinburgh Net-Zero events page and Climate Fringe Festival Calendar find out what’s going on in Edinburgh for Scotland’s Climate Week. 

We remain in the midst of a challenging fight against climate change, and the significant impacts that are already being felt across the globe. However, I remain confident that our capital city and its people will persevere and play their part in this shared effort to make our planet a safer, sustainable, and more prosperous place to live.  

Leith Collective launches winter coat exchange as ‘season of crisis’ looms

Locals urged to donate to those struggling with the cost of living

Heating bills are at an all-time high, inflation is on the rise, and the temperature outside is plummeting.

There is no doubt that the necessity to keep warm and the stress of trying to keep up with the rising cost of living will sadly push many people to their breaking point this winter. However, one local business is doing all it can to offer practical help. 

Saturday 1st October will see The Leith Collective launch its winter coat exchange across its three Scottish stores. Locals are being urged to donate good quality winter coats and waterproof jackets suitable for all ages and sizes. The coats will be available for anyone to collect at Ocean Terminal, Fort Kinnaird and St Enoch Centre completely free of charge, no questions asked. 

The Leith Collective launched its first ever winter coat exchange in January 2022. At the time, it proved to be a genuine lifeline for many local individuals and families unable to afford a warm and comfortable coat to protect themselves from the elements.

Sadly, The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson, predicts this winter will be even more challenging for even more people: “We launched the winter coat exchange at the beginning of the year and sadly, here we are again. Except this time, it is even worse.

“Right across Scotland, there are people that are genuinely scared of what this winter may bring. People who now can’t afford even the most basic essentials because the cost of living has skyrocketed. For many people, winter 2022 will be a season of crisis. But we are determined to make a difference, and we know there are countless people in Edinburgh and Glasgow that want to help too.”

The winter coat exchange is not only a practical response to the cost of living crisis, but also to the climate crisis – a cause which lies at the heart of The Leith Collective. The winter coat exchange is a sustainable solution that aims to keep quality clothes out of landfill and in use for longer, promoting a circular economy and reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry.

As a Community Interest Company, all profits from The Leith Collective go towards supporting the community and promoting sustainability through the arts.

The Leith Collective actively supports individuals with mental health or support needs to grow in confidence and gain experience in the workplace, and offers business mentorship to any members of the Collective.

It is hoped that by hosting the winter coat exchange in accessible locations such as Ocean Terminal, Fort Kinnaird and St Enoch Centre, those currently experiencing difficulties will be able to receive a helping hand.

Coats can be dropped off or collected at The Leith Collective at Ocean Terminal, The Leith Collective at Fort Kinnaird, and The Clydeside Collective at St Enoch Centre during opening hours.

Tenants in Edinburgh take part in major energy efficiency roll out

Scottish housing provider Bield has rolled out hundreds of air fryers and slow cookers to tenants across the country in a bid to help reduce energy consumption.

The cooking equipment has been gifted to 688 Bield tenants as the provider received £33,000 from the Social Housing Fuel Support Fund – Round Two, funded by the Scottish Government and administered by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA).

Developments based in Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire, Dundee, East and West Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire and the Scottish Borders participated in the initiative which was led by Ken Greenshields, Customer Engagement Co-ordinator at Bield.

In Edinburgh, tenants at Emily Court, Halmyre Street, Milton Court and Pennywell Gardens received the new appliances.

The roll out is part of an ongoing drive to integrate energy efficient and sustainable measures across Bield’s operations and 5,000+ properties.

Frances Payne, a tenant at Bield’s Halmyre Street development in Edinburgh, said: “I was thinking of buying an air fryer myself and was so pleased when I received the offer letter asking if I wanted one. I’ve been looking forward to getting it and trying out some new recipes.”

As part of the roll out, Bield also created a recipe book with six different meal suggestions that can be made in an air fryer/slow cooker. The book was designed to help inspire tenants to make healthy food choices with their new equipment.

Another Bield resident, Mrs Dowling of the Glen Affric Avenue development in Glasgow, said: “I have been really looking forward to getting my air fryer. It is so quick and easy to use and everything I’ve cooked so far has been delicious.”

Bield’s commitment to sustainability is embedded into all its operations.  The housing and care provider recently revealed it is working to reduce its carbon footprint by 90% in a bid to combat the global environmental crisis.

Tracey Howatt, Director of Customer Experience at Bield said: “It’s very important to us that we make decisions which positively impact the environment whilst simultaneously putting the needs of our tenants at the heart of our operations.

“The roll out of these cooking appliances is just one of the proactive ways we are looking to raise awareness of energy and sustainability issues. We’re delighted to have been able to run this initiative and it’s only been possible thanks to the involvement and funding award from SFHA and a lot of hard work from Ken.

“We will continue to support our tenants in any way we can as we face soaring energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis.”

Bield worked with electrical retailer AO to help deliver the air fryers and slow cookers to its tenants across Scotland.

Anthony Sant, Managing Director at AO Business said “We are so pleased to have worked with Bield on this project and are excited to see the results. We all know that many essential appliances simply can’t be switched off at the plug to save energy, in the same way that we might do with game consoles or TVs when not in use.

“These slow cookers and air fryers will allow the recipients to make delicious, healthy meals at home, using less energy, and we’re thrilled to have been asked to play a part in making it happen.”

Bield is a registered charity dedicated to providing flexible housing solutions and support for older people. Bield Housing and Care has around 180 developments across Scotland, providing independent living for those over 50 years old around the country.

To find out more about Bield, visit https://www.bield.co.uk/housing-and-other-services or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.

Solar to power Operating Rooms across Africa

Smile Train and Kids Operating Room poised to launch Solar Surgery System

Global health NGOs, Smile Train and Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), have announced an ambitious plan to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of surgery, while increasing quality and patient safety, across low- and middle-income countries, starting in Africa.

After a successful four-month solar panel pilot program at a mock operating room in Dundee, where KidsOR is based, the two organizationsare moving forward to provide sustainable, reliable power to operating rooms in parts of Africa where the main power grid is unstable and power outages are common.

“This initiative aims to give consistent and reliable power to medical professionals in the operating room that will enhance patient care and safety while protecting much needed medical equipment that can be damaged when there’s a voltage irregularity with the main power grid,” said Susannah Schaefer, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Smile Train.

“We work closely with the team at KidsOR on hospital infrastructure projects and we asked them if they could develop a solution to this significant, multifaceted problem.”

Power cuts in African hospitals can severely impact on patient care with many hospitals suffering from hundreds of hours of power outage each month. In some cases, these power cuts last for days. Meanwhile, when they’re working at full capacity, operating rooms are a significant source of greenhouse gas production for hospitals.

To help tackle this dual challenge, Smile Train and KidsOR will begin implementing stand-alone solar battery support systems in pediatric operating rooms in Africa in 2023, with the first hospitals being identified now. Solar panels will be mounted on the roof of a facility, which will charge a battery unit capable of powering medical equipment in an operating room continually during daylight and for a further six hours after sunset.

Picking up the challenge to develop a surgery specific power system, Garreth Wood, chairman of KidsOR, responded: “Our team are experts at working in remote and challenging environments and we approached this with a view that we had to provide seamless power supply to the operating rooms of even the most remote hospitals.

“Our solution is a combination of solar systems with some new developments, some of which are so unique that we 3D print them for each project. We can now deploy a power unit that removes reliance on the national grid, requires no diesel generator back-up, reduces the carbon footprint of each operation, increases patient safety and integrates high tech activities like anaesthetic gas scavenging to even the world’s most remote hospital.”

The non-profits say their shared model is to strengthen the local healthcare system and give the local doctors tools and skills needed to care for their own population.

Garreth continued: “This unique solar surgery system makes the best possible care available to the most vulnerable and remote child. While improving health today, this partnership will also make sure we aren’t contributing to the climate change burdens of tomorrow.

Smile Train and KidsOR work together in countries around the world to increase capacity for safe pediatric surgery, including lifesaving cleft lip and palate surgeries.

About Smile Train:Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train’s sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

About KidsOR: Kids Operating Room is a global health NGO that works directly with local surgeons and their teams across Africa and South America. Transforming hospital spaces into dedicated Operating Rooms for children’s surgery, we create child-friendly surroundings and provide surgeons with the specialist equipment they need to care for their nation’s children. 

We also fund training of surgeons and anaesthesia providers and work with National Ministries of Health to develop sustainable healthcare services. www.KidsOR.org

Further reading:

https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/power-cuts-south-africa-wreak-havoc-health-care

UK Government ‘denying reality’ with new oil and gas licences

Environmental campaigners have reacted to the UK Government plans to ramp up oil and gas extraction despite its devastating climate impacts.

The Secretary of State for Energy Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed yesterday that the UK Government will support over 100 licences for companies to explore for more fossil fuels in the North Sea, as well as lifting the moratorium on fracking in England.

Climate science and energy experts have repeatedly warned that any new oil and gas projects will push the world well past dangerous climate limits.

Last year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opposed the controversial Cambo oil field but since then she has failed to speak out against the recently approved Jackdaw field or the Rosebank field which contains nearly 500 million barrels of oil.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Oil and Gas campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “In ploughing forward with this new licensing round, the UK Government is effectively denying the reality of the climate emergency with scientists and energy experts clear that there can be no new oil and gas.

“The devastating climate impacts people are enduring with floods in Pakistan, typhoons in Japan and heatwaves in the UK are being driven by burning fossil fuels.

“The UK government’s supposed checkpoint is a worthless charade as there can be no climate compatible new oil and gas. It is a deeply cynical attempt to provide cover for reckless plans to expand the very industry that is fuelling both the climate and the cost of living crises.

“With the cost of living skyrocketing due to the volatile prices of oil and gas, it’s obvious that our current system is completely unfit for purpose, serving only to make oil company bosses and shareholders richer while everyone else loses out. We urgently need a transition to an energy system powered by renewables, and a mass rollout of energy efficiency measures to reduce energy demand.

“The Scottish Government must be willing to stand up to these reckless plans to expand fossil fuels and hand out permits for oil and gas companies to explore and drill in the North Sea.

“These plans will lock us into a climate-destroying energy system for decades to come, entrenching reliance on this volatile industry in places like Aberdeen, and leaving people all across Scotland exposed to rocketing energy bills.”

The Scottish Government has confirmed that there will be NO fracking in Scotland.

Leave your car at home for Edinburgh’s World Car Free Day

CAPITAL RESCHEDULES CAR FREE DAY EVENT TO SUNDAY 2nd OCTOBER

Edinburgh is set to join over 2,000 cities across the globe in celebrating World Car Free Day, a free, community focused event being organised by Crexcell, and supported by The City of Edinburgh Council.

As a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Edinburgh’s Car Free Day has been postponed (from the official date of Thursday 22nd September), and will now be staged on Waverley Bridge, on Sunday 2nd October 2022, between 11:00 to 19:00.

Waverley Bridge, in the city centre, will be transformed into an inclusive community hub of information, inspiration and activity encouraging people to consider alternatives to car travel in Edinburgh. The city’s public transport operators, bike and environmental campaigners, active travel and public safety organisations are all set to take part. 

The City of Edinburgh Council has set a target to reduce distances that Edinburgh residents travel by car by 30% over the next decade, as well as achieving Net Zero status by 2030.

With transport being one of the biggest carbon emission contributors, Edinburgh’s World Car Free Day event will encourage people to consider more sustainable alternative transport for their everyday journeys. 

It will raise awareness of the more sustainable modes of transport available across the city, promote the health and wellbeing benefits of active travel, and offer the essential information and support people need to commit to long term change.

Among those already signed up to attend are Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams, who play a significant role in reducing reliance on more carbon intense forms of transport by providing a quick, convenient and reliable alternative to driving.  

Members of the team will be at Waverley Bridge to chat about their services within the city, including Park and Ride options, and the vast opportunities for – and the benefits of using – public transport. 

Police Scotland will offer support to cyclists and walkers with cycle security advice, personal safety, bike marking and general crime prevention when moving around the city.

The Bike Station, which inspires new cyclists by selling reliable and affordable upcycled bikes, will be on hand to offer bike safety checks and bikes to try out.  The team will also have information on safe cycle routes throughout the city, and bike to work and cycle friendly employer schemes.

There will also be a hosted reception and information point, additional bike parking, a wellbeing area with health and fitness demonstrations and classes, and a chill out zone.  Local singers and bands including Sara Forshaw, Folk Drama, and The Wispz will provide the musical entertainment throughout the day.

World Car Free Day is a worldwide initiative to encourage motorists to reset how they think about travel and use more sustainable transport. 

It also promotes improvement of public transport, cycling and walking, and the development of healthier, greener neighbourhoods where jobs are closer to home and where shopping is within a short walk, wheel or cycle from home.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener for The City of Edinburgh Council, said:  “Choosing more sustainable modes of transport, like bus, tram, bike or walking over the car not only benefits the world around us, but can have a really positive impact on our health and quality of life.

“Car Free Day gives us the chance to really focus on these benefits, and to help people consider how they might try alternative ways to travel.

“The Council has set some ambitious goals to reduce car kms travelled by 30% in the next decade, as well as delivering on our 20-minute neighbourhood vision to enable a net zero Edinburgh where everyone can live well locally.

“We need to rethink the way we move around the city to meet these targets. I would encourage people to come along on 2nd October to find out more about the different ways we can travel around the capital.”

Edinburgh’s ten-year City Mobility Plan aims to transform the way we move around the city, reducing emissions, positively impacting public health and tackling congestion amongst other benefits.

Actions include projects like City Centre Transformation, Trams to Newhaven, George Street and First New Town, 20-Minute Neighbourhoods and the extension of 20mph speed limits, as well as behaviour change initiatives and seamless public transport ticketing.

Find out more on the Council’s Future Edinburgh web pages.

Neil Booth, Edinburgh Trams’ Safety Manager (Environment), commented: “Car-free days provide a massive opportunity for cities to raise awareness of how pollution affects our lives, and highlight how congested roads can be used in different ways.

“At Edinburgh Trams we are fully committed to helping to make Edinburgh healthier, safer and more attractive for both residents and visitors by providing a quick, convenient and reliable alternative to driving into the city centre.”

Chancellor to announce Growth Plan for ‘a new era for Britain’

  • Chancellor set to outline his vision for “a new era for Britain” focused on economic growth.
  • 38 local and combined authorities in England in the running to establish new Investment Zones to get their local economies growing.
  • Kwasi Kwarteng is expected to announce new legislation to speed up the delivery of around 100 major infrastructure projects across the UK.

THE CHANCELLOR will today promise “a new era for Britain” focused on driving economic growth.

Kwasi Kwarteng will announce The Growth Plan – a major package of over 30 measures to tackle high energy bills, drive down inflation and cut taxes to drive growth, while maintaining responsible public finances.

Igniting growth by lowering taxes and cutting regulation is this government’s central mission – it will encourage business investment, drive growth, create jobs, improve living standards for everyone and promote confidence in the UK economy.

Speaking about his priorities in his speech to the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, is expected to say: “Growth is not as high as it needs to be, which has made it harder to pay for public services, requiring taxes to rise.

“This cycle of stagnation has led to the tax burden being forecast to reach the highest levels since the late 1940s.

“We are determined to break that cycle. We need a new approach for a new era focused on growth.

“That is how we will deliver higher wages, greater opportunities and sufficient revenue to fund our public services, now and into the future.

“That is how we will compete successfully with dynamic economies around the world.

“That is how we will turn the vicious cycle of stagnation into a virtuous cycle of growth.

“We will be bold and unashamed in pursuing growth – even where that means taking difficult decisions.

“The work of delivery begins today”.

The Chancellor will announce that the government is in discussion with 38 local and mayoral combined authority areas in England including West Midlands, Tees Valley, Somerset and Hull to set up new Investment Zones in specific sites within their area. These will be hubs for growth and are emblematic of the modern Britain that this government want to create.

Under a brand-new initiative, each Investment Zone will offer generous, targeted and time-limited tax cuts for businesses, backing them to increase productivity and create new jobs. This could encourage investment in new shopping centres, restaurants, apartments and offices – creating thriving new communities.

These areas will also benefit from further liberalised planning rules to release more land for housing and commercial development, and reforms to increase the speed of delivering development.

It will include reforms to environmental regulation and streamlined local and national planning policies, for example removing height restrictions on development, so that Investment Zones can bring forward more development – including housing and commercial sites – at the pace needed to boost growth.

Time-consuming negotiations between councils and developers for each project over affordable housing contributions will be scrapped. This will be replaced with a set percentage of affordable homes, whilst ensuring communities get the infrastructure they want and need.

Investment Zones will only be established with support from local leaders. The government will work closely with areas to develop tailored proposals that support their ambitions and deliver benefits for local residents.

The Government will work in partnership with Devolved Administrations and local partners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to deliver Investment Zones.

The Chancellor is expected to say: “The time it takes to get consent for nationally significant projects is getting slower, not quicker, while our international competitors forge ahead. We have to end this.

“To support growth right across the country, we need to go further, with targeted action in local areas.

“We will liberalise planning rules in specified agreed sites, releasing land and accelerating development.

“And we will cut taxes, with businesses in designated sites enjoying the benefit of generous tax reliefs”.

The Chancellor will also set out an ambitious package of measures, including new legislation, to accelerate the delivery of around 100 major infrastructure projects across the country. The Growth Plan also sets out the infrastructure projects that the government will prioritise for acceleration, across transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.

In 2021 it took 65 per cent longer to get consent for major infrastructure projects than in 2012, with not a single new nuclear-power station finished since 1995.

The development, consultation and consent for a large road scheme takes an average of 5 to 7 seven years, while some offshore wind farms can take up to 13 years from development to deployment and other projects require 34,000 pages of documentation.

The Norfolk Vanguard wind farm, a 1.8GW-wind farm project located in the off the coast of Norfolk that will power almost 2 million homes, took almost 4 years to go through just the planning stages and faced a legal challenge over the visual impact of the scheme delaying the development consent by a further year.

The Junction 10A of the M20, an international route which is used by large volumes of heavy goods and holiday traffic, took seven and a half years from the review of the preferred scheme to be granted planning permission due to delays in the planning system.

The Chancellor will set out plans to reverse this trend speeding up projects including new roads and railways, by reducing the burden of environmental assessments in the consultation process and reforming habitats and species regulations, driving the UK’s economic growth.

Legislation will be brought forward in the coming months to address barriers to delivery by reducing unnecessary burdens to speed up the delivery of vital infrastructure.

These reforms are part of the government’s effort to accelerate projects vital to securing our energy security, such as 6GW capacity of offshore wind power and support other nationally significant infrastructure such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, A417 Air Balloon and Project Gigabit.

Drop false choice between the environment and the economy, urges CPRE

Commenting on the Chancellor’s mini-Budget, Sarah McMonagle, Acting Director of Campaigns and Policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said: ‘This government needs to drop the false choice between the environment and the economy and get on with delivering the basic building blocks for thriving rural communities that have been neglected for too long.

“But sadly, the government seems hell bent on repeating the mistakes of the past rather than pursuing the policies rural communities really need in order to thrive.

‘If ministers want to see booming high streets in our market towns then they should be investing in a reliable and comprehensive bus network, not fast tracking road building schemes that have long since been proven not to deliver meaningful economic gains.

‘If ministers want to see more money in people’s pockets they should be delivering a massive programme of genuinely affordable homes not trying to bypass the democratic planning system.

‘If ministers want to keep business costs down, they should be making use of the 250,000 hectares of south facing commercial roofspace across the country to achieve a revolution in cheap domestically generated solar energy, not breaking manifesto commitments by trying to resurrect a fracking industry that will have no meaningful impact on wholesale gas prices.

‘The government’s plan to achieve growth by allowing businesses to trash the environment is a recipe for disaster that will ultimately leave rural communities poorer.’

Car Free Day: Campaigners call for action on traffic

Environmental campaigners say that all councils in Scotland should be working to reduce the numbers of cars on the road, as people across the country celebrate Car Free Day.

Today (22 September) is Car Free Day – an annual event to highlight how neighbourhoods and communities could be improved with fewer vehicles on the road. Today and over the weekend, there’ll be events across Scotland as grassroots groups and councils try to raise awareness of the alternatives to car use.

Fewer cars can create stronger economies and communities by boosting small businesses and local high streets, and improving public health. Air pollution primarily from traffic is responsible for 2,500 premature deaths in Scotland every year.

To coincide with Car Free Day:

+ Glasgow City Council has introduced ‘Street Play’, where residents can close streets from 22-25 September to host parties, workshops and cycling classes
+ City of Edinburgh Council will close Waverley Bridge to hold events on it (above)
+ Dundee has its first Kidical Mass ride, protecting children cycling in areas with no segregated cycle lanes. This is one of over 200 Kidical Mass rides across Europe this weekend

New research launched by the Clean Cities Campaign found that 62% of people support the idea of one car-free day a week, to open the streets to walking and cycling and improve air quality. If this was implemented in major European cities, it could save between 541,000- 945,000 barrels of oil per year.

The Scottish Government has pledged to reduce total car km travelled by 20% by 2030. A final plan will be published on how to achieve this before the end of the year.

Gavin Thomson, transport campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Transport is Scotland’s biggest source of climate emissions, it’s creating dangerous levels of air pollution and it’s costing people far too much money. It needs to change.

“This Car Free Day, there’ll be street parties and bike rides and community-building activities that aren’t possible if our towns and cities are filled with cars. When we remove cars, like on streets that become pedestrianised, we open up public space for communities and businesses.

“The Scottish Government has committed to reducing car travel by 20%, but we’ve yet to see any detail on how they will deliver this. It’s clear that our cities should be limiting cars, opening up space for communities. A regular car free day in cities would be a great idea.”

Scottish Housing Day: Alliance of Edinburgh affordable housing providers rally together to support sustainable housing

With Scottish Housing Day (14 September 2022) focusing on sustainable housing, the Alliance of Registered Co-operatives and Housing Associations, Independent in Edinburgh (ARCHIE) is working collaboratively to address the challenges around decarbonisation and energy efficiency and provide advice on how tenants can live sustainable lives, from energy saving tips to financial support.

Past ARCHIE successes include joint ventures such as distributing energy saving packs to tenants and energy use advice. One of the most successful projects is the provision of Tenant Advice Services, which includes money, debt, benefits and tenancy sustainment advice.

Through sharing services and collaborating on joint activities ARCHIE members provide value for money and keep rents affordable.

The ARCHIE members are Lister Housing Co-operative, Manor Estates Housing Association, Muirhouse Housing Association, Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA), Prospect Community Housing, Viewpoint Housing Association and West Granton Housing Co-operative.

Larke Adger, Chair of ARCHIE and Chief Executive, West Granton Housing Co-op commented: “Through collaborative working, we have achieved better services and support for tenants across all ARCHIE member organisations.

“We look forward to continuing to build on this work to help create thriving, sustainable communities.”