Proposals to permit more electric vehicle charging points could pave way for problems for pedestrians, according to Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking.
Proposals to permit more electric vehicle charging points could pave way for problems for pedestrians, according to Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking.
The charity is concerned about a consultation from the Scottish Government designed to accelerate the roll out of electric vehicle (EV) chargers by removing some existing planning safeguards.
Currently, electric chargers usually don’t have Permitted Development Rights[1], therefore planning permission is usually required. But new permitted development rights could be made available to councils and private charging companies as part of the biggest change to Scotland’s streets in a generation.
Living Streets believe that planning permission is an important safeguard ensuring footways space isn’t lost in housing developments, especially avoiding the creation of pinch points below a 1.5 metre clearance. This is the acknowledged minimum for comfortable passage of a wheelchair or person being assisted by a guide dog.
The charity believes more extensive work with disabled people is required to determine the true impacts of the changes. Living Streets Scotland, together with RNIB Scotland, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, Guide Dogs Scotland, and Disability Equality Scotland, argues that all charging equipment must be on the road and not cluttering pavements.
Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland, said: “Footways cluttered with EV charging points and trailing cables present serious problems for people with wheelchairs, buggies or guide dogs, preventing them from getting around easily and safely. Attention to detail is critical, and in almost all cases pavements aren’t suitable for electric chargers.”
“The impact the proposed changes will have on disabled people is greatly underplayed in the consultation. Further engagement is needed, which must be accessible, including the use of non-technical language appropriate to the public.”
“Cluttered pavements also impact on everyone’s desire to walk their short journeys instead of driving them. If we want to encourage cleaner, sustainable ways to travel then we need streets that are walkable.”
Craig Spalding, CEO of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “We’re fully behind initiatives to bring about positive environmental impacts, but it’s important these are balanced with access to community spaces.
“We’re concerned that the rapid rollout of e-chargers without sufficient planning procedures could see charging points appear in places that cause accessibility issues and obstacles for people with sight loss.”
Niall Foley, External Affairs Manager, Guide Dogs Scotland, said: “While we welcome measures to reduce our carbon footprint, EV charging points can prove a hazardous obstruction for people with sight loss if they are not installed with care. It’s important to have consistent guidance and standards to ensure that EV charging points are not barriers to pavement users.”
“Research released by Living Streets in July 2022, found that over one in four Scottish people (28%) would walk more if their streets were clutter free. The option of reducing planning controls therefore flies in the face of government policy which is trying to create better infrastructure to get people walking.”
The full response from Living Streets Scotland to the Transport Scotland consultation can be viewed here.
Water abstraction suspensions are being lifted in the River Eden catchment after strong compliance from farming community and recent rainfall.
Suspensions are being imposed in parts of the River Tweed catchment from 23.59 on Thursday 18 August as the river continues to show signs of stress and little improvement from limited recent rainfall.
Prolonged dry weather is forecast, which means any improvement in the situation is likely to be short-term and water users are being urged to continue being efficient.
Overview
Support and compliance from Scottish farmers, coupled with recent rainfall, has led to water abstraction suspensions being lifted in the River Eden catchment.
River flows in the area have made some recovery after several days of wet weather and peaked on Monday. They have since slowly fallen again but still remain nearly two-and-a-half times higher than they were on Saturday, before abstraction ceased and the rainfall arrived.
However, in the Scottish Borders, the recent rainfall has not been enough to make up for longer-term deficits and recovery in the River Tweed. To prevent further stress and harm on the local water environment, SEPA will be imposing suspensions on water abstraction licences in parts of this catchment from 23:59 on Thursday 18 August.
More prolonged dry weather is forecast and SEPA will continue to monitor conditions and take appropriate action until the risk of water scarcity has reduced.
As has been the case throughout this summer, the east of Scotland has been particularly affected by water scarcity with every area currently in Alert, Moderate Scarcity or Significant Scarcity. In order for water levels to return to Normal Conditions, we would need to experience up to double the amount of rainfall we’d usually have in August.
River Eden, Fife
A total of 56 full suspensions and 23 partial suspensions were put in place on Sunday 14 August. Exemptions were given to a small number of soft fruit farmers, following a Ministerial Direction from Scottish Government. Soft fruit is a perennial crop which typically has more efficient irrigation methods and a lower water impact.
These suspensions were lifted at 1pm on Wednesday 17 August.
SEPA officers have been engaging with farmers in the area since the suspensions came into effect and reported no non-compliances. Instead, they witnessed good practice with farmers taking the right steps to protect local water environments and having planned ahead for the conditions by using alternative water sources such as boreholes.
River Tweed, Scottish Borders
The water environment in parts of the River Tweed catchment reached Significant Scarcity last week, the highest category for water scarcity defined by SEPA. Recent rainfall has not been enough to reverse the current situation, which has been building up over a long period of time. The long-term forecast is a return to dry conditions.
The temporary suspensions will be in place from 23.59 on Thursday 18 August, affecting around 30 licence holders, predominantly within the agriculture sector. This action is being taken to allow water levels to recover and to minimise potential long-term harm to the environment. SEPA is working with Scottish Government to assess the options for a small number of abstraction licences in other sectors.
Those abstractors affected will receive suspension notices. These will be for the minimum time necessary and will be lifted as soon as possible. Continuing to abstract without a licence is an offence, and SEPA officers will be engaging with abstractors to ensure compliance. As soon as conditions improve sufficiently, the suspensions will be lifted.
There is clear evidence for the need to suspend abstraction licenses to protect the sustainability of local water environments. Last week in the Tweed catchment, Mouthbridge at Blackadder Water dropped to its lowest flow since records began in 1974. Lyne Station recorded its fourth lowest flow in 53 years, only 2003 was lower.
Suspensions are part of Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan, which is designed to ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity during prolonged dry periods. The Plan clearly sets out what actions SEPA and abstractors are required to take at each stage of water scarcity.
Support from farming community
Rob Morris, Senior Manager, Rural Economy Unit at SEPA, said: “We are so pleased with how farmers in the River Eden catchment responded to the urgent water scarcity situation.
“We thank them sincerely for doing the right thing and complying with the abstraction suspensions. We saw a significant 38% rise in the river level in just a few hours from when suspensions were imposed at midnight to when rainfall started later on Sunday afternoon.
“This shows the impact their actions had, and their support has been critical in allowing water levels to recover to a point where suspensions are no longer required.
“Suspending abstraction licences is only done when necessary and is not a decision we take lightly. While we stress that the suspensions on the River Tweed will last for as short a time as possible, the science is telling us that without action there is a substantial risk of impacts on fish populations, natural habitats and longer-term damage to watercourses. As shown in Fife, these will be in place for the shortest time possible.
“We’ll continue to monitor river levels across Scotland, and make our decisions based on science and the need to need to prevent long-term damage to local water environments that we rely on. With further dry weather in the forecast, it’s important that everyone abstracting water continues to manage their water use carefully.”
Protecting our water environment
The combination of very low flows and high temperatures in watercourses leads to deaths of fish, invertebrates and plants. While some parts of river ecology can recover quickly, others such as fish and plant populations can take years to recover. Some populations, such as pearl mussels, could be permanently lost.
The current conditions are a consequence of drier weather this year, with only four of the last 12 months recording above average rainfall. The east of Scotland also experienced the driest January in more than 80 years and groundwater levels are the lowest they have been since records began in 2009.
Although there has been some recent rainfall in the east and an immediate increase in river flows, it has not been enough to recover the longer-term deficits.
Further advice and guidance
It is vital that farmers and other water abstractors are prepared for these conditions as climate change means water scarcity will be a more regular occurrence. We are committed to working with businesses to build resilience into their systems. This could be switching to a borehole or incorporating appropriate off-line storage lagoons on their land.
Where suspensions are not in place, we are asking businesses that abstract water to only do so when absolutely necessary, stagger their operations, irrigate at night where possible, reduce volumes and durations or pause abstractions altogether.
Abstractors in Alert and Early Warning areas should be planning ahead for their upcoming water requirements and working with neighbouring water users to schedule abstractions where possible. Equipment should also be checked for any leaks.
Abstractors may be able to switch to groundwater as their source and can apply to do so on our website. Applications from Significant Scarcity areas will be prioritised and fast-tracked.
Anyone concerned about meeting licence conditions or wishing to discuss contingency measures are encouraged to contact SEPA by emailing waterscarcity@sepa.org.uk
New funding has been announced to cut carbon emissions in homes and commercial properties, as the Scottish Government continues to focus on delivering its net zero targets and support families with the cost of living.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie announced £16.2 million funding for five zero emission heat networks during a visit to ng Homes in Glasgow.
The announcement coincides with the first anniversary of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group signing the Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together to build a green economic recovery from COVID, respond to the climate emergency and create a fairer country.
In its first year the agreement has delivered a range of benefits for households, communities and businesses and seen work begin on a number of longer-term reforms.
Particular progress has been made across a range of areas including:
Doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week per eligible child from April 2022, with plans to extend eligibility to under 16s and further increasing the payment to £25 per week by the end of 2022.
Bringing ScotRail into public ownership.
Introducing free bus travel for under 22s to cut the cost of living for young people, encourage sustainable travel behaviours early in their lives and improve access to education, leisure, and work.
Investing a record £150 million in active travel in 2022-23, including more than doubling the funding for the National Cycle Network, a new walking fund, and supporting pilots for free bikes for school age children who cannot afford them.
Publishing Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation setting out how Scotland will transition to a wellbeing economy.
The Agreement set out a strategy for over a million homes to be using zero carbon heating systems by the end of the decade and allocating funds from a total planned investment of £1.8 billion to cut energy bills, improved building energy efficiency and reduce climate emissions.
Scotland’s Heat Network Fund offers long term funding support to deliver more climate-friendly ways of heating Scotland’s homes and buildings. It has enabled the rollout of new zero emission heat networks and communal heating systems, as well as the expansion and decarbonisation of existing heat networks across Scotland.
Moving forward, the Scottish Government is primarily focused on four key tasks: reducing child poverty; addressing the climate crisis; the recovery from COVID of Scotland’s public services including the delivery of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation; and the development of the prospectus for an independent Scotland and an independence referendum in October 2023.
The First Minister said: “The world has changed substantially since the Agreement was reached 12 months ago. The conflict in Ukraine and the rising cost of living crisis have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.
“However, the stable and collaborative government provided by the Agreement, has helped to deliver immediate action in the face of these challenges, including supporting those displaced from Ukraine and using the powers that Ministers have to address the cost of living crisis.
“Action is needed now to support communities to respond to the cost of living and climate crises, and Scotland’s Heat Network Fund is just one of the many initiatives that the Scottish Government has already undertaken.
“The projects that receive support from the Fund will fully align with the Scottish Government’s aim to eradicate fuel poverty by supplying heat at affordable prices to consumers, which is especially important now when we are seeing record rises in the cost of heating.
“The Bute House Agreement was reached to equip us best to deal with the challenges we face, because we believe that new ideas and ways of working are required to deal with new problems. An unstable world needs more co-operation and more constructive working towards building a consensus, if governments are to be equal to what the people need of them.”
Mr Harvie said: “One year on from the Scottish Greens entering government as part of the Bute House Agreement, I am proud of what this Government is doing to build a fairer, greener Scotland.
“From free bus transport for young people to doubling the Scottish Child Payment, we are committed to accelerating action to tackle the climate and cost of living crises.
“The energy crisis households across Scotland now face is being driven by rocketing prices for gas, which we depend on for heat. We are clear that we need to redouble our efforts to improve the efficiency of our homes, making them more comfortable and cheaper to run, and end our reliance on gas for heat. That’s why we are investing £1.8 billion in our green homes and buildings programme.
“Delivering a just transition to net-zero and seizing the opportunities this presents is a major focus of the Scottish Government, and rapidly increasing Scotland’s renewable energy generating capacity and securing accompanying jobs and investment will be central to our work over the rest of the parliament.
“During the first year of the Agreement firm foundations have been built, demonstrating delivery and progress on shared policy priorities and adopting an approach that is both challenging and constructive.”
Unite members in Waste and Cleansing in Edinburgh will begin industrial action today over the ‘insulting’ pay offer for local government workers.
Last Friday, COSLA increased the offer from 2% to 3.5%. All three unions of the Scottish Joint Council -Unite, Unison and GMB – immediately rejected the offer.
The NHS have been offered—and look set to reject—5%, so once again local government is treated as the poor relation of the public sector. Local government workers in England have been offered a rise of £1,925.
Edinburgh is the first council to take action, with others following on the 24th.
Pickets and support
The strike takes place from 5am today to 5am on Tuesday 30 August with daily pickets at seven waste depots across the city.
UNITE will be demonstrating at the City Chambers on Thursday 18 August at 9am as part of the industrial action.
Following this, the trade union will join the RMT rally on Waverley Bridge at 10am to foster solidarity among workers and hear from Mick Lynch and Mark Thomas.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING ADVICE:
What to do with your waste and recycling
Communal services
Collections are suspended for all communal waste and recycling bins. Please do not add to full bins. Check nearby bins instead, and when these are all full, store your waste at home, or in your back green or garden if possible. Do not leave bags next to bins unless this is unavoidable, as it can become a hazard.
Keep separating your waste and rinse pots, tubs and trays, and rinse and squash your plastic bottles and aluminium cans, so that these don’t smell while you store them. Flatten cardboard too.
Keep food waste in a sealed container, as cool as possible.
Glass bank services will continue as these are managed by an external contactor.
Kerbside services
Non recyclable waste collections (grey bins)
Suspended. Please do not put your grey bin out. Please keep your waste safe, secure and away from pavements and roads. Consider using a garage, garden or driveway and ensure strong bin bags are properly secured.
Mixed recycling collections (green bins)
Suspended. Please do not put your green bin out. Please keep your recycling clean and flattened, and stored safely.
Food waste collections
Suspended. Please do not put your food bin out. Please ensure your kerbside food waste bin is closed and secured to prevent animal access.
Glass collections (blue box)
Suspended. Please do not put your blue box out. Please rinse bottles and jars and store these at home. Please do not use on street or local bring site recycling points to dispose of your glass. We do not have the staff resources to empty these or clean up fly-tipped material.
Garden waste collections (brown bins)
Suspended. Please do not put your brown bin out. We understand the disappointment this will cause and at the moment, we cannot advise when the service will be running normally again.
We are working on how best to replace the collections affected, and will provide further information on this later.
Report a missed bin
Since normal scheduled collections are suspended, we cannot take reports of missed bins. Please do not present your bin for collection until advised to do so.
Collections of bulky waste items
Suspended. Existing bookings will be honoured where staffing allows. If you have booked a special uplift and we can’t collect it, we will let you know.
Household waste recycling centres
Closed. It will not be possible to book an appointment, and all existing bookings will be contacted by email to cancel.
Request and replacing bins and boxes
Repair and replacement of bins and boxes are suspended. Uplifts of any unwanted waste containers is also suspended.
Litter/ dogs bins and street cleansing
Please also note there will be no street cleansing activities including street sweeping and litter bin emptying. Please either use a bin that’s not full or take it home and double bag it to reduce smells.
Waste reporting and enquires
We have removed all online reporting for waste and cleansing as we are unable to carry out these services during the industrial action.
If you need to report an emergency issue where waste is causing injury or hazard, please phone and listen to the new options carefully. Phone 0131 608 1100, from Monday -Thursday 1000-1600 and Friday 1000-1500. After these hours, phone 0131 200 2000.
You can also email waste@edinburgh.gov.uk with the specific location and details of the issue.
Please be mindful that staff working will be very busy and are all doing their best to deal with a lot of issues at this time.
Recycling initiative will help deliver a circular economy
Scotland’s deposit return scheme will go live for consumers on this day in one year’s time (16 August 2023), giving businesses and consumers an easy way to boost recycling– but campaigners are concerned the initiative is falling behind.
The scheme, which will be the first in the UK, will play an important part in Scotland’s journey to a circular economy. Estimates by Zero Waste Scotland suggest that the scheme will reduce emissions by an average of nearly 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – the equivalent of 109,000 return flights from Edinburgh to New York.
The 20p deposit will also provide an incentive to reduce littering, helping to cut the number of bottles and cans discarded in streets and green spaces.
The scheme is being delivered by Circularity Scotland Ltd., an industry-led body representing drinks producers, retailers and trade bodies of all sizes. This business-led approach is common among many of the most successful schemes in Europe, include Denmark, Finland, and The Netherlands.
Infrastructure for the scheme is now beginning to be rolled out across Scotland, and businesses of all sizes are being encouraged to act now to make sure they are ready for the scheme launching this time next year.
Businesses can register with Circularity Scotland, to make sure they receive information that will help them prepare.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), who are the regulator for the scheme, has also launched a campaign that will help businesses understand their legal responsibilities and the steps they need to take to prepare.
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Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Scotland is leading the way in the UK on delivering a circular economy. By putting in place a deposit return scheme, we are delivering on the public’s desire to see action on plastic and other waste, and making an important contribution to the response to the climate emergency.
“With thousands of return points across the country, it will be as easy to return your empty bottle or can as it was to buy it in the first place. This will help to nearly double recycling rates for the containers included in the scheme, while reducing the amount of litter on our streets and cutting CO2 emissions.
“This scheme is being delivered by industry for industry. By putting businesses in charge, we are making sure that it works for them. With one year to go until the scheme goes live for consumers, I would encourage all businesses and organisations that produce, ship or sell drinks to get involved with the scheme now.”
After delaying its introduction twice, the Scottish Government published a set of milestones to deliver a high-quality scheme next year. However, with significant delays to the first milestone being met earlier this year and no sign yet of a public awareness campaign as promised, campaigners are concerned that this timetable may be slipping.
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “We must change the way we use materials to drastically reduce the impact of our consumption.
“Across Europe, deposit return schemes are well established, successful and popular. They have a direct impact on the climate by reducing the need for new materials, and they help reduce plastic pollution at the same time.
“We’re concerned that the Scottish Government is falling behind with implementation of this important scheme. The public awareness campaign is a crucial part of roll out and must be delivered on time. It’s vital that there are no further delays to Scotland’s deposit return scheme so that we can begin to see the benefits.”
John Mayhew, Director of APRS, which is running the Have You Got The Bottle? campaign, said: “Across Europe and beyond, more and more countries are getting on board with deposit return. Places like Latvia, Malta and Slovakia have introduced their systems at a pace which makes it all the more baffling that Scotland’s launch date is still a year away.
“Deposits will eventually bring major benefits to Scotland in terms of reduced litter, lower emissions, and cost savings for local government, but it is concerning for the rest of the circular economy agenda that such a simple step has proved so difficult for the government to implement here.”
Scotland’s material consumption accounts for 82% of our entire carbon footprint. Each tonne of plastic recycled saves 0.5 tonnes of carbon, recycling a tonne of metal saves 2.5 tonnes of carbon and recycling a tonne of glass saves 0.75 tonnes of carbon.
The Scottish Government has published a delivery plan for the system but has acknowledged that challenges still remain. The complexities of a VAT charge have yet to be agreed with HM Treasury. The scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, is organised and run by the private sector, which has limited transparency.
The Edinburgh Climate Festival will take place at Leith Links on September 3rd 2022 from 12 -5 pm.
The Festival, now in its 7th year, will offer a free, family-friendly & community-led marketplace event with workshops, performances and more.
September 2022 sees the beginning of Scotland’s Climate Fringe Festival, with the Edinburgh Climate Festival marking Edinburgh’s first major event of the Climate Fringe!
The Festival aims to celebrate and inspire community climate action. Entry is free and open to all. There will be activities for all age groups from storytelling and arts and crafts, to free Yoga classes and upcycling activities.
Free e-tickets can be purchased here, with the option to give a donation.
Testimonials
“I absolutely loved the festival, the energy was brilliant! I was just sad that I didn’t have time to see all the stalls, but that’s because I spent too long in other motivating conversations, so on the whole it was pretty great for me!” – 2021 Volunteer
“So many activities and workshops and education to inspire positive collective action. This kind of creativity as a community is what activism is all about and I loved to be apart of it!” – 2021 Participant
“Many thanks again for inviting us to the Climate Festival yesterday – we had a great day. I hope there’ll be many Climate Festivals in the future!” – Chris Jardine, Greenpeace, 2019 Speaker
“We had a great time and was fantastic to engage with so many interested people. We had some great conversations and was great to exchange skills and give advice on taking action. Loved teaching these inspirational teens new mending and making skills yesterday at the Edinburgh Climate Festival.” – Fashion Revolution, 2019 Stallholder
When considering your impact on the environment, people often think about pollution, emissions, and energy, but not water. Water saving isn’t always top of the agenda in environmental discussions, yet water is one of our most precious resources and it’s increasingly at risk.
Join our water-saving campaign and check where you could be wasting water. If every household made even slight changes to their daily habits, it would seriously reduce our water footprint. Simple steps such as washing up in a bowl, switching off running taps, and using eco settings on the washing machine all help.
Discover ways you can reduce your carbon footprint at home and in the garden
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is suspending water abstractions for most licence holders in mid and north Fife as river and groundwater levels become critical in the east of Scotland.
The water environment in the River Eden catchment reached Significant Scarcity last week, the highest category for water scarcity defined by SEPA, and is getting worse with hot and dry weather continuing.
The Tweed catchment in the Borders is in a similar situation and has also now reached Significant Scarcity in the latest report published today, Friday 12 August.
A temporary suspension on water abstraction licences is being imposed from midnight on Saturday 13 August for the vast majority of farmers in the River Eden catchment to allow levels to recover. We’re working with Scottish Government to assess the options around soft fruit production, which is a perennial crop and typically has more efficient irrigation methods and a lower water impact.
Abstractors in the Tweed catchment are also being contacted to confirm next steps and any licence suspensions in this area will take effect early next week.
Suspensions are part of Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan, which is designed to ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity during prolonged dry periods.
The Plan clearly sets out what actions SEPA and abstractors are required to take at each stage of water scarcity. Suspensions are predominantly within the agriculture sector, will be for the minimum time necessary and will be lifted as soon as possible.
Those abstractors affected will receive suspension notices. Continuing to abstract without a licence is an offence, and SEPA officers will be visiting abstractors to ensure compliance. As soon as conditions improve, we will lift the suspensions.
David Harley, Interim Chief Officer Circular Economy for SEPA, said: “Having to impose suspensions on water abstractions underlines the severity of the conditions being experienced in the east of Scotland this summer. It is not a step we take lightly, but the evidence is clear, and it is one we can no longer avoid.
“We’re working closely with Scottish farmers to ensure the sustainability of local water environments for all who rely on them. Without action, there is a substantial risk of impacts on fish populations, natural habitats and longer-term damage to watercourses.
“With climate change leading to water scarcity becoming a more regular occurrence, we are also working to help businesses plan longer-term for these conditions. We remain in continuous dialogue with sectors reliant on water and work with them all year round on ways to become more resilient, protecting the environment as well as their own operations.”
While SEPA focuses on managing abstractions from Scotland’s natural water resources for agriculture and other industrial uses, Scottish Water maintains public water supply.
Protecting our water environment
There is clear evidence for the need to suspend abstraction licenses to protect the sustainability of local water environments. The main stem of the River Eden in Fife is at the second lowest level on record; only 1989 was lower. Flows at Kemback have not been as low for this long since 2003 and Strathmiglo is also experiencing its most prolonged low flow period on record.
In the Tweed catchment in the Borders, Lyne Station recorded its fourth lowest flow in 53 years, only 2003 was lower. Mouthbridge at Blackadder Water also dropped to its lowest flow since records began in 1974.
The combination of very low flows and high temperatures in watercourses leads to mortality of fish, invertebrates and plants. While some parts of river ecology can recover quickly, others such as fish and plant populations can take years to recover. Some populations, such as pearl mussels, could be permanently lost.
The current conditions are a consequence of drier weather this year, with only four of the last 12 months recording above average rainfall. The east of Scotland also experienced the driest January in more than 80 years and groundwater levels are the lowest they have been since records began in 2009. Although there has been some recent rainfall in the east and an immediate increase in river flows, it has not been enough to recover the longer-term deficits.
Impacts of climate change
Scotland is already seeing the impacts of a changing climate with an increase in water scarcity events over last few years. Climate change is likely to bring more uncertainty and may exert pressure in areas that have not experienced water scarcity before.
The current dry conditions are not just affecting Scotland. According to the European Drought Observatory the area affecting several regions of Europe since the beginning of the year continues to expand. The conditions, which are related to lack of rainfall and early heatwaves mean that 45% of Europe and the UK was in Warning conditions, and 15% in Alert conditions during July.
While mitigation strategies are of the utmost importance now, so is tackling the root cause of the problem. We know that there is locked in climate change we cannot reverse and, as well as adapting to this, Scotland must play its part in a huge reduction in carbon emissions globally so future generations do not face further locked-in change.
Further advice and guidance
Abstractors may be able to switch to groundwater as their source and can apply to do so on our website. Applications from Significant Scarcity areas will be prioritised and fast-tracked.
Anyone concerned about meeting licence conditions or wishing to discuss contingency measures are encouraged to contact SEPA by emailing waterscarcity@sepa.org.uk.
Scotland faces a “monumental but essential task” if it is to overhaul its aged housing stock and find practical solutions to reduce emissions and address the climate emergency.
The Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights was the keynote speaker at the launch of the five-day renewables event, which has been organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV).
Speaking to delegates at the Scottish headquarters of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Mr Harvie outlined the scale of the challenge and some of the measures the Scottish Government was taking to try and tackle today’s environmental issues.
The Scottish Greens co-leader said: “Our homes and workplaces account for around a fifth of Scotland’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Our statutory target for 2030 means that we need to reduce emissions from heating buildings by 68% below their level in 2020.
“This is a monumental but essential task. Our building stock is relatively old, and wasn’t always built to high energy standards. This legacy of poor energy efficiency has contributed to emissions and fuel poverty, so we need to start drastically improving that standard.
“By 2030, we want to see a large majority of homes achieving a level of energy efficiency at least equivalent to an EPC C – with all homes meeting that standard by 2033, where feasible and cost effective. This will reduce emissions from our buildings, but it will also help make our energy more affordable, by removing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty.”
Mr Harvie, who is a list MSP for the Glasgow region, also warned that, as well as improving energy efficiency, Scotland needs to switch to zero direct emissions heating.
He said: “Meeting our 2030 target means that we need over a million homes and the equivalent of 50,000 non-domestic buildings to switch from fossil fuels. This is a huge transition, affecting communities, businesses and homes across Scotland.
“Getting there will need a much faster installation rate for these zero direct emissions heating systems. In recent years that rate has been around 3,000 homes annually, but we need to reach around 200,000 each year in the latter part of this decade.”
Mr Harvie also said that the cost of living crisis and unprecedented surges in energy prices make the challenge even harder and the government can’t foot the bill on its own.
He said: “Our funding will make a huge difference to the heat transition. But the cost of transforming our building stock – around £33 billion to 2045 – can’t be met by government alone.
“Our Green Heat Finance Task Force is now working on innovative solutions to maximise private sector investment, and to find new ways to help spread the upfront cost of making properties warmer, greener and more energy efficient.”
Mr Harvie concluded: “We know there will be more issues to resolve and we intend to tackle these collaboratively, drawing on the best knowledge and ideas from across society.
“The climate emergency is already here. But if we adopt many of the actions and ideas being discussed at this week-long Green Home Festival, they will stand us in good stead to mitigate its worst consequences.”
Mr Harvie was guest of honour at the event at 10 Charlotte Square in central Edinburgh, where delegates gathered to kick of a week-long series of events delivering practical assistance and advice to help Scotland become a net zero nation.
Mr Nelson said: “We were grateful to Mr Harvie for opening the Festival and we share his view that the time for waiting is over and urgent action is needed now.
“It is more important than ever that the construction industry and government work together to find practical solutions that help us build the net zero nation needed for future generations.”
The Green Home Festival will deliver 12 in-person and virtual presentations on green topics, targeting homeowners, construction professionals, housing associations and local authorities.
One online session, Taking the SwedishView, will see a presentation by award-winning Swedish construction company, Botkyrkabyggen, who use solar panels, windmills, artificial intelligence and district heating to improve energy efficiency.
In another event, Living Safely in the Future, experts from Electrical Safety First will outline what householders can do to ensure their homes are protected properly when installing the innovation and technology that is already becoming a part of everyday life.
Full details, including how to book tickets for each event, are available on the Festival’s website at greenhomefestival.co.uk.
The festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Made up of 29 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.
