The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning of an increasing water scarcity situation across the country with Northwest Scotland, Clyde, Ayrshire, Orkney and the Western Isles moving to Alert level. Most of the rest of the country is moving to the Early Warning tier, with Irvine and Ayr raised to Moderate Scarcity level.
SEPA is providing information for businesses that abstract water year-round on actions to take as resources reach critically low levels.
Changing weather patterns caused by climate change means water scarcity will become more common in Scotland.
Businesses looking for information on water scarcity and meeting licence conditions urged to contact SEPA at WaterScarcity@sepa.org.uk
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has warned of an increasing water scarcity situation across much of Scotland, with businesses which abstract water all year round being encouraged to take steps to reduce their water usage.
The latest weekly water situation report published by SEPA shows that the majority of the country has been raised to Early Warning level as conditions could deteriorate rapidly if the dry weather continues.
June has seen below average rainfall across the country and ground conditions have continued to dry rapidly over the past two weeks.
In north and south-western areas where they have experienced a relatively dry spring, many rivers have had prolonged low flows and depleted water resources.
River levels are now also low across eastern catchment areas – not unusual for the time of year – but with low rainfall forecast in the short term this situation could continue and result in impacts to the environment and affect water supplies. As a result, catchments between north Fife and Aberdeen have also been raised to alert level.
Groundwater levels are falling but so far remain within the normal range for the time of year.
The longer-term forecast suggests that there is an increased likelihood of hot, dry weather compared to normal, with a greater chance of impacts from hot weather.
Water is a resource that underpins key industries across Scotland, from food and drink production through to farming and golf course management, and while some businesses abstract seasonally, others need access to water all year round.
Those reliant on private water supplies are also feeling the effects of water scarcity. Of 22,000 private water supplies, almost 4,000 provide water to large numbers of domestic properties or businesses, including tourist accommodation, schools and care homes.
Businesses have been asked to act in order to mitigate the impacts of depleted resources in the area. These actions are:
Those in the agriculture sector still abstracting should stagger abstractions with other operators
Where possible reduce the volume of water being abstracted
Switch to other supplies or suspend abstractions if possible
Water abstractors licenced by SEPA should have a plan to deal with the range of conditions they may experience, including drought. They should monitor their water usage and equipment to ensure they are operating at maximum efficiency and avoiding any unnecessary leakage.
Changing climate patterns and extreme rainfall events put us in a position where an area can be experiencing water scarcity but still suffer from surface water flooding.
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “The severity of the water scarcity picture in part of Scotland is further evidence that water scarcity will become more and more prevalent – and is just one of the many consequences of climate change the country faces.
“SEPA’s strategy for tackling this definitive challenge of our time is called ‘one planet prosperity’, focused on helping our communities and businesses thrive within the resources of our one planet.
“That is why it is important for businesses that abstract water to understand that SEPA is here to offer support and guidance, and we are setting out the key measures abstractors should be taking to conserve water, which is shared and finite.
“We want to work with businesses to plan long-term about their water usage so that we can preserve the resource as effectively as possible. This will protect both Scotland’s rivers and lochs and reduce their business risks.”
Businesses having difficulty obtaining water supply or that are concerned about meeting licence conditions should contact SEPA at WaterScarcity@sepa.org.uk.
Those concerned about private water supply levels should contact their local authority.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stressed Scotland’s commitment to making sure people across the world benefit from a just transition to net zero.
Speaking yesterday at the Austrian World Summit on a panel including climate activist Greta Thunberg and UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall, the First Minister said that the world must seize its chance to tackle the climate crisis fairly at COP26 in Glasgow.
Building on the role of Scotland’s Climate Assembly in domestic policy-making, £100,000 of funding is being made available to support the Global Climate Assembly, an initiative which will bring together 100 participants from the global north and south to learn from each other, and to make recommendations which will feed into COP26 discussions.
Further funding of £190,000 is also being made available to support a fourth year of the Malawi Climate Youth Leaders Project, in recognition of the inter-generational impacts of climate change.
The First Minister said: “The climate crisis – with its inter-related threats of climate change, nature loss and pollution – remains the single biggest challenge the world faces. COP26 represents the world’s best chance – and possibly one of our last chances – to limit global warming to 1.5°.
“One of the great injustices of the climate crisis is that the people and countries who are worst affected are usually those who have done least to cause it.
“At Glasgow, their needs must be recognised, and their voices must be heard. The Scottish Government is determined to help with that process.
“All of us – and governments in particular – now need to summon that same sense of urgency in tackling the climate crisis. If we do, COP26 can become a global turning point – one which ensures that as we recover from the pandemic, we create a greener and fairer world.”
While the First Minister may have enjoyed her appearance on the world stage yesterday, it’s back to urgent domestic matters today.
A record 4234 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Scotland yesterday and national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch has admitted that the huge increase in Covid-19 cases is putting considerable strain on Scotland’s contact tracing system.
Public Health Scotland figures suggest it is now taking longer to contact infectious people and to track down their close contacts, leading to wider spread.
Ms Sturgeon will face the press when she holds a media briefing at lunchtime today.
A new programme of events will put the voices of young people in Scotland at the heart of the climate conversation during COP26.
Young Scot, Keep Scotland Beautiful and YouthLink Scotland will lead on delivering a youth climate programme across the country backed by £450,000 of Scottish Government funding.
Young people will co-design the programme, recruiting local champions from every local authority to help connect with communities to tackle climate change.
Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform Mairi McAllan met the North Lanarkshire Youth Climate Ambassadors at Strathclyde Park to discuss the climate issues that are important to them.
Ms McAllan said: “Young people in Scotland are driving the cause of climate action. This programme will give them a platform to make sure their voices are not just heard, but acted upon.
“Scotland has world leading targets to be net zero by 2045 and we are already more than half way there. With COP26 in Glasgow this year, all of us have a unique opportunity to advance the society and economy-wide transformation demanded by the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“We’re taking action and putting people at the heart of all we do. Young people have been demanding change for a better future and this programme will empower them to go even further. I look forward to hearing their ideas and engaging with them as we work together to end our contribution to climate change.”
Heather Ashworth, former Climate Action Intern with Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “We can work together by talking, sharing our knowledge and our success stories. We need to support each other to learn and understand climate issues and the actions we can take.
“Young voices must be heard, but regardless of age or background, we all need to come together to ensure Scotland becomes a net zero nation.”
The youth programme will run up to and beyond the UN climate conference in November and will include a range of activities to support young people as they engage in the fight against climate change, along with the chance to receive accredited training.
In addition to the programme, Young Scot, Keep Scotland Beautiful and YouthLink Scotland will deliver a COP26 Scottish Youth Summit ahead of COP26, including a Scottish Youth Climate Declaration.
Young people with an interest in climate change can apply to be part of the programme by visiting the Young Scot website.
HRH The Earl of Forfar KG GCVO paid a visit to Saughton Park yesterday to join Keep Scotland Beautiful as they celebrated the commitment of volunteers and supporters dedicated to improving our environment.
During his visit, to the recently restored, and Green Flag Award winning park, The Earl of Forfar met with city council staff and a number of groups and individuals who work with the charity to tackle litter, combat climate change and improve local places.
His Royal Highness met with volunteers from the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis Park community group who shared their experiences of the Green Flag programme across Scotland and in particular the role they play.
He also heard about the longstanding Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood programme in Scotland, meeting a passionate judge and assessor, Colin Ainsworth, and volunteers from Friends of Saughton Park Group and Bonnie Blantyre and Pals Community Group who discussed the challenges and opportunities facing community improvement projects during the pandemic.
A young reporter, Callum Alexander, who is eager to raise awareness of the importance of improving our environment, and KSB’s education team were then able to share their experiences with The Earl of Forfar before he was introduced to KSB’s June Clean Up Scotland Hero, Jason Wilcox, who highlighted his litter picking activity with the West Lothian Litterpickers and the scale of the problem as we have eased out of lockdown.
His Royal Highness also met with representatives of Keep Porty Tidy a group involved in our My Beach Your Beach campaign at Portobello.
Finally, The Earl of Forfar was introduced to a number of volunteer Charity Trustees and was invited to present our outgoing Chair Lindsay Montgomery CBE, and John Frater with Fellowship Certificates to make their long service to the charity.
Tom Brock OBE, KSB Chairman said, “It was an honour to be able to introduce His Royal Highness, The Earl of Forfar, to some of the truly amazing volunteers we work with, from our outgoing Charity Trustees to the communities, local authorities and young people who are all working tirelessly to keep Scotland beautiful.
“Our connection and need for clean, green spaces has never felt more important and it was a privilege for us to celebrate and showcase the work being done across the country by passionate individuals all striving to improve places and neighbourhoods and play a key role in Scotland’s green recovery.
“I would like thank The Earl for showing such an interest in the work we, and those we work with, do to make Scotland clean, green and sustainable for everyone.”
Over a decade of inspiring community climate action is being celebrated by environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, as it launches a report and film to celebrate the people, the projects, and the impact of the Climate Challenge Fund across Scotland.
In 2008, Keep Scotland Beautiful opened the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) to applicants for the first time and since then over 1,150 diverse projects spanning every single local authority area in Scotland have been awarded CCF grants to take action on climate change locally. Total CCF funding exceeds £111 million.
Since then, Keep Scotland Beautiful has been at the forefront of community climate action, supporting CCF funded groups, and working with communities across Scotland to build capacity to tackle climate change.
Although focusing on projects funded over the last four years, the report also shares learning from 12 years of Keep Scotland Beautiful managing the CCF.
The report is complemented by a newly launched film which celebrates the impact of the CCF – capturing the thoughts and feelings of community members working on grassroots CCF projects and a variety of partners from the wider CCF community.
Stories of success feature prominently in the report and demonstrate how CCF projects have provided valuable support to help communities cut carbon emissions through reducing their reliance on car travel, tackling waste, growing local food and using energy more efficiently in homes and community buildings.
It also explains how, in addition to the carbon benefits, the CCF has driven community cohesion, knowledge sharing and fostered a Scotland wide peer-led movement where people have introduced their fellow citizens to more sustainable, healthy and often more economical ways of living – building broad public support for ambitious national action on climate change.
The contribution volunteers have made to successful CCF projects cannot be underestimated and the report shares inspiring personal stories of how these local volunteers have helped tackle carbon, strengthen their communities and play an invaluable part in the response to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
From 1 July 2021 communities and groups in receipt of a CCF grant will receive support directly from the Scottish Government.
As we hand over the baton, KSB CEO Barry Fisher said: “We’ve been privileged to have managed and developed the CCF on behalf of the Scottish Government for over a decade.
“We’d like to thank all those who have been integral to the success of this ground-breaking fund – the CCF Grant Panel members over the years, our partners, our employees, and most importantly, the CCF communities and people who make them. Without these passionate, inspiring and committed people working tirelessly across Scotland to reduce their impact on the climate CCF would never have been able to generate the legacy that it has.
“We will continue to facilitate and support communities to take climate action, in particular working to realise our ambition of a climate literate country. And as COP26 comes to Glasgow this year, we look forward with hope and ambition.”
Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson said:“The Climate Challenge Fund has supported many hundreds of communities across the country to take climate action, providing the tools, guidance and resources to inspire thousands of people to learn more about climate change, help reduce emissions and become more climate resilient.
“I am grateful to Keep Scotland Beautiful for the pivotal role it has played in making the Fund such a success. I have no doubt that KSB will continue to drive positive change and help us all achieve a greener, more sustainable future with COP26 as a catalyst for further action.
“The Scottish Government will continue to empower communities to play a leading role in our just transition to net zero, including through new networks of community climate action hubs and Climate Action Towns.
“If we all play our part, Scotland can show the rest of the world how it’s done – and ensure our people and communities are at the forefront of the transition.“
View the full report and film on the CCF website at:
SP Energy Networks sets out plans to invest £1.58 billion in Central and Southern Scotland between 2023 and 2028
Investment is critical to the UK hitting its Net Zero targets, with the UK set to see circa 30 million EVs hit the streets and 22 million heat pumps installed in homes by 2050.
Critical upgrades will be required to connect an additional 3GW of renewable generation as Scotland revolutionises transport and heating infrastructure at speed.
Proposals include £30m Net Zero Fund to support innovative, low carbon community projects across SP Energy Network’s licence areas.
SP Energy Networks has today launched its draft RIIO-ED2 Business Plan, detailing the £3.2 billion of investment required to ready the UK for an electric future, of which £1.58bn would be in Central and Southern Scotland’s distribution network.
The work will kick-start the much-needed growth in low carbon technologies required to reach the Scotland’s climate ambitions. Across Central and Southern Scotland, the investment would enable the connection of over 370,000 electric vehicles, 210,000 domestic heat pumps and an additional 3GW of low carbon electricity generation connected during the five-year period.
To help deliver this mammoth task, SP Energy Networks plans to recruit more than 1,100 green jobs across its licence areas (Central and Southern Scotland and Merseyside, Cheshire, North & Mid-Wales and North Shropshire), with thousands more indirect jobs supported over the five years.
Frank Mitchell, CEO of SP Energy Networks, said:“The scale of the task at hand cannot be underestimated. If the Scotland is to hit its Net Zero targets, we must deliver one of the largest, fastest upgrades of our critical infrastructure this country has ever seen.
“In RIIO-ED2, we need to respond to our customers’ changing needs as we move towards Net Zero. We’ve set out our plans to continue delivering exceptional service, supporting our most vulnerable customers, and taking on a more proactive role in our communities.
“Our customers already rate us at over 9 out of 10 for satisfaction and we plan on going even further. We will be a partner that supports their journey to Net Zero, bridging the gap from ambition to action to make sure that we leave no-one behind in the energy transition.”
At the heart of SP Energy Networks planned investment across its licence area is:
developing a network that’s ready for Net Zero by continuing to adapt the world-class network to be more resilient and more reliable, using innovative, flexible, and efficient solutions. Innovation and efficiency embedded in the plan will save £173m for customers.
being the trusted partner for customers, communities, and stakeholders by engaging more with customers and communities, supporting them by offering enhanced and tailored services, and going further for vulnerable customers. A proposed £30 million Distribution Net Zero fund will support innovative, low-carbon project proposals to enable communities to realise their ambitions, and £62.5 million of social benefits will be delivered through the provision of support services to more customers than ever before.
readying the business for a digital and sustainable future by embedding new digital approaches, innovation, and process redesign to save customers more than £60 million and by putting sustainability first in order to reduce our carbon footprint by 38% by 2028.
Frank Mitchell explains:“When the current infrastructure was built, homes used gas or solid fuel for heating with only twenty appliances running on electricity – compared to more than fifty now.
“Over the next two decades, we expect to see that demand rise significantly, as millions more electric vehicles and heating systems come online.
“Our network has served us well over the last fifty years. Now is the time to invest so it stands ready to continue that service in a truly decarbonised future.”
SP Energy Networks has engaged with over 15,000 customers and stakeholders on the Business Plan and will continue to engage and consult ahead of the submission of the final plan in December 2021.
‘Human Swan’ Sacha Dench has taken off on courageous circumnavigation of Britain by paramotor
Sacha takes off from Scottish beach on Round Britain Climate Challenge
After several delays caused by bad weather and technical issues with the paramotor Sacha Dench has taken off on the first ever circumnavigation of mainland Britain by electric paramotor.
She took off from the beach at Stevenson on the west coast of Scotland heading south along the coast on her 3,000 mile + journey around Britain – ending back in Glasgow in around 12 weeks’ time.
She will be landing frequently, and with her ground crew will be talking with, filming, and gathering information from industry, innovators and entrepreneurs, local heroes, communities, schools, farmers and individuals – anybody involved in addressing the effects of climate change in their areas.
A compilation of these stories will be presented at COP26 in Glasgow in November.
Sacha flying along the Western Coast of Scotland
Sacha flying over Culzean Castle
Sacha flying over Turnberry Golf Course
The journey is set inspire and excite people in all walks of life to get behind climate change actions in Britain – to get involved at local level in whatever small way to help reduce Carbon emissions.
Sacha says: “We need to get 140,001 people to take personal climate action between 18 June and 17th July to get a Guinness World Record.There’s a great way of doing this through Count Us In https://www.count-us-in.org/ – so please sign up NOW!
“As well as investigating how climate change is affecting different regions of the country, we will be showing, in a visually stunning and exciting way – from the air, ground and underwater – what is happing to help cut carbon and preserve and restore our environment.
“We’ll be finding the likely and unlikely heroes and discovering where and what works. I am so looking forward to meeting all the hundreds of inspiring people along the route.”
British Ecological Society is presenting a new digital exhibition as part of this year’s Science Festival.
They teamed up an artist with a scientist and each pair was asked to imagine a greener future for Edinburgh and demonstrate how problems like carbon emissions, drought, heatwaves and even social justice can be tackled with nature-based solutions in our most familiar green spaces.
What they’ve come up with is very impressive – Leith on Sea (rising sea levels), tree-lined Nicolson Street (the most polluted street in Edinburgh and second-most in Scotland).
These visions – as well as audience’s own ideas – will directly inform the City of Edinburgh Council plans for Edinburgh’s future green spaces: Thriving Green Spaces project (see below).
As part of this year’s Edinburgh Science Festival, the British Ecological Society (BES), in collaboration with SMASH-UK, are presenting a virtual gallery of art created by local artists and ecologists, predicting the green future of Edinburgh – these visions will directly contribute to work by the City of Edinburgh Council in envisioning the future of the city’s green spaces.
This free event, running from 26 June to 11 July 2021 transports visitors to a fully explorable 3D virtual gallery overlooking the iconic Arthur’s Seat, displaying visions for Edinburgh’s future green spaces.
Exhibition artworks include a vision of Leith, successfully defending against sea level rises and extreme rain events (now ‘Leith-on-Sea’), to a resilient and renovated tree covered Nicolson St, known to the most polluted street in Edinburgh and second-most polluted in Scotland.
Local artists have collaborated with ecologists from Scottish Wildlife Trust, the City of Edinburgh Council, Nature Scot, Architecture & Design Scotland, Forest Research and Bangor University to imagine a greener future for Edinburgh and demonstrate how problems like carbon emissions, flooding, heatwaves and even social justice can be tackled with nature-based solutions in our most familiar greens spaces.
Visitors to the digital exhibition will also be able to contribute their own ideas for future green spaces, which will be displayed alongside the artwork in the gallery. Their visions will also inform the Council’s plans for the future of Edinburgh’s green spaces.
Dr Chris Jeffs, Senior Education & Engagement Officer at the British Ecological Society and curator of the exhibition said: “This cutting-edge exhibition is the first-time local artists and ecologists have been brought together to envisage the future of Edinburgh’s green spaces.
“It offers a way for the residents of Edinburgh and beyond to have their say on how green spaces should look like in future, and how they can tackle environmental challenges in their local area.
“Ecologists are on the front lines in our battle against climate change, and nature-based solutions in our green spaces, like those depicted in the exhibition, offer enormous hope. We want everyone to understand the climate crisis and the role ecology and nature-based solutions can play in a greener, sustainable future.”
On the interactive element of the exhibition, where visitors can contribute their own ideas, Chris Jeffs said: “It’s important that we give people a voice in shaping their green future, so we are delighted to be working with the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the City of Edinburgh Council, giving all our exhibition visitors the chance to share their ‘visions of future green spaces’ directly with the council to help them in their ‘Thriving Green Spaces’ project.”
Donya Davidson, Ecologist and Project Development Officer at Scottish Wildlife Trust for the ‘Thriving Green Spaces Project’ in Edinburgh’ said: “Working with local artists has been incredible.
“I think communicating through the medium of art is a really impactful way to demonstrate the work we are doing as ecologists. This exhibition has opened my eyes to how beneficial and exciting it can be to collaborate with artists and those outside of the environmental sector.
“Our work at the Scottish Wildlife Trust with the City of Edinburgh Council has shown that our existing green spaces already provide so many benefits to both people and wildlife and the right interventions in the right places can improve even more areas to provide these benefits.
“The artwork I collaborated on, Leith Walk on the Wild Side, shows Leith Walk, but not as people know it now! It is thriving with wildlife and residents are out enjoying all the new greenspace they now have on their doorsteps.
“The nationally scarce northern brown argus butterfly, previously only found in Holyrood Park, now moves freely down the street from planter to planter. Although it is an aspirational vision, I hope it is something we can see in the not-so-distant future, for a connected, biodiverse and sustainable Edinburgh.”
Sarah Hannis, illustrator of ‘Leith Walk on the Wild Side’ said: “It was great working with Donya and learning about all the green initiatives in Edinburgh. At a time when so much news is negative it has been really uplifting to be involved in this project – learning about connecting up habitats in urban areas, and the small but significant ways that local residents can contribute.
“Leith Walk is currently one of the least green parts of Edinburgh so I re-imagined it totally green! Green paths with wildflower areas lie to either side.
“Building eves are lined with swift nesting boxes and each window has its own planter with pollinator-friendly plants. Nest boxes and bug hotels hang on every wall and there’s even a small pond.
“The whole street becomes a thriving green wildlife corridor, boosting biodiversity and all the human wellness benefits that come from immersing ourselves in nature and coexisting alongside it.”
Diane Cassidy, Green Spaces Development Officer for Edinburgh’s Thriving Green Spaces Project at the City of Edinburgh Council said: “We’re excited to be part of this fantastic exhibition with the British Ecological Society.
“The artworks’ inspiring visions of nature-based solutions, combined with the voices of visitors to the exhibition will be incredibly valuable to us in our ongoing ‘Thriving Green Spaces’ project which aims to improve Edinburgh’s green spaces and ultimately the lives of local people.”
BES is planning to introduce the idea in other UK cities later this year and present the exhibition as part of COP26.
Other BES events at the Edinburgh Science Festival
Alongside the virtual gallery, the BES will be hosting five other online events and contributing to an outdoor photography exhibition, all completely free to attend.
12 June – 21 July. Human Nature exhibition. Experience giant images in the photography exhibition along the picturesque location of Edinburgh’s Portobello Promenade, featuring contributions from the BES ‘Capturing Ecology Competition’.
Tuesday 29 June. Flea Circus: the smallest show on Earth. Dr Tim Cockerill talks audiences through the history of flee circuses, a genuine spectacle, made up of live fleas pulling chariots, riding tricycles and even fighting duels with miniature swords.
Saturday 3 July. NatureCast. A family friendly interactive broadcast where participants can take part in fun activities, they can do at home or outside, while discovering fascinating connections between nature and people.
Sunday 4 July. The Big Ecology Draw-along. Join our presenter, zoologist and science communicator Sophie Pavelle, and nature-artists Hana Ayoob and Lauren Cook to learn how to draw incredible plants, fungi and animals, following their simple step-by-step tutorials.
Wednesday 7 July. ECOmedy night. An online comedy night where audiences can laugh and learn as you watch real scientists showcase their knowledge about animals, plants, and their interactions with our planet.
Thriving green spaces project
The City of Edinburgh Council is leading on a project to create a new vision for the city’s green spaces. This will be captured in a 30-year strategy which aligns with Edinburgh’s 2050 city vision.
The project is being achieved by a £899,500 grant from the Heritage Fund and the Natural Trust. They have joined together to provide funding to local authorities to develop bold, innovative and financial management solutions for their green spaces. You can read more about this on the Heritage Fund Website or see Future Parks Initiative or National Trust
What will we do
The project will run for two years until May 2021. The funding is being used to recruit a project team and buy in professional expertise to
carry out research and studies
start pilots
gather robust baseline information
which will create thriving green spaces 2050 vision and strategy for Edinburgh.
To deliver this project we are working with our project bid partners
greenspace Scotland
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh green spaces forum
who are the group for the city’s various Friends of Groups.
Our work will determine how our green spaces need to change so that they play an active role in delivering greater benefits in areas such as
Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, is delighted to award five schools in Edinburgh City with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.
The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local environmental action.
The five schools are: Brunstane Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2016), Liberton Nursery (which has held a Green Flag since 2011), Carrick Knowe Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2007), St John’s Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2013) and George Heriot’s Junior (a Green Flag school since 2007).
Brunstane Primary School was recognised for carrying out regular community litter picks and forming a pupil parliament group to address road safety concerns near the school.
Children at Liberton Nursery carried out regular litter picks in the woods where they have nature play time, recorded types of litter in a survey and carried out extensive work on biodiversity.
Pupils at St. John’s Primary School carried out an anti-litter poster campaign and whole school assembly and organised regular litter picks in a new park near the school ensuring it stays clean and welcoming. They also worked with the Woodland Trust to plant native trees around the school.
At Carrick Knowe Primary School, pupils organised litter picks with every year group, and ran class workshops on single use plastics.
George Heriot’s pupils increased the effectiveness of the school’s recycling and explored possibilities of hosting renewable energy sources at the school.
Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make environmental awareness and action to tackle climate change an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff.
The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in action and support aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.
To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.
Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Congratulations to the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have worked so hard schools, who have worked so hard to achieve their Green Flag Award, particularly during a time of unprecedented adjustment and change to education caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a great achievement and testament to the resilience and creativity of both pupils and educators.
“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children and young people to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet for the future.”
More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at:
The City of Edinburgh Council has committed to establish a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), reducing the carbon footprint of public transport and the new Lothian electric buses are a statement of intent for the city’s transport network.
The launch of these buses will play a big part in the city’s green transport infrastructure.
Through the Green Economy Fund, SP Energy Networks is investing in the communities that it serves to support the UK and Scottish governments’ green energy ambitions. It also contributes to government plans to meet climate change targets, boost local economic growth, improve air quality across the country and deliver a better future, quicker for our communities.
SP Energy Networks is part of the ScottishPower group, a Principal Partner for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in four months’ time.
It is developing an energy model that will play a significant role towards reaching the UK’s world-leading climate change targets and is investing a total of £10billion in the clean energy generation and networks infrastructure needed to help the UK decarbonise and reach Net Zero emissions.
The new electric buses were built by Alexander Dennis, Britain’s biggest bus builder, at its Falkirk factory and will benefit from a smart management system which allows reduction in well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.
Transport Minister Graeme Dey, who attended the official launch of the new electric fleet at Dynamic Earth, said: “Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to declare a global climate emergency and with projects like this we continue to show our commitment to reducing emissions.
“As the country comes out of the pandemic and restrictions continue to ease, it is essential that our recovery is a green one, which has returning to public transport at its heart. This all-electric service is welcome news both for Edinburgh bus users and the environment.
“It’s also fantastic to see private sector organisations collaborate to tackle climate change. The funding from SP Energy Networks to support Lothian’s electric fleet with buses made in Falkirk is very much an initiative to be welcomed and encouraged.’’
Guy Jefferson, Chief Operating Officer at SP Energy Networks, said: “This is an historic moment in Edinburgh’s journey to Net Zero. The four new electric double decker buses will serve one of the busiest bus routes in the capital and provide a blueprint for other routes across the city.
“Edinburgh has ambitious plans to be a leading UK Net Zero emissions city by 2030 but for that to happen there needs to be big changes. The introduction of this new technology will improve air quality and noise pollution while supporting the city’s green recovery from the pandemic.
“We are committed to collaborating with government and industry to harness the knowledge, skills and resources we need to tackle climate change. Net Zero is now the prism through which we take all our business decisions. It’s one of the key drivers of our decision to become a Principal Partner of the COP26 global climate change conference, which is taking place in Scotland later this year.
“By working with our partners in Edinburgh and across Scotland through initiatives such as this we can deliver the cleaner, greener and better future we all want, quicker.”
Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “Across the last decade, Lothian has removed around 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from our carbon footprint through our fleet replacement strategies, and the introduction of Edinburgh’s first fully electric double decker buses allows us to continue on this journey, further reducing our impact on the environment.
“These new buses are fitted with the most advanced zero emissions technology and the introduction of these vehicles across our Service 10 further cements our commitment to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government and The City of Edinburgh Council’s climate change strategies.
“We’re delighted to have been able to partner with SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund on this project and look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnessaid: “This is a really exciting step forward for the city’s public transport network, and our own ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
“We want to make a green recovery from the pandemic and to do this we need to encourage more people to make sustainable transport choices. These buses offer a clean, reliable and environmentally-friendly alternative to the car.
“As we work towards the introduction of a Low Emission Zone in Edinburgh too, electric and other low emission buses will be essential for transporting people to the city centre while maintaining clean, breathable air.
“In the coming months we’ll be playing an important supporting role when Glasgow hosts the major COP26 climate change conference, and it’s innovations such as these that signal our firm commitment to tackling the climate emergency.”
The new vehicles also have USB charging points, on-board audio-visual next stop announcements and free Wi-Fi to provide a better overall customer experience.
So far, 35 projects have been awarded funding from SP Energy Networks across Central and Southern Scotland.
To find out more about the Green Economy Fund and the projects it supports, please visit:
