environment – Page 82 – The NEN

Scots turned off by partners who leave the lights on

Nation becomes more environmentally conscious

Adults in Scotland that live with their partner pinpoint leaving lights on as the thing that shocked them most when they moved in together
The survey was commissioned by BT as part of their commitment to combatting climate change and showing how tech can help the nation live more sustainably
Switching to an electric vehicle, recycling more and switching to a renewable energy provider among the top ‘climate resolutions’ Scots would make to fight climate change
BT’s Smarter Living Challenge recently uncovered the powerful impact UK households can have on their carbon emissions by using technology to support simple sustainable lifestyle changes

Leaving the lights on, switching the heating on unnecessarily and putting recycling in with general waste topped a list of things that shocked Scots about their partner when they moved in together, research has revealed.

The survey, commissioned by BT, showed that these more environmentally friendly concerns trumped the more traditional gripes, such as snoring, not tidying up after themselves and chewing loudly.

The findings suggest a trend of couples becoming more environmentally conscious: a third of those questioned in Scotland believe they and their partner are doing more to live a greener life at home when compared to twelve months ago, prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, while almost a half of Scots (46%) encourage each other to be more sustainable.

Living a greener life has also brought almost a quarter (22%) of couples closer together. However, it is not always smooth sailing: More than half (55%) of those questioned in Scotland admitted that they have had a disagreement with their other half about the environment.

While couples appear to be becoming more aware of environmental issues at home, the majority still think there is room for improvement, as just 41% believe they and/or their partner are sufficiently eco-conscious.

When asked which ‘climate change resolution’ they would make to live a greener life, recycling as much as possible emerged as the top choice (14%). Switching to an electric vehicle (13%) and only using the heating while necessary (12%) completed the top three, closely followed by switching to a renewable energy provider (11%).

As part of efforts to combat climate change, BT is helping to equip the nation with the digital skills needed to be more sustainable at home. The company aims to provide households with the knowledge and motivation needed to make small but sustainable lifestyle changes and is highlighting the important role technology has in making the household shift to sustainable living easier.

Just under a half of Scots questioned (43%) already have a smart technology appliance in their home, with nearly two thirds (63%) believing that advances in smart tech are helping their household to be more environmentally friendly.

Among the most popular appliances were a smart meter (56%), smart lighting (27%) and smart thermostats (37%).

Among those that don’t use smart tech, cost (37%), the belief that it can’t make a substantial difference (20%) and a perceived lack of understanding on how it works (20%) were among the top barriers to installing it at home.

BT recently announced the results of its Smarter Living Challenge, a partnership with environmental charity, Hubbub which highlighted the powerful impact UK households can have on their carbon emissions by using technology to support simple sustainable lifestyle changes.

The project found that when seven small, but sustainable actions were combined with technology, an average household could save £938 on their bills and up to 1.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) per year if adopted on a sustained basis.

Switching to smart LED lighting, for example, could save 65kg of CO₂ emissions per household, while changing to a renewable energy tariff can save the average household around £270 on bills.

Andy Wales, Chief Digital Impact & Sustainability Officer at BT, said: “In the run up to the COP26 climate talks later this year, we want to show people up and down the country that it’s not just politicians and corporations who can make a difference in the fight against climate change, everyone has a part to play.

“At BT, we connect for good. Our technology, networks and products will underpin many of the solutions needed to become a net zero carbon economy and will act as a catalyst for a smarter, greener future. That’s why we would encourage all of our customers, colleagues and communities to make their own ‘climate resolutions’ because we know when small sustainable steps are supported by technology, they can make a huge impact.”

BT has led on climate action for three decades and has pledged to become a net zero carbon emissions business by 2045.

In 2020, BT completed the switch to 100% renewable electricity worldwide, which means citizens who buy mobile or broadband from EE, BT or Plusnet are now supplied by networks that are powered by 100% clean power.

To find out more about BT’s Smarter Living Challenge and the changes you can make to help fight climate change visit: https://www.hubbub.org.uk/bt-smarter-living-challenge

To find out more about what BT is doing to help fight climate change, visit:

https://www.bt.com/about/digital-impact-and-sustainability

The Deadliest Catch: Morrisons marine scheme recycles 100 tonnes of ‘ghost fishing gear’

– ‘Net Regeneration Scheme’ has seen fisherman in the South West recycle 100 tonnes of old fishing gear –

– Morrisons is the only supermarket to support a programme tackling ‘ghost fishing gear’ marine litter in British waters –

Morrisons has extended its partnership with Odyssey Innovation for another year to continue tackling ‘ghost fishing gear’ and to help save British coastal wildlife and habitats.

Over the last four years Morrisons has worked with Odyssey Innovation, a company that recovers and recycles waste marine plastic, to found and run the Net Regeneration Scheme which has seen fishermen in the South West responsibly recycle 100 tonnes of waste fishing gear to date.

Morrisons is the first and only supermarket to back a scheme which aims to tackle ghost fishing gear in British waters. Working with Odyssey Innovation – and in collaboration with Exeter City Council, Plymouth University and Seafish – Morrisons has helped to install waste skips at 10 ports across the South West to help fishermen to recycle unwanted or unusable gear.

‘Ghost fishing gear’ includes any abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear, which often goes unseen. It is one of the deadliest wastes for sea wildlife, accounting for 10 per cent of global marine litter. The United Nations expects the amount of plastic in oceans to treble in the next 20 years.

Odyssey Innovation’s Net Regeneration Scheme is the only one in the UK to offer free recycling of all types of fishing nets. It includes polyethylene trawl, nylon and other plastic generated by the fishing industry.

Everything that can be recycled in the UK is done so, with specialist companies in Europe recycling problematic materials. The scheme covers the cost of transporting gear and the full recycling loop, with some plastic waste being turned into sea kayaks.

The programme also helps to reduce CO2 by putting recycled plastic back into the economy, which has a significant CO2 saving over using new virgin plastic.

Joe Prosho, Aquaculture Manager at Morrisons, said: “Morrisons is one of the UK’s biggest suppliers of fresh British fish with our own fishing business in the South West and we are determined to play our full part in cleaning up the oceans to preserve marine life and protect the planet.

“We want to continue our partnership with Odyssey Innovation by supporting the Net Regeneration Scheme to contribute to reducing old fishing gear that is a problem for so much wildlife.”

Rob Thompson, Director at Odyssey Innovation, said: “The Net Regeneration Scheme has only been made possible through collaboration and through it, we work closely with the fishing communities, conservation groups, universities and government bodies.

“Working with Morrisons on this project has been an essential part of creating a collaborative scheme that benefits everyone involved. Getting the support from a big British fish supplier to help us, and others, tackle a problem that is growing in our seas, has the added benefit of giving consumers confidence that the seafood they are consuming has been sourced in the most sustainable way.

“Discarded and unwanted fishing gear that is left in the seas can do real damage to our sea wildlife and the Net Regeneration Scheme supports the fishing industry to become the best possible custodians of the sea.”

Morrisons has committed to a 50% reduction across its own-brand primary plastic packaging by 2025. Initiatives introduced over the last 12 months will remove 9,000 tonnes of unnecessary or problematic plastic each year. Over 83% of Morrisons own-brand plastic packaging is now able to be recycled.

In 2019 Morrisons was voted the most environmentally responsible company in the UK for its work on plastics reduction at the Responsible Business Awards, run by HRH The Prince of Wales’ Business in the Community Network.

For more information, visit: www.morrisons.co.uk .

Wildfire warning this weekend

Warm weather and rising wind speeds forecast for this weekend have increased the risk of surface fires across Eastern Scotland.

The wildfire danger assessment has been issued by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service today (Friday, July 16) in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF).

These surface fires could burn and spread with moderate to high intensity over Saturday and Sunday.

In Easter Ross, Inverness-shire and Morayshire, there could be very high fire intensity with wind speeds the highest on Saturday.

Area Commander Bruce Farquharson, the SFRS Wildfire Lead, said: “We are in the height of summer and with the warm forecast for the weekend it could bring with it the potential for wildfires, which can devastate vast areas of land and wildlife.

“As always, we would urge people who live within the high risk regions to be extremely careful.

“Please act safely and responsibly if you are out and about over the next few days.”

Follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which can be found on the SFRS website.

Big Butterfly Count: Where have all the butterflies gone?

Butterfly species hard hit by changeable weather patterns

Where have the butterflies gone? Butterfly Conservation launches this year’s Big Butterfly Count with urgent appeal for public’s help after disastrous spring weather.

Chris Packham and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are launching this year’s Big Butterfly Count today by asking people to help find and record butterflies across the UK.

Butterfly Conservation’s current records show that many species of butterflies have had a poor spring or a delay in their emergence following 2021’s unseasonably cold and wet weather.

The Speckled Wood was particularly low in numbers this spring, but the Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Green-veined White, Large White and Red Admiral were also all down in abundance compared with their 10-year average. How this will impact this summer’s butterflies is what the charity is asking people to find out, by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.

The weather in spring 2021 has been very challenging for many of the UK’s butterflies and moths. Although April was the sunniest on record, it was also very cold with a record number of frosts. This was then followed by the wettest May for over 50 years. Butterfly Conservation needs the public’s help to measure how these conditions have affected our butterflies and moths.

The UK is experiencing an increasing number of extreme weather events, a likely result of climate change, and it’s important we learn the effect these changes have on our native butterfly species in order to understand the likely long-term impacts on biodiversity.

The Big Butterfly Count is Butterfly Conservation’s annual three-week citizen science event. The UK-wide survey is open to everyone, of any age, living in towns, cities or the countryside.

Taking part just requires you to spend 15 minutes in an outdoor space (a great staycation activity) counting the amount and type of butterflies, and some day-flying moths, you see. It is easy to do and the more people who do it, the greater the benefits to our understanding of nature and how to help it.

For those taking part in Scotland, a new species has been added to the Big Butterfly Count identification guide this year.

The Scotch Argus is common and widespread in Scotland but has declined in the southern part of its range, especially in England where it is reduced to just two isolated sites. Butterfly spotters in Scotland are encouraged to record their sightings of the Scotch Argus so that scientists might better understand changes in the population.

There were over 145,000 counts submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, more than ever before. Though worryingly, 2020 also saw the lowest average number of butterflies logged since the event began twelve years ago.

Chris Packham, Vice-President of Butterfly Conservation and wildlife broadcaster, says: “Biodiversity and climate crisis is an urgent issue and it can be overwhelming to think about what we can do as individuals to really make a difference.

“Because butterflies and moths make excellent indicators of the impacts of climate change and other human environmental factors, collecting data on their numbers is really important. So, something as simple as recording a butterfly spotted in your garden, at your local park or on your window box can play a part in vital research into a global problem. It’s a really valuable contribution everyone can make.”

Dr Zoë Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation says: “The Big Butterfly Count, along with our other research work, is already showing us changes in the populations of our butterflies and moths. Climate change and other human-led impacts are causing some species to be found in new areas, while others are becoming harder to find in the UK at all.

“We really need the public’s help to understand what is happening to our butterfly and moth populations. It’s a small but crucial thing everyone can do. This information will not only help us to protect these species, but also to inform what effect the changing climate is having on our biodiversity.”

Taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is something anyone of any age or ability can do, in any outdoor space. It provides a real contribution to science and our understanding of butterfly and moth populations in the UK.

This year the Big Butterfly Count is sponsored by garden wildlife specialist Vivara and the DFN Foundation, a commissioning charity focused on influencing sustainable change in special needs education, supported employment, healthcare and conservation.

Bastiaan de Jong, COO of Vivara said: “Back gardens can provide essential pit-stops for insects and are perfect locations for butterfly spotting.

“Whatever space you have, make it inviting to wildlife and enjoy doing your bit for nature on your doorstep. So join in and ‘get out for the count’ to see just which butterflies love your garden!”

David Forbes Nixon OBE, Chairman of the DFN Foundation, said: “We are once again thrilled to be the official co-sponsor of the Big Butterfly Count and look forward to continuing our work with Butterfly Conservation to identify trends in species that will help us plan how to protect butterflies from extinction.

“Last year saw more submissions to the Big Butterfly Count than ever before and it was wonderful to see this engagement even in the midst of the pandemic. Now, as we continue to follow the roadmap out of lockdown, we have a huge opportunity to build on this momentum and engage with even more people of all ages across the country on connecting with nature in a positive and meaningful way. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into even greater focus the need to help improve our whole environment for wildlife and enrich the lives of people now and in the future.”

This year’s Big Butterfly Count runs from the 16^th July to the 8^th August.

For more information and to take part simply visit www.bigbutterflycount.org or download the free Big Butterfly Count app.

Micro-grants to bring green solutions to local communities

Green Micro-grants worth up to £1,000 are available for local projects that improve the environment or have a positive social impact, the University of Edinburgh has announced.

Community groups, small charities and other organisations can apply for one of the new micro-grants offered by the University.

The Green Micro-grants are an offshoot from the University’s popular Community Grants scheme, which has awarded almost £400,000 to local projects since 2017.

Groups can apply for up to £1,000 for small scale projects that will help improve their local natural environment and have a positive social impact for their community.

With the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) coming to Scotland this autumn, it is important to support change locally as well as globally. If you are involved with an organisation who could put £1,000 towards a project in your community, see the full details of the scheme or contact: local@ed.ac.uk

Organisations can apply now and micro-grants will be available until Friday 19 August, or until all funds have been allocated.

Please note, this grant scheme is only open to groups outside of the University. While we welcome projects that involve collaboration with the University and our staff and students, it must be an external organisation that applies for the funding.

Find out more: Green Micro-grants

Positive diets for negative emissions in beef race to net zero

Diet is at the heart of beef’s race to net zero, according to respected Dr Karen Beauchemin, a federal scientist in Canada and an international authority on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from livestock farming.

Seaweeds, fat from crushed oilseed rape and feed additives have all been part of a practical research programme she and her colleagues are carrying out, looking at both feeding and breeding to make the economics and environmental commitment stack up for beef producers.

“The goals of economic and environmental sustainability go hand-in-hand in beef farming and are complementary,” she says. “We have discovered multiple methods of reducing methane emissions in beef production, but the number one way is still to improve overall efficiency whether that’s through more kilograms reared per cow or improved grass utilisation.”

The studies have shown that methane is a direct result of the amount and quality of food, and in this week’s QMS podcast, Dr Beauchemin, who has worked in animal nutrition for over 30 years, looks at diet-related strategies that can be used to reduce methane emission patterns, and achieving the balance for producers to make cumulative gains.

“The research shows that methane emissions are highest when diets are higher in fibre, such as grass or silage, but this can be mitigated by cutting silage earlier to minimise the starch levels.

“And, although by feeding concentrates and grains producers can reduce emissions, we don’t want to overfeed these to beef cattle as their unique ability is to digest highly fibrous feeds like grass that cannot be consumed by humans and make use of that energy to produce food that can be.”

In Canada, consumers have been paying a carbon tax since 2019, $20/tonne soon to rise to $170/tonne, but it is not currently applicable on agricultural products.

There is pressure from the retailers, however, and the Canadian beef industry has introduced a low carbon beef framework to allow retailers to source from producers who are working to reduce their environmental impact.

The “badge” on the supermarket shelf is more than GHGs, however, explains Dr Beauchemin. It includes land use, water management, animal welfare and a healthy work environment.

On the challenges of consumer perception of livestock production on the environment, she adds: “Cattle do produce GHGs but they are producing food. With cars we’re talking about fossil fuels that are extracted from the earth and the CO2 emissions emitted are in the atmosphere for a long time.

“Methane from animals is part of a biological cycle. We have energy trapped in plants by photosynthesis, those plants are converted by animals into energy that goes into producing meat and milk for human consumption. The methane emitted in this system is short lived – it is broken down in about 12 years.

“Also, the animals are maintained on pasture and those pastures are sequestering carbon or have sequestered carbon, so they have large reserves. We have to be careful with comparing the emissions from animal production with fossil fuels.”

While there is a lot of interest in using breeding to improve feed efficiency, Dr Beauchemin focuses on diet over genetics. She has been very involved in the commercial-scale study of 3-NOP, a feed additive from manufacturer DSM which inhibits methane in the rumen.

In collaboration with several teams including experts in large-scale methane measurement, feedlot nutrition and health consultants, the results from 15,000 cattle have shown that it can reduce methane in a forage-based diet by up to 25% and by 80% in a feedlot finishing diet.

The podcast series is available through Apple Podcast, Buzzsprout, and Spotify, as well as via the Quality Meat Scotland website and social channels.

Government urged to reform the planning system to reach net zero

Centre for Cities: Planning and transport changes in cities would bring UK 26% closer to its target

Make it easier to build energy efficient low-rise flats and terraces in city centres and suburbs
Improve public transport and charge polluting drivers to halve urban car emissions
Encourage people to ditch their cars post-pandemic

The Government needs to press ahead with planning reform to meet its net zero target according to Centre for Cities’ research in partnership with HSBC UK.

Its campaign should begin in cities which, despite being big carbon emitters, have the best chance of leading the UK to net zero. The report finds that the right policies targeted in cities will being the UK a quarter of the way closer achieving a carbon neutral future.

Doing this this will require the Government to progress its planned reforms as the current system is a barrier to reaching net zero. They encourage housing development in isolated areas over better-connected inner-city and suburban brownfield sites.

Houses emit more carbon than flats, but they accounted for nearly eight in ten homes built in 2019 – an increase of 12 percentage points since 2013. Therefore, providing a more balanced mix of low-rise flats and terraced houses close to city centres would therefore help the UK reach net zero.

Building new homes centrally would also reduce car dependency. If the share of journeys made by public transport rose from one third to two thirds then urban carbon emissions would halve. Therefore, providing good public transport in all cities is essential to reaching net zero.

The number of people using public transport fell sharply during the pandemic and has not yet reached pre-Covid levels. Reaching net zero will be impossible while so many people continue to shun public transport in favour of cars. Policy makers therefore must encourage the public back onto public transport.

They should also introduce charges to disincentivise non-electric car usage and improve the public transport system in all cities. Doing these together could reduce total urban transport emissions by 87% by 2035.

The report argues that, to help cities reach net zero, the Government should:

Make it easier to build new energy efficient homes in city centres and suburbs.
Reintroduce the £2 billion Green Homes Scheme to retrofit existing homes. This would reduce carbon emissions by around 30% across England and Wales’ largest cities and towns.

And local government leaders should:

Improve public transport by bringing buses under public management
Introduce Clean Air Zones that charge drivers of the most polluting vehicles.
Encourage walking, cycling and public transport usage.

Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “The majority of people in the UK are based in our cities and largest towns. This means that changing the way that we live, work and move around them will be essential if we’re to reach net zero by 2050.

“Because 64% of the UK’s total carbon emissions come from homes and transport, it will be impossible to reach net zero without changes to our planning and transport systems. If the Government does these together it will help it reach its goals of becoming carbon neutral and levelling up.”

Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK said: “This report shows the key role Britain’s town and cities, and decision-makers leading them, are going to play in helping the UK reach its net-zero ambitions.

“Consumers, businesses and local communities will need support from both central and local government if we’re going to make the big lifestyle changes needed over the coming years in the way we travel and in the way we build and heat our homes.

“There is a real opportunity to build a partnership between the public and private sectors to create the new solutions to meet the climate challenge and to open up new green opportunities for growth for small and medium sized businesses right across the country. HSBC UK stand ready to play our part in this partnership.”

Net-Zero-Decarbonising-the-City Download

Ellesmere Port to support sustainable mobility through the production of all-electric vehicles

Ellesmere Port to become Stellantis’s first manufacturing site dedicated to battery electric LCV and passenger car models for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën
Industrial performance improvements as a result of strong cooperation between the company, the Unite Union and, most importantly, the workforce
Stellantis £100million investment supported by the UK government to secure an all-electric future for the plant
Ambition for Ellesmere Port plant to be carbon neutral by mid-decade
Ellesmere Port to support Stellantis Europe’s leading LCV position
Vauxhall continuing its tradition of manufacturing vehicles in the UK, which started in 1903

Stellantis announces today a £100million investment in Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant to transform the site for a new era in electric vehicle manufacturing.

Ellesmere Port will become the first Stellantis plant to produce a solely battery-electric model, in both commercial and passenger versions, by the end of next year, for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën brands and for both domestic and export markets.

This dedication to battery electric vehicles will go towards achieving the UK Government’s decision to stop sales of pure petrol and diesel engined vehicles from 2030.

Stellantis investment in Ellesmere Port will leverage the performance improvement actions that have been made possible thanks to a collaborative process between the company, the Unite the Union and based on the workforce’s drive to transform their plant.

Stellantis strong willingness to ensure a sustainable future for Ellesmere Port has been consistently supported by the UK Government, the Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise partnership and Chester College.

Carlos Tavares, Chief Executive Officer at Stellantis, said: “Performance is always the trigger for sustainability and this £100million investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and to Ellesmere Port.

“I particularly want to thank our highly skilled, dedicated workforce for their patience and contribution; we never let them down. Equally, I want to thank our partners the Unite Union for their open mind set and strong cooperation and, of course, the UK Government for their continued support.

“Producing battery electric vehicles here will support clean, safe and affordable mobility for the citizens. Since 1903 Vauxhall has manufactured vehicles in Britain and we will continue to do so.”

UK Government, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “Ellesmere Port’s proud tradition in auto manufacturing will continue for many years to come thanks to today’s investment.

“Stellantis’ decision to double down on their commitment to this site is a clear vote of confidence in the UK as one of the best locations globally for competitive, high-quality automotive production.

“Today’s decision will not only power Ellesmere Port into a clean future, but will secure thousands of jobs across the region in the supply chain. In this global race to secure electric vehicle production, we are proud to support Britain’s auto sector in this crucial transition as we work to build back better.”

The plant at Ellesmere Port will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, having been built in 1962, and produced its first car, the Vauxhall Viva, in 1964. Since that time, it has produced subsequent generations of the Vauxhall Viva, the Vauxhall Chevette and then each generation of the Vauxhall and Opel Astra. In total, since 1964, it has built over 5.2 million vehicles.

This new era of manufacturing will see a transformation of the Ellesmere Port plant “fit for the future”, with a new body shop, upgraded general assembly, a compression of the site area and the creation of an on-site battery pack assembly. In addition, there will be further support to enable a pathway to carbon neutrality for the plant by the middle of this decade. The plant aims to be 100% self-sufficient for electricity and work will commence imminently on potential wind and solar farms.

Stellantis has also announced the intention to consult on further investment into the Ellesmere Port site with the creation of a new UK parts distribution centre.

From later next year, Ellesmere Port will build the following all-electric vehicles:

Electric LCV	Electric Passenger Car
Vauxhall Combo-e	Vauxhall Combo-e Life
Opel Combo-e	Opel Combo-e Life
Peugeot e-Partner	Peugeot e-Rifter
Citroën e-Berlingo	Citroën e-Berlingo

These light commercial vehicles, and their passenger car variants, are all powered by a 100kW (136hp) motor with a 50kWh lithium-ion battery. They are able to be charged at up to 100kW and take just 30 minutes to charge from 0% to 80%. Under WLTP conditions, they are capable of up to 174 miles of range.

Stellantis is the LCV market leader in Europe and, in the UK, Vauxhall leads sales in the fast growing all-electric LCV segment.

Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën brands have already committed to each offering all-electric versions of their entire respective van model ranges before the end of 2021. Fiat Professional is also committed to offering electrified and alternatively fuelled versions across its van range.

With rising LCV usage in urban areas, partly due to the growth in demand for online delivery services, these zero-emissions-in-use vans will make a significant contribution to reducing emissions in towns and cities across the country.

The passenger car version will enable families to enjoy a “zero emission” active life with up to seven seats, benefitting from a modern high-tech interior, with great levels of comfort and adaptability and interior space, premium comfort and smart safety features.

SEPA warns of low water levels across Scotland

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.”

More information on water scarcity can be found at sepa.org.uk/ water-scarcity.

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.

Supporting climate justice across the globe

Funding for international projects ahead of COP26

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.”

Further details about the summit and participants can be found on its website.

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.