Opportunities to meet world leaders and climate activists
More children and young people will have the chance to get involved in COP26.A further £35,000 funding from the Scottish Government will increase the reach of initiatives from ReNew the World and Campaign Collective who organise events to meet world leaders and climate activists.
The funding will also support the Climate Changemakers programme from the Children’s Parliament, which will provide opportunities for children up to 14-years-old to share their ideas for tackling the climate crisis.
In July the Scottish Government announced £450,000 to support COP26’s Youth Climate Programme and a further £300,000 in September to fund the Conference of Youth.
Minister for Children and Young People Clare Haughey said: “Children and young people in Scotland are driving forward the cause for climate action and it is vital we listen to their views and harness their passion as part of COP26 and its legacy.
“We have now invested £950,000 to involve our children and young people in COP26 and the ongoing climate conversation. This will ensure they not only have a strong voice during the event, but also have a say in what should happen after.”
Director of ReNew the World Ewan Hunter said: “COP26 provides the opportunity for the world to look at the challenges we face on climate in a rational, but optimistic, positive, way. One based upon renewal, innovation and opportunity.
“By creating the opportunities for engagement, we can give these young people the chance to write a very different story for their generation’s future and their vision of our collective journey to net zero.”
Last month the Scottish Government announced £160,000 of funding for Local Authority Climate Champions. The programme is being delivered in partnership with Young Scot, YouthLink Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful.
Keep Scotland Beautiful celebrates sustainable and well managed parks across Scotland
Environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, has announced that 38 parks in Edinburgh have been presented with a Green Flag Award. The accolade acknowledges quality green open spaces across the country that help to boost our nation’s health and wellbeing.
The international Green Flag Award is administered in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful and acts as a benchmark for recreational outdoor space. The award celebrates well maintained parks and greenspaces and supports the opportunities that they provide to enable exercise, improve mental wellbeing and provide safe areas for play – something that has been particularly important to everyone over the last 18 months. Over 2,000 parks across the world have achieved the award this year.
Amongst the 2021 award winners are spaces managed by local authorities, community groups and various other organisations including the NHS.
Amongst the 38 winning Edinburgh parks is the Royal Edinburgh Hospital run by NHS Lothian and Corstorphine Hill LNR Community Walled Garden run by Friends of Corstorphine Hill, whilst both Harrison Park and Braidburn Valley Park are celebrating their 15th consecutive year of achieving the Green Flag Award.
Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, commented: “I would like to congratulate all of Scotland’s award-winning parks. Receiving this prestigious international benchmark recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces.
“Every single one of these parks provides an invaluable service to the local communities that it serves – from creating a safe space to play, to think, to work out – and they helped to address many of the health and wellbeing challenges we faced as a country during lockdown.”
“Spending time in nature can be good for people’s health and wellbeing, and merely living in a greener neighbourhood can be good for health. The Green Flag Award recognises the valuable, and tangible contribution that these parks make towards the nation’s well-being.”
“These areas are very important to us in NHS Lothian as they enable both our staff and patients to connect with nature, which helps with mental and general wellbeing.
“This award was only possible with the support and contributions from the whole hospital community, so I would like to thank everyone involved for their ongoing hard work to support our natural areas. As the site evolves to meet future healthcare needs our greenspace management plan will ensue nature continues to be at the heart of the site.”
City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: We’re incredibly proud of our beautiful parks in Edinburgh and it’s wonderful that we’re once again the proud holders of more Green Flags than anywhere else in Scotland – more than half of the awards granted.
“Green Flags are given to those parks that give everyone access to a safe, clean and pleasant green space where they can relax, play and exercise and I’m delighted that so many of our parks have achieved this important and much sought-after recognition which is well deserved.
“Despite the challenging times we’re all still facing and with increased investment, the quality of Edinburgh’s parks continues to improve. I want to pay tribute to everyone, staff, friends of parks and volunteers, who work so hard all year round, and in all-weathers to keep our award-winning parks so beautiful.
“These public spaces have been a source of comfort, solace, fun and relaxation for residents over the difficult last 18 months and are essential to our wellbeing. There’s always more to discover, though, so I’d encourage everyone to get out and explore our parks this Autumn.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener, Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, said: “This is fantastic news, parks have proved to be real havens in recent times and my thanks to our skilled and dedicated parks staff for their continued care and hard work.
“I also want to thank all our Friends of Parks groups for everything they do. The parks belong to the people of Edinburgh and we’re so grateful for the support from our citizens. Since we first started taking part in the Green Flag scheme in 2007, we’ve gone from just two flags to 38, which is more than half of all Green Flags given out in the whole country – this is a tremendous achievement and we’ll keep working hard to make sure our parks go from strength to strength.”
A detailed map of Scotland’s Green Flag sites can be found at:
Environmental charity calls for young people to engage with mini-Litter Less campaign
Scotland is facing a looming litter emergency and environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is calling for teachers and youth leaders to get involved in a new international 10-day campaign to tackle litter.
The Mini Litter Less campaign will run from 18 – 28 October 2021 and those that sign up to participate will be supported with a seven-point action plan.
The plan includes activities to learn about the biodiversity and nature around you, to understand plastic pollution, to find out more about invisible pollutants, to consider consumption habits, to think about the partnership approach to tackling the issue, and to organise a litter pick and celebration picnic.
The campaign will also feature a Zero Waste Day where young people will be encouraged to live a whole day without producing any waste at all.
Participants will be asked to post their thoughts, photos and videos on social media using the #LitterLessCampaign, and the best three will be selected by us and entered into an international competition – with the best 10 global entries winning a prize of $100.
Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Education and Learning Manager Daniel Barrie, said: “Litter Less is an annual campaign we run on behalf of the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE). Across the world 15 other countries participate and it supports over 1.3million children and over 20,000 educators to improve and enhance the places they love in their own villages, towns and cities by campaigning to stop litter.
“This Mini Litter Less campaign provides an easy to follow seven-point action plan to help drive a change in the behaviour that causes litter. The actions are easy to fulfil and are designed to be tackled one a day over a period of time.
“Tackling litter and waste is crucial if we are to reverse declining standards of cleanliness across our country and the planet so we would encourage everyone to get involved.”
KSB have run the wider Litter Less campaign for nine years, and in that time £56,000 of support has been provided to 244 Scottish schools, helping them to become more ‘litter-ate’ and to purchase litter picking equipment and bins.
In addition, more than, 4,000 educators and 50,000 children and young people have been involved across Scotland.
If you are interested in getting involved contact:
On October 8th, a group of older and younger people from the New Spin intergenerational project at the Citadel will decorate the first of our six friendship benches, all of which have been made by Mens Shed.
The New Spin group will be working with local artist Johnathan Elders to create patterns for the backs of the bench. Further benches will be decorated in further sessions, so each will be unique. The project is being run with the help of Thrive, to celebrate World Mental Health Day on 10th October.
Fruit tree planting in Victoria Park
Our Greening Team have been busy with plans for the area and pupils from Trinity High and Trinity Primary Schools will be helping to plant some young fruit trees in Victoria Park this winter to enhance the area, by adding beauty, interest and biodiversity.
There are already a couple of small trees in situ, so those will be added to, to create a mini orchard. The trees will be Scottish heritage fruit trees, specially chosen for the site, and will include apple, pear and plum.
Each one will have its own protective cage, provided by Edinburgh City Council, and the pupils will learn from a Royal Botanic Gardens representative how best to plant and care for them.
We hope to work on more tree-planting and wilding projects in the future, not just in the parks but in the more built-up parts of our neighbourhood, where urban nature needs some encouragement.
Keep abreast of the latest news on our Greening Page
The Heart of Newhaven Community was assessed by It’s Your Neighbourhood, part of the Keep Scotland Beautiful charity recently, and despite it only being the first year of our association with them, we have scored a Level 3, (out of five) which means we are “advancing”.
The score was helped by having achieved our goal of funding from the Scottish Land Fund to acquire the site, as well as successfully engaging with a variety of local communities and groups. Well done everyone involved. The next level is “thriving” and the top level is “outstanding”. How long will it be?
Forth Reflections
On October 22nd from 2pm – 4 pm we are collaborating with an exhibition in the main entrance to Ocean Terminal called ‘Forth Reflections and Expressions of Wellbeing’. The event is being organised in conjunction with the Edinburgh Wellbeing PACT and the Forth/Edinburgh Shoreline Project.
Conceived during the dark days of winter lockdown this project is the passionate responses of well over a hundred different people to a part of the Forth coast that is special to them.
A long storyline of enmeshed crafted memories and visions of the Forth has emerged, linking the Fife, Edinburgh and East Lothian coasts, biodiversity, people and communities.
Each participant expressed their response to their chosen 1km of coast on a calico square and many people have focused on the coast’s local history and wildlife, its beauty and diversity and the many species and memories that have been and are still being lost. While frustration and anger can be seen in many pieces about marine and intertidal pollution, there is also heartfelt hope for the future.
We hope that as many people as possible will call in and have a chat. Not only will it be an opportunity to talk to us about our plans for the Heart in general but we also want to have conversations about wellbeing and what it means to each of us in our community. As inspiration we will be displaying a selection of the calico squares created by local people.
Call in to see the display and have a chat.
Keep watching our website and social media platforms for the latest news, as we await the move of Victoria Primary School pupils to their new home and the handover of the keys for the site from Edinburgh City Council to the Heart.
A band of 18 enthusiastic dancing volunteers joined environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at Portobello Beach on Sunday (12 September) to rid the beach of litter and kick off the charity’s ‘Source to Sea’ week. The litter-picking crew donned their headphones, tuned-in and removed rubbish from the seaside.
They removed lots of small plastics, including cigarette butts, as well as broken glass and bits of clothing left in the sand – a common issue on popular beaches. As well as removing litter from the beach, the purpose of the litter picking party was to raise awareness of how litter left on land can make its way into the sea to pollute our oceans.
The event was organised as part of the charity’s My Beach Your Beach and Treasure your River campaigns, in partnership with Keep Porty Tidy, who go out daily to blitz litter from the beach and prom.
Treasure Your River, created by environmental charity HUBBUB and delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful, has been targeting litter from source to sea along the River Forth this summer.
The event was also supported by Oscar’s Gelato on the Porty prom, with complimentary gelato and other refreshments offered to volunteers.
Now in its fourth year, the My Beach Your Beach campaign aims to support bathing water quality at a selection of beaches, including Portobello, Fisherrow Sands and Kinghorn Harbour beach on the east coast.
The campaign does this by promoting beach stewardship among locals and visitors and encouraging good habits that can affect bathing water quality, both at the beach and indoors.
This summer’s pre-season litter survey, carried out by Keep Porty Tidy for the My Beach Your Beach campaign, found over 110 items of litter along a sample 100m stretch of beach and prom.
The majority of this litter was drinks and food related rubbish, highlighting the need for people to bin their ‘on the go’ food packaging or take it home.
Greta Elliott, from Keep Porty Tidy, said: “The silent disco litter pick was a lot of fun and a great way to get people involved in keeping our beautiful beach clean and litter free.
“Hopefully it will help encourage others to do the right thing and make sure their rubbish ends up in the bin rather than polluting the beach.”
Georgina Massouraki, Campaigns Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Beach litter is a huge environmental issue, not only blighting our communities but also washing out to sea, where it breaks down into microplastics, harming wildlife and marine ecosystems. This silent disco litter pick was a fun way to draw attention to this issue and hopefully reach a wider range of people.
“Our My Beach Your Beach campaign is designed to help improve the quality of bathing waters by asking people to bin their litter, bag and bin their dog poo and not to feed the gulls.
“We have been delighted to work with Keep Porty Tidy on the campaign in Portobello and hope that beach users will take notice and be more thoughtful about the impact they can have on the sand and sea.”
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener at The City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’re proud of Edinburgh’s beautiful beaches and so we’re very grateful to the litter pickers who worked so hard at the weekend to help us to keep Porty beach clean. I love that they had fun in the process of keeping fit and entertaining visitors as they danced along the beach.
“Our cleansing teams provided them with the equipment they needed to safely remove discarded litter and we’ve made sure the waste collected has been taken away. Our teams have been extremely busy throughout the pandemic working to keep Porty and the rest of Edinburgh clean and tidy and it’s great to see the Porty community taking pride in their area and helping them out.
“I’d ask everyone visiting any of our beaches to respect our local communities and environment by using the bins provided or by taking your litter home with you.”
With just over 50 days to go until COP26 comes to Glasgow, details of Scotland’s COP26 community engagement programme have been announced.
The programme of climate change activity will engage communities in the journey to net zero and empower them to take action.
It will include activity targeted at communities that have not previously engaged in climate action, helping to make Scotland’s COP26 engagement inclusive.
The programme also includes activity for young people, including schools and youth groups such as the guiding and scouting movements, to help ensure children and young people from all backgrounds can participate.
Scotland’s climate festivals will support local communities to plan and deliver their own festivals and events across the country.
Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Glasgow Science Centre will lead on delivery, backed with almost £500,000 of Scottish Government funding.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said:“COP26 coming to Scotland is a unique opportunity to advance the society-wide transformation demanded by the climate crisis.
“That’s why we are determined to make sure the event reaches out far beyond the negotiations in Glasgow, into every community in the country.
“Scotland has made great progress in delivering its world-leading climate targets and is already over half way to net zero. To end our contribution to climate change within a generation, we will all need to play role. Our communities and young people will be at the heart of that action. This programme will help empower everyone to take action to tackle climate change – especially those that might have not previously engaged.”
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:“We’re delighted to be working with the Scottish Government and partners to ensure everyone is empowered to navigate the climate emergency challenges ahead.
“COP26 happening in Scotland must be a catalyst to broaden and intensify climate conversations nationally and locally. We want to bring the issues discussed at the summit to the heart of communities by unlocking opportunities for those currently not engaged in climate change action to make their voices heard, and to provide much needed energy and support.”
Dr Stephen Breslin, CEO Glasgow Science Centre, said:“Our World, Our Impact aims to make climate science relevant to day-to-day life, inviting everyone to explore how we can all play a part in the discussion as Glasgow prepares to host COP26.
“We are also delighted to be working together with our colleagues from Scotland’s other science centres to look at how we can engage underserved audiences in the climate conversation across Scotland.”
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:
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:
