Tag: Scottish Government

‘Precarious and unpredictable’: Tougher Covid restrictions ahead?

DFM John Swinney spells out Scottish Government concerns

Deputy First Minister John Swinney statement on COVID-19 delivered in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, 9 November 2021:

Presiding Officer

I will be providing the update to Parliament today on the latest COVID-19 situation, on behalf of the First Minister.

In giving the update, I will provide:

  • An assessment of the current course of the pandemic and our ongoing consideration of how to respond.
  • An update on the pressures on the National Health Service, looking ahead to the Winter.
  • A report on the progress we are making to deliver the vaccination programme.
  • An update on changes to international travel rules.
  • And an update on management of the risks of transmission at or around COP26.

First, though, I will report on the most recent statistics.

2,233 positive cases were reported yesterday – 12% of all tests conducted were positive.

753 people are currently in hospital with COVID – 23 fewer than yesterday.

57 people are receiving intensive care, 4 more than yesterday.

And, sadly, a further 20 deaths have been reported over the past 24 hours. That takes the total number of deaths registered under this definition, to 9,313.

I would like to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one during the pandemic.

More positively, the vaccination programme continues to make good progress. I can confirm that 4,324,440 people have received a first dose; 3,918,528 have had both doses; and 1,017,359 have received a booster vaccination or third primary vaccination.

The vaccination programme is continuing at considerable pace. I am pleased to say that the United Kingdom Government’s Covid data dashboard confirms that our booster programme continues to be the best performing rollout in the UK.

Today is also a major milestone in that programme as we have reached 1 million covid boosters and third doses, totalling 2 million doses of both covid and flu vaccines. This is an amazing achievement and I want to thank everyone involved for their extraordinary efforts. This further demonstrates that the booster programme is performing exceptionally well.

In total, 88% of the over-18 population is now fully vaccinated with two doses. This includes 99% of the over 50s, 88% of those aged 40 to 49, 77% of 30 to 39 year olds, and 68% of 18 to 29 year olds.

In addition, 76% of 16 and 17 year olds, and 55% of 12 to 15 year olds, have had a first dose. For most people in these age groups only a single dose is recommended at this stage.

Presiding Officer

After the most recent peak in new cases, at around the start of September, the spread of the virus has not reduced to anything like the low levels we had seen following the lockdowns.

At slightly over 2,500, the number of new cases each day is holding at a concerningly high level. The situation is precarious and unpredictable – if the previous pattern, characterised by waves of infection, is repeated, there is a risk that the spread of the virus could, very quickly, increase again during the coming weeks, perhaps over the Christmas period.

Starting from the current high level of infection in the community – and the intense pressure the NHS is already under as a result – some scenarios for what may happen next are very concerning. We need to avoid the most dangerous of those scenarios.

And there are some specific reasons to suspect that case numbers may increase in the weeks ahead. With the onset of colder Winter weather, increased time spent indoors means there will likely be more opportunities for COVID to circulate. COP26 has seen people from all over the world meeting in Glasgow – and that presents a known infection risk. And many of us will wish to spend time visiting loved ones over the festive period.

But we are not yet able to predict with confidence what will happen next. We certainly want to avoid the sort of strict lockdowns we had seen before most of us were vaccinated – we do not want to repeat the sort of disruption to our daily lives, businesses and the economy that had been required at earlier stages in the pandemic. But we do need to take appropriate measures to keep the pandemic under control.

It is because we want to avoid more difficult restrictions that we cannot rule out strengthening the baseline protective measures currently in place as the best way to head off any prospect of future lockdowns. Indeed, all governments in the UK have said much the same, not least, for example, the United Kingdom government’s ‘Plan B’.

We have been considering, for example, whether we may need to extend the Covid certification scheme to bring more settings into scope, such as indoor hospitality and leisure settings.

Among other possible interventions, we are exploring how we can help improve ventilation; what we could do to increase home-working; and whether changes are needed to extend the use of face masks. I would stress though that we have not yet taken any decisions about strengthening the existing baseline measures – and we will be discussing options with business sectors in the course of this week.

As you would expect, Presiding Officer, the Scottish Government has been exploring all options for how it will respond to the evolving situation. We have been reviewing our Strategic Framework, which defines the Scottish Government’s overall approach to responding to the pandemic.

And the next three-weekly review of the existing baselines measures will take place a week today. The First Minister, my Cabinet colleagues, and I are, of course, watching the situation closely and stand ready to respond – at the right time – when the data indicates it is necessary and proportionate.

The challenges we currently face – and the continuing spread of the virus – mean that now is certainly not the time to relax our approach. We all need to redouble our efforts to adhere to the protective measures in place and to follow the guidance.

For that reason, I want to take this opportunity to reiterate the appeal the First Minister, my Cabinet colleagues, and others, have been making to members of the public, to businesses, transport providers and to organisations throughout Scotland:

  • please do get vaccinated, including booster jabs and flu vaccinations for those that are eligible;
  • please wear face coverings when required;
  • ventilate indoor spaces wherever possible;
  • wash hands and surfaces regularly;
  • use Lateral Flow Device tests regularly;
  • and book a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test if one of the lateral flow tests shows up positive, or if you have symptoms of Covid, or if you are identified as a close contact of someone who’s positive.
  • Please also continue to give contact details when visiting pubs and restaurants.
  • And Covid certificates should be shown if visiting a venue where this is required.
  • And, critically, please do continue to work from home whenever possible.

The Government knows that it is not easy but it is vital that these efforts continue.

Presiding Officer, the entire health and care system remains under considerable pressure. For many months, our health and social care services have been dealing with levels of demand usually only experienced in Winter. Across the country, hospitals are at, or close to, capacity. The social care system is also under pressure and reporting an increase in the number of people requiring care packages.

Indeed, the continued high number of cases of COVID-19 means that the pressure on our NHS is greater than at any time in its 73-year history.

As of today, COVID-related hospital occupancy – the number of patients in hospital with Covid at any given time – is 753, compared to 932 a week ago.

Hospital admissions also remain high, although have decreased slightly. There were 585 people with COVID being admitted to hospital in the latest week, compared to 687 in the first week of October. Admissions to ICU have also decreased slightly over the past month.

NHS staff are dealing with significant numbers of COVID patients, alongside other patient care. They are also preparing for and responding to wider Winter pressures, and dealing with the backlog of care built up in earlier stages of the pandemic.

As I have set out, there is a real risk that the pressure on the NHS could intensify further during the weeks and months ahead, including as we enter the Winter flu season.

The Scottish Government is working closely with health boards as they deal with these pressures. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care set out last week the measures we are taking to support the NHS in preparing for and responding to the pressures now and the challenges ahead.

As we know, vaccination has proven to be one of our most effective public health interventions against this pandemic.

The first phase of the programme delivered more than 8 million Covid vaccinations in 10 months. With Covid boosters, flu vaccines, and jabs for new groups, we now need to deliver roughly the same number of vaccines again – 7.5 million – by early next year.

The vaccination programme is continuing at considerable pace. We have now administered, in total, more than 1 million boosters and third doses. We are nonetheless continuing to explore how we might increase capacity further, for example by establishing additional clinics, particularly at evenings and weekends.

We are confident that the programme remains on track. We are now sending letters to those aged 60-69 and those with underlying health conditions, inviting them to appointments at local community clinics, which will run throughout November.

We will then, from mid-November, launch the online self-booking portal for: adults aged 50 and over; those aged over 16 who are unpaid carers; and household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals – with the aim of offering vaccines to everyone over 50 by early next year.

This has been a huge job for our NHS.

I would like once again to offer our thanks to the NHS staff working tirelessly to keep us safe. Can I also take this opportunity to reiterate our thanks to the Armed Forces for agreeing to support our vaccination effort by complementing our existing workforce.

We have asked the people of Scotland to help us deliver the vaccination programme by coming to appointments where possible, and rescheduling when necessary. By being vaccinated and having a booster vaccination, we can protect each other and help our NHS through what will be another exceptionally busy winter period.

Turning now, Presiding Officer, to the question of international travel, colleagues will be aware that the UK Government yesterday announced a change to international travel rules for England, recognising a wider range of vaccines.

The Scottish Government will also make this change to regulations for arrivals here. 

With effect from Monday 22 November, we will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organisation emergency use list as well as those approved in the UK by the MHRA. 

These additional vaccines are Sinopharm and Sinovac, manufactured in China, and Covaxin, manufactured in India. Travellers who have been vaccinated with these products will be eligible for quarantine-free travel if they have a certificate of vaccination status from a country listed in our regulations that meets the data and security standards required at the UK border. 

There are now over 130 countries where we recognise vaccine certificates, although China is not yet on that list. 

There is a process of engagement led by the Foreign Office to work with international partners so that we can bring more countries in scope as soon as possible, where we are satisfied it is safe and secure to do so. Further announcements on this matter will be made on a four-nations basis.

In addition, we will also simplify rules for children under 18 years of age.  All children will now follow the rules for eligible vaccinated travellers, whether or not they are yet fully vaccinated – that means a test on day 2 after arrival, but no isolation and no test before departure or on day 8.

Presiding Officer, the final update I want to give today relates to the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

The summit is one of the most important gatherings of the century so far. The Scottish Government has been doing everything we can to help it make it a success.

The Scottish Government has been working very closely with the UK Government, and partners in Scotland including Glasgow City Council, Transport Scotland, NHS Scotland and Police Scotland, to ensure the Summit is delivered safely.

COVID-19 has presented significant challenges to staging this unique event. The scale and worldwide draw of COP26 poses risk of spread of COVID-19 both within delegates and to or from the local population of Scotland and the UK. A comprehensive and exceptional package of mitigation measures has been in place to ensure the event is delivered safely, helping to protect the welfare of everyone involved and the wider community. In addition to vaccination, measures include: a robust testing regime; contact tracing; hygiene measures; and ventilation.

Of course, while public health measures can mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to an extent, there remains a risk that COP26 could increase the spread of the virus. That is why COVID-19 continues to be closely monitored by all relevant agencies and why the Scottish Government is closely involved in operational decisions during the event.

As of 5 November, the cumulative test positivity results for Blue Zone pass-holders, based on lateral flow tests, was around 0.1%. 

However, we are only just passed the midpoint of the conference and we continue to monitor the situation carefully. We will provide a further update following the conclusion of the COP, unless there is a need to do so at an earlier opportunity.

Presiding Officer,

The successful rollout of the vaccination programme has been enabling us to live with far fewer restrictions and mitigations in place than were necessary a few short months ago.

But case numbers remain high – and, looking ahead to the Winter months, there is a real risk they may increase again.

Hundreds of people each week are still being admitted to hospital with Covid. And our NHS is under intense pressure.

COVID remains a threat. 

We all need to play our part in keeping the virus under control.

For that reason, I make no apologies for repeating, again, the three things we can all do to help protect each other.

Firstly, please do get vaccinated if you are eligible and haven’t yet done so. That includes going for a booster jab.

It is never too late to get vaccinated. And it remains the single most important thing any of us can do to protect ourselves and the people around us.

Secondly, please take regular LFD tests. These can be ordered through the NHS Inform website, or collected from a local test site or pharmacy.

If an individual tests positive, or are identified as a close contact, or have symptoms of the virus, they should self-isolate and book a PCR test.

And, thirdly, please comply with the mitigations still in place.

Work from home when possible.

Wear face coverings in indoor public places, such as shops, public transport and when moving about in hospitality settings.

Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly.

Meet outdoors if you can. I know that this will be increasingly difficult as we get deeper into winter but outdoor environments are safer.  

When meeting indoors, open windows – anything to improve ventilation will help.

And try where possible to keep a safe distance from people in other households.

These precautions make a crucial difference. They will protect individuals and the people around us all, and help to ease the burden on our NHS.

I express once again the thanks of the Scottish Government to everyone in Scotland for what they are doing to help protect each other and I encourage people to continue to take the steps necessary to ensure we all remain safe. 

Celebrating Gender Day at COP26

Pledge on climate change and inequalities

Fourteen international leaders and leading campaigners are among those who have signed a statement launched by the Scottish Government calling for the role of women and girls to be advanced in addressing climate change.

The Glasgow Women’s Leadership Statement on gender equality and climate change acknowledges the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women and girls. It also celebrates the role of women leaders at all levels in addressing the climate crisis, and commits signatories to increased support for women and girls’ climate action.

Women leaders including New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, US national climate adviser Gina McCarthy and German federal environment minister Svenja Schulze have signed the statement. Heads of state and government from Bangladesh, Tanzania, Estonia and Iceland, ministers from Belgium and Pakistan, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and civil society leaders have also signed.

On Gender Day at COP26, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced further action on tackling the gendered impacts of climate change.

Chairing a panel discussion on women and climate, the First Minister said the Scottish Government will become a Commitment Maker as part of the Feminist Action for Climate Justice global coalition.

The commitment includes:

  • enabling women and girls to lead a just transition to a green economy
  • increasing direct access to financing for climate solutions that promote gender equality
  • building the resilience of women and girls to climate impacts, disaster risks, loss and damage

The First Minister said: “The fantastic response from women leaders since I launched the Glasgow Women’s Leadership Statement last week tells me that there is a huge appetite to centre women and girls in our climate action. I would urge other leaders to sign up so we can enable more women and girls to lead on the solutions we need to address climate impacts and promote gender equality.

“The engagements I have had with women young and old from the global south have made clear how important it is that when we think about climate justice, we also think about equality and how our actions can support women and girls.  

“I am pleased to confirm that the Scottish Government will become a Commitment Maker under the Feminist Action for Climate Justice coalition. This is a commitment to bold and transformative action to improve the lives of girls and women, recognising that their empowerment and leadership is essential to ensuring that global efforts to tackle climate change succeed.

“Tackling the climate crisis and delivering a just transition to net zero must go hand in hand – and women and girls must be central to that. The Scottish Government’s just transition plans will amplify the voices of under-represented groups, including women and girls, and actively work to create a better, greener future for everyone.”

Pharmacies delivering swift patient care

More than 2 million consultations with NHS Pharmacy First

An innovative NHS community pharmacy service has helped see patients quickly and relieve pressure on A&E units and GP surgeries by sparing the NHS 200,000 avoidable appointments for the treatment of urinary tract and skin infections in the last year.

The NHS Pharmacy First network of more than 1,200 community pharmacies are the first port of call for minor ailments and common clinical conditions. The NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service has carried out over 2 million consultations since the launch of the service in July 2020.

The service provides free access to a consultation with an appropriately qualified member of the pharmacy team who provides advice on self-care, referral to another part of the NHS if they feel it is necessary and, if appropriate, will provide treatment. 

The community pharmacist can also treat certain conditions such as urinary tract infections, shingles and impetigo without the need for a prescription or to see a doctor. This is part of a co-ordinated series of measures to improve patient care and help reduce demand on A&E.

Pharmacists in the network have taken more than 200,000 appointments in the last year which would otherwise have gone to GP surgeries or hospital A&E departments.

Since its launch at the height of the pandemic, only 4% of patients needed to be referred on to another healthcare professional, such as a GP or hospital unit. The majority were handled by the pharmacy team, advice on self-care or with treatment.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Community pharmacists are playing a fantastic role in ensuring that millions of people have their minor ailment needs addressed quickly, without needing to go to a GP or hospital. They are a prime example of getting the right care in the right place at the right time.

“This is particularly helpful as our NHS faces one of the most difficult winters in its history, with the NHS Pharmacy First service helping to relieve some of the current pressures faced by emergency departments. As community pharmacy staff continue to give care and advice during the busy winter period, please continue to be kind and patient.

“The Scottish Government introduced the NHS Pharmacy First service, backed by £10 million of investment. As part of the NHS Recovery Plan we will look to expand the range of common clinical conditions that can be treated by community pharmacists, avoiding unnecessary GP and out of hours appointments.

“We have also committed to establishing a community pharmacy hospital discharge and medicines reconciliation service to help speed up the process for people being discharged from hospital. New digital solutions such as ePrescribing and eDispensing will make prescribing paperless and free up capacity for healthcare professionals to see more patients, while making it easier for the public to access their medicines quickly and safely.”

NHS Pharmacy First Scotland launched on 29 July 2020, and is designed to encourage everyone to visit their community pharmacy as the first port of call for all minor illnesses and specific common clinical conditions.

Climate Action Towns project: Empowering communities

Seven towns have been chosen to help tackle the impact of climate change and secure a just transition to net zero.

The Climate Action Towns programme will empower communities to come together and engage in collective climate action, taking account of the unique challenges and opportunities each town faces. That might include looking at what action can be taken on switching to more sustainable food or renewable energy.

Communities in the seven towns will be offered support to find ways of making changes at a local level that will help tackle the crisis, giving them a voice and engaging those that may not have previously engaged in climate action.

The programme will be delivered by design agency Architecture and Design Scotland, with funding of £146,000 from the Scottish Government.

The seven towns chosen are:

  • Alness, Highlands
  • Annan, Dumfries & Galloway
  • Blackburn, West Lothian
  • Campbeltown, Argyll & Bute
  • Holytown, North Lanarkshire
  • Invergordon, Highlands
  • Stevenston, North Ayrshire

The project will be driven by collaboration between local people and agencies, and their collective vision of what their Climate Action Town looks like. The outcome of the work with the towns will be used to outline learning for climate action on a town scale that can then be applied across Scotland and beyond.

The announcement came during the Scottish Government’s Just Transition themed weekend during COP26.

The start of the process to collaborate and co-design the Scottish Government’s refreshed Energy Strategy was outlined on Friday. It was also announced that Scotland’s first Just Transition Plan, to be published in spring 2022, will be focussed on the energy sector.

The Scottish Government will provide £100,000 to establish a Just Transition Alliance within the Under2 Coalition, a network of more than 200 devolved and local governments driving climate action across the world, so that members can access the resources, support and information necessary to deliver a just transition in cities and towns across the world.

Just Transition Minister Richard Lochhead said: “It is clear that we must decarbonise industry and society in order to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, but we must do so in a way that is fair for everyone and leaves no one behind.

“Scotland was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, so we see it as only right that Scotland is at the forefront of this green revolution.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make changes in a way that will be good for our people, our communities, our economy and our planet – we must seize it.

“Tackling the climate crisis requires all of us, at every level, to get involved. We can all make a difference. The Climate Action Towns project aims to support and empower communities to have a say on how their local areas should change as part of a fair and just transition to net zero.

“I look forward to seeing how the towns that are taking part rise to the challenge and find ways that will not only make a difference locally but to Scotland and indeed the world.”

Architecture and Design Scotland Chief Executive Jim MacDonald said: “The climate emergency demands urgent action from us all. For Scotland to adapt to the impacts of climate change, we are all going to need to work together to adapt the ways we live, work, play and move in our cities, towns and villages.

“Considering that half of Scotland’s population live in towns, it is vital towns are a key focus in the fight against climate change.”

COP26: “One week left to deliver for the world” says Prime Minister

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is urging countries to keep up the momentum on the fight against climate change in the week ahead at the COP26 summit.

The first week of COP26 saw around 120 leaders gather for the World Leaders Summit as well as negotiators, officials and ministers come together to make progress on the shared goal of limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees.

Progress has been made so far includes:

  • New commitments to net zero by middle of the century means 90% of the world economy is covered, triple the figure when the UK took on the COP Presidency.
  • More than 120 countries, covering 88% of the world’s forests, have agreed to end and reverse deforestation. Countries representing more than 70% of the world’s economy are committed to delivering clean and affordable technology everywhere by 2030 in the most polluting sectors.
  • Over 100 countries have agreed to cut their emissions of methane by 30% by 2030.
  • New commitments to increase finance to support developing countries to deal with the impacts of climate change and implement ambitious emissions-reductions plans.
  • More than 20 countries have made commitments for the first time to phase out coal power, including five of the world’s top 20 coal power-using countries, and at least 25 countries and public finance institutions commit to ending international public support for the unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022.
  • 45 nations have pledged urgent action and investment to protect nature and shift to more sustainable ways of farming, as well as over 100 countries now signed up to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
  • The views of over 40,000 young climate leaders have been presented to ministers, negotiators and officials.

Marking the halfway point in the summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “There is one week left for COP26 to deliver for the world, and we must all pull together and drive for the line.

“We have seen nations bring ambition and action to help limit rising temperatures, with new pledges to cut carbon and methane emissions, end deforestation, phase out coal and provide more finance to countries most vulnerable to climate change.

“But we cannot underestimate the task at hand to keep 1.5C alive. Countries must come back to the table this week ready to make the bold compromises and ambitious commitments needed.”

Attention turns to negotiations this coming week. The UK Government says these negotiations are incredibly complicated, and notoriously hard. Teams from the UK and 195 other countries plus the EU will work to reach collective agreement on more than 200 pages of text.

They will be negotiating the issues left open by the Paris Agreement in 2015, like the process for tracking how all countries are keeping their climate commitments and how we create a fairer global system so no nation is disadvantaged by being more ambitious on cutting emissions.

Everyone has to agree, or nothing is agreed. But the progress in the first week of COP has put us in a strong position, the UK government believes.

The UK’s COP26 Presidency programme continues this coming week, with the spotlight put on transport, adaptation, gender, science, and cities and regions.

The UK has been leading the way and setting a high bar for other countries to follow – including being the first major economy to commit in law to net zero, setting one of the most ambitious targets to cut emissions by 68% by 2030, phasing out coal power by 2024, ending the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, halting deforestation by 2030, and providing £11.6bn in finance – with an extra £1bn if the economy grows as forecast – to countries on the frontline of climate change.

FIRST MINISTER: ‘STILL A LONG WAY TO GO’

Those least responsible but most affected by climate change must be heard at COP26, the First Minister has said as the second week of negotiations gets underway. Nicola Sturgeon said governments must use this week to deliver on more and fairer financial support for Global South countries.

The First Minister will meet with an interfaith group of representatives today as part of a series of meetings with Global South leaders this week.

They are expected to discuss the important role that faith and belief communities play in fostering community cohesion and how this can contribute to tackling climate change – as well as sharing their views on the current negotiations.

Following that, the First Minister will take part in a presentation with representatives from Malawi and Tanzania as part of the Glasgow Climate Dialogues, a series of talks co-hosted by the Scottish Government and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland that set out climate priorities from the Global South for COP26.

Later this week, the First Minister is expected to meet with delegates from island states and regions to discuss the particular challenges experienced by those communities and how countries in the Global North can show solidarity with them.

The First Minister said: “Some progress was made last week with commitments on forestry, methane, coal, and pledges that, if delivered, could reduce the gap between the 1.5 degree target that science says we must hit, and the 2.7 degree trajectory we are currently on, but there is still a long way to go to deliver a fair and just outcome for all countries at COP 26.

“The next five days are critical to countries in the south who need fair financial support now to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of the climate emergency and who need to see clear steps taken to keep the target of capping temperature increases at 1.5 degrees alive.

“On the day where adaptation, loss and damage as a result of climate change are at the heart of COP, I am determined to do what I can to ensure leaders and negotiators hear the voices of those most impacted by the climate emergency.

“It is why we have committed to doubling our world-first Climate Justice Fund to £24m, and announced a £1m partnership to help some of the world’s most vulnerable communities tackle structural inequalities and recover from climate induced loss and damage.

“Over the next five days the world will be watching to see if the sense of optimism that has built up through last week can be turned into real action by countries around the world to tackle the climate crisis.”

£55 million for nature restoration and biodiversity projects

Projects that restore nature and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss will benefit from a share of at least £13.5 million annually through a Scottish Government fund set up following agreement with the Scottish Green Party.

The Nature Restoration Fund will fund projects that address the biodiversity and climate crisis by putting Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery.

A Programme for Government commitment, the fund comprises a multi-year package of at least £55 million over the next five years.

On Nature Day at COP26, the First Minister and Minister Patrick Harvie visited the Seven Lochs project in Easterhouse to meet members of local community youth groups and take part in wildflower planting near a new habitat for endangered water voles.

Seven Lochs is a partnership project which has received funding from both the Biodiversity Challenge Fund and the Green Infrastructure Fund.

The First Minister said: “Today’s investment is our biggest ever grant scheme specifically targeted at nature restoration, reaffirming our commitment to addressing the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.

“Most importantly, following the UK government’s withdrawal from the EU Life scheme, it will enable large-scale, multi-year, projects of the kind which are simply not possible with annual grants.

“We have reached a critical juncture for action – with the hosting of COP26 here in Glasgow and COP15 in Kunming, China next Spring – and we in Scotland are playing a leading role. 

“Through our leadership of the Edinburgh Process we are working to build commitment among governments around the world to raise the ambition at next year’s COP15 international biodiversity summit, in line with our own goal to halt the ongoing loss of nature by 2030.

“In addition today am delighted to formally endorsed the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, further embedding Scotland’s place among leading nations with the highest environmental ambition.”

Mr Harvie said: “We are a part of nature, not apart from it. If we can’t support nature then we can’t support humanity. Scotland is committed to ramping up nature based solutions that create a greener, fairer and more prosperous nation for all. 

“This funding will mean new projects going forward across Scotland – on land and at sea – that address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, restore our natural environment and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.”

Deborah Long, Chief Officer at Scottish Environment LINK, the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, said: “The Nature Restoration Fund is a hugely important weapon in our fight against nature loss and climate change.

“By investing in multi-year, multi scale projects, focussed on the species and habitats that need most help, a future for Scotland’s nature, young people and communities across Scotland looks a lot more promising.”

The Nature Restoration Fund supports action on the ground to address the biodiversity and climate crises by aiding nature restoration in Scotland’s terrestrial and marine environment, enabling transformative change through large-scale, multi-year, multi-partner projects.

This forms part of the wider commitment to invest £500 million in the natural economy over the course of the parliament to support a transformative approach to protecting and restoring Scotland’s biodiversity.

Funding will comprise of at least £13.5 million for each year of the current Parliament session (£11 million CDEL and £2.5 million RDEL per year), plus £1 million across the Parliament for administrative costs.

First Minister rallies delegates to climate challenge

Devolved governments, regions and cities from across the globe will today send a strong message to world leaders by committing to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will tell the General Assembly of the Under2 Coalition that by signing up to the pledge in a new memorandum of understanding, they will be signalling the level of ambition required of COP26 to keep global warming to 1.5°C.

Promising Scotland’s continued support for the coalition, which has 260 members representing 1.75 billion people and 50% of the global economy, the First Minister said: “Everyone knows what is required for this summit to be a success.

“COP26 must secure the commitments that will limit global warming to 1.5°C or, at the very least, the near term commitments that will keep that objective alive.

“It must also deliver a fair financial settlement for developing countries, one which takes account of the loss and damage caused by climate change.

“There’s no doubt that over the past week we have seen progress. But it’s also clear that we’ve not yet seen enough.

“Over the coming days, world leaders – and the biggest emitters and potential funders especially – must step up. That is essential.

“But governments like ours must continue to play our part because, while none of us are at the negotiating table, our influence and our example will be crucial in building the momentum. That’s why we are placing so much value on our coalition’s revised memorandum of understanding.

“As we move further into this decisive decade, our coalition must be ready for the challenges ahead. As European co-chair, that will be my focus.

“Scotland is determined to play its part in ensuring the long-term strength of this coalition because we recognise its enormous value and its potential to achieve even more.”

The 2021 Under2 Coalition Memorandum of Understanding will be signed by delegates during today’s General Assembly at Strathclyde University.

Public transport central to combatting climate emergency, say young people

All under 22s resident in Scotland will have access to free bus travel from 31 January 2022, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed, implementing a commitment agreed with the Scottish Green Party.

New research commissioned by Transport Scotland shows that almost two-thirds (61%) of young Scots agree that access to public transport will play a central role in the fight against climate change. 

School pupils, students and social media influencers joined the First Minister and Mr Harvie at Glasgow Caledonian University to mark COP26’s Youth and Empowerment Day on board a new, Scottish-built electric bus as she confirmed the scheme.

The change means around 930,000 young people across Scotland will benefit from free bus travel from 31 January 2022. 

Transport Scotland research showed 70% of young people indicate they would use public transport more frequently if it was free. 

The Scottish Government has committed to removing the majority of fossil fuelled buses from public transport by 2023.

A Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce has been convened which brings bus operators, the supply chain, energy companies and financiers together to co-design a pathway to a fully zero-emission bus fleet. 

Transport Scotland has made £50 million available to the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund, to further support the Scottish bus fleet to transition to zero emission.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We are committed to giving our young people the very best chances to succeed in life. The extension of free bus travel to all under 22s will improve access to education, leisure, and work, while supporting the adoption of sustainable travel behaviours early in their lives.

“COP26 must be a turning point for the world, and action must be taken if we are to ‘keep 1.5 alive’, and Governments across the world must act to support this. Adopting more sustainable travel behaviour is vital if we are to reach our world-leading goal of reducing the number of kilometres travelled by car by 20% by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2045.”

Stewart (17), Young Scot volunteer on the COP26 Youth Climate Programme said: “Free bus travel for young people in Scotland is a fantastic way to help tackle the climate emergency – an issue that’s so important to young people as we are the generation who will be most impacted.

“Not only will it help to reduce our carbon emissions, but it will also support young people like me to study, socialise, get to work and make the most of their lives. It’s a win win!”

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights, Patrick Harvie MSP said: “This transformational policy shows that our focus on tackling the climate emergency goes hand in hand with improving lives and tackling inequality.

“Free bus travel will open up opportunities for young people and ease pressure on family budgets while helping deliver the step-change we need to deliver on our climate commitments. 

“Children and young people travelling for free on modern, zero-carbon electric buses is another step towards the fairer, greener Scotland we are committed to building.” 

Paul Davies, President & Managing Director of Alexander Dennis said:  “Scotland’s under 22s will have a unique opportunity to make sustainable travel choices with free bus travel across the country.

“COP26 is showing that future generations must be at the heart of climate policy and the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme is an excellent example of forward-looking policy in action. 

“With the Scottish Government funding zero emission buses that are built right here in Scotland, young people can be sure their journeys will not only be smooth, clean and green, but will benefit communities through the skilled jobs, apprenticeship and graduate opportunities underpinned by this investment.” 

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “The SNP Scottish Government is once again making an investment in our young people’s future. By making bus travel free for U22s both her in Edinburgh and across Scotland, opportunities for young people to work, travel and study are being opened up for them.

“Travelling by bus is one of the most environmentally friendly way to get across the country and research shows that young people recognise the vital role public transport will play in hitting our climate change targets.

“This move will not only be vital in our journey to net zero, but will also take pressure off young people and their families’ finances.

“Once again this is a demonstration of how the SNP Scottish Government continues to support young people here in the city and across Scotland have the best possible start in life.”

New report advises Scottish Government on environment priorities

The First Minister’s Environmental Council, the group of independent international experts tasked with advising the Scottish Government on environmental issues, has published its first report.

Presented at COP26, the report analyses Scotland’s ambitions and response to the twin climate and nature crises, notes international examples of environmental action and sets out the future work programme of the council. Use of land and marine resources are among the key areas where the council advise that further, urgent action is particularly important.

The First Minister met the council which she co-chairs with Professor Sir Ian Boyd, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

They were joined in person by ten other members of the council including Gordon Buchanan MBE, award-winning wildlife camera-man and presenter, and Dr Dilys Roe, Chair of International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

The report is published as the Scottish Government launches a new website for tracking progress towards achieving its environmental ambitions. Based on Scotland’s Environment Strategy, the site is designed to ensure clear and accessible information on Scotland’s environmental performance is available to the public.

The First Minister said: “As the host country of COP26, Scotland has a unique opportunity to show leadership on the international stage. That’s why we appointed independent environmental experts from around the world to advise on how we best tackle this unprecedented challenge.

“The group balances experience, a strong international perspective, the youth voice, and topical awareness, at the highest, global level. Its first report sets out areas of immediate priority which will help inform the actions we are taking now to tackle the crisis, and our future policy direction.

“Our Environment Strategy already sets out our long-term, guiding vision for Scotland’s environment and our role in tackling the twin climate and nature crises. We know where our efforts must be focussed if we are to make that a reality – including improving the sustainability of Scotland’s economy, society and global footprint.

“By measuring our progress, and drawing on the expertise of the environmental council, we can make sure we continually improve our approach. I welcome the council’s first report and look forward to working closely with its members beyond COP26 as we progress to becoming a net zero country, while restoring nature.”

Francesca Osowska, NatureScot Chief Executive, said: “The link between nature and climate can’t be understated with nature-based solutions delivering 30% of the carbon reductions needed globally. Ongoing efforts to restore peatlands, increase woodlands and protected natural areas and develop natural capital initiatives are all highlighted in the panel’s first report.

“As the report says, there is much more work needed to restore Scotland’s fragile nature. We look forward to this panel continuing to help direct our efforts, as we step up work to restore Scotland’s nature, adapt to unavoidable climate change, and achieve net zero by 2045.”

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Avian Influenza update

Measures to limit spread of the disease

Following confirmation of avian influenza (H5N1) among a flock of kept birds in the Angus constituency, laboratory results have identified the strain as highly pathogenic in poultry.

In order to limit the further spread of disease, a Protection Zone (PZ) of three kilometres and a Surveillance Zone (SZ) of 10 kilometres have now been put in place around the infected premises.

Within these zones, a range of different controls are now in place, including restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure.

Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors will conduct visits in the local area to support compliance among bird keepers.

Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, and that cooked poultry products including eggs are safe to eat.

Rural Affairs Secretary Marie Gougeon said: “Following this confirmation I have put in place measures to help control any further spread of the disease in the surrounding area. 

“We ask that the public remain vigilant and report any findings of dead wild birds.”

Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said: “This highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (H5N1) has been confirmed and all remaining birds are being humanely culled.

“All bird keepers – whether major businesses or small keepers with just a few birds – must ensure that their biosecurity is up to scratch to protect their birds from disease.

“Keepers who are concerned about the health or welfare of their flock should seek veterinary advice immediately.

“Private vets, or the local Animal and Plant Health Agency office, will also be able to provide practical advice on keeping birds safe from infection.”

Declaration of Avian influenza Protection Zone and Protection, Surveillance and Restriction Zones.