Two Highland communities are seizing their chance to join the fight against climate change by helping drive the country’s transition towards net zero.
Alness and Invergordon are amongst seven communities from across Scotland preparing to take a stand in combating the growing crisis, as part of a new nationwide initiative.
The climate action towns programme, brought forward by design agency Architecture and Design Scotland, aims to empower communities to come together and engage in collective climate action, considering the unique challenges and opportunities each town faces.
Scottish towns Annan, Blackburn, Campbletown, Holytown and Stevenston have also been hand picked to lend their support the scheme.
Each community will benefit from a share of £146,000 in Scottish Government funding to support their efforts in helping to make positive changes at a local level.
Officials hope the scheme will give individuals, not typically associated with taking part in climate action, a voice in helping find a resolution to the crisis.
Collective effort to fight climate change
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.”
The climate action towns programme will be driven by collaboration between local people and agencies, focussing on their collective vision of what their climate action town looks like.
The outcomes of their work will be used to outline learning for climate action on a town scale that can then be applied across Scotland and beyond.
The announcement comes as talks at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow continue.
This week, more than 100 world leaders have signed a deal with the promise of ending deforestation by 2030.
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Just transition
The launch of the scheme also coincides with the roll-out of the Scottish Government’s just transition themed weekend.
On Friday, ministers announced that Scotland’s first just transition plan, to be published in spring 2022, will be focused on the energy sector.
Around £100,000 in funding will be invested 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.
Ministers are optimistic the alliance will provide a fluent partnership to facilitate the delivery of a just transition in cities and towns across the world.
‘We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make changes’
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.”
He added: “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.”