Agenda item

An input from Jenny Fausset, SBC Climate Change Officer and  Louise Cox SBC Environmental Strategy Co-ordinator on the Climate Change Route Map and local action

SBC Climate Change

Louise Cox, Sustainability Manager was present at the meeting and submitted apologies for Jenny Fausset, Climate Change Officer, a new post within the Council established to develop and support Council action on climate change and the transition to net zero.  A key task was to collate information for the Council’s annual climate change report, which was a mandatory report that all public sector organisations required to submit to Scottish Government annually in November.  This was to comply with the requirements placed on public bodies by the 2009 Climate Change Act.  Jenny was also leading work on the evolution of the Council’s organisational emissions baseline, which was critical to being able to assess the effectiveness of actions agreed under the Climate Change Route Map.  In terms of key pieces of National Legislation and guidance on climate change, the overarching legal framework was the Climate Change Act Scotland.  This legislation was originally passed in 2009, setting emissions reduction targets for Scotland, however in response to the Scottish Government Declaration of a Climate Emergency in 2019, the Act had been amended and now sets renewed and stronger targets for emissions reduction – these were annual and interim reduction targets for Scotland, on a pathway to net zero emissions by 2045.

The Climate Change Act 2019 also embedded the principles of a Just Transition, which meant that as our emissions reduced and we respond to a changing climate, our journey was fair and created a better future for everyone – regardless of where they live, what they do, and who they are.

The Scottish Government recently announced their Programme for the next year, which included a wide range of new proposals to address some of the impacts of current energy prices rises but also to increase support for climate change action.  Key commitments included the preparation of an updated Climate Change Plan – the existing plan was developed to set strategic polices and mechanisms to support the delivery of the emissions reduction targets and would be updated to reflect changes across a range of issues.  An Energy Strategy for Scotland would be produced which was intended to set out ambitious plans to generate more power from renewable resources.  Investment of £161 million in energy efficiency schemes across programmes such as Warmer Homes Scotland, and Area Based insulation and retrofit Schemes, and additional funding to Home Energy Scotland to provide advice and support to households to help cut energy bills and carbon emissions.  Additional actions to support the decarbonisation of transport and travel were also included as well as commitments to address energy use in public buildings.

In terms of the Scottish Borders Council, there was a commitment to work hard to access the support mechanisms available through Government programmes and there was also alot that could be done within local communities to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change.  In September 2020 the Council declared a Climate Emergency and a Climate Change Route Map was approved in June 2021, and a series of Priority Actions were set out in March this year.  These priorities run across the 5 themes of the Route Map.  The need for action to address both the climate and biodiversity crises runs through all aspects of Council activity and domestic, work and community lives – be it related to how energy was used at home, travel for work and social purposes to what products are purchased.  - everyone had a part to play.

Those attending via Teams were allocated to a breakout room to discuss the following questions:-

Q - What projects/initiatives would you like to see up and running, and thriving in your local community? These could be of an environmental nature but could also have social and economic benefits e.g. A community equipment/tools library (Library of Things) or something on a larger scale e.g. a shared community (electric!) car scheme.

Q – Think about the key steps & players that would be needed to make this a reality?

DECISION

NOTED.