Last week an influential committee of MPs called for a national ‘war effort’ to insulate people’s homes. Although the Scottish Government has been consistently better on this that the UK Government, much more needs to be done. The Environmental Audit Committee …
Funding climate action
We are facing four crisis – climate and nature emergencies, the cost of living crisis and a global poverty crisis. A new report looks at how we can raise the money and drive the behaviour change needed to reduce emissions at …
30 year on from the Earth Summit – did it achieve anything ?
Thirty years ago tomorrow the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development opened in Rio de Janeiro. Nearly 200 countries met for eleven days and four international agreements were signed. But has it made any difference ? More familiarly known as the …
Let’s make the Circular Economy real
The Circular Economy is turning from an academic concept in government targets and practical actions on the ground. Improving the way we deal with material resources is vital to reducing our climate change impact. Last week I wrote about the need …
Local action for the environment
As Scotland goes to the polls today we should remember the huge power that our councils have to deliver on climate and environment ambitions. Our 32 councils control a huge range of things that shape our daily lives. How far you …
Marrakech blog – Paris Agreement gets going but much to resolve
Ministers and heads of state came to the COP today. Finance has been a big issue with rich nations shirking responsibilities and scepticism that more money or action will emerge.
EU departure means a tough fight to protect our environment
In 1993 the Norwegian Environment Minister called John Gummer, the UK Environment Secretary, a drittsekk – a shitbag– because of the massive impact on Scandinavian lakes and forest of acid rain caused by emissions from British power stations. In the …
Closure of Longannet signals the end of fossil fuels
When the steam turbines at Longannet power station cease to turn some time tomorrow there will be no coal being burnt for electricity production anywhere in Scotland for the first time in at least 115 years. For a country which virtually invented …
The Budget and the Environment
On the face of it George Osborne’s Budget doesn’t say much about the environment. But if you dig into the details there is plenty to show that David Cameron’s claim that the last government would be the ‘greenest ever’ has …
North Sea – transition from oil jobs to clean energy jobs essential
Last week the Pope produced his much-trailed encyclical on the environment. The core of this policy pronouncement was a strong message on the moral case to act on climate change. A life-long champion of the poor, Pope Francis also criticised the …