Foreword
From devastating droughts to catastrophic floods, the impact of the spiralling climate crisis could not be clearer, and those with the least responsibility for causing rising global temperatures are facing the most severe – and deadly – consequences.
A climate emergency was declared by governments in 2019 in response to years of campaigning and the massive upwelling of public concern, with one high profile example of this being the school strikes. Although this declaration raised awareness throughout society and business, it resulted in very little tangible new or accelerated action or policy by governments. For this emergency to be taken truly seriously we require a step up in action across every sector and at an accelerated scale and speed, with agreement around the solutions, public support for their implementation and more skills and expertise in specific sectors.
Relatively stretching national emissions reduction targets were in place after successful campaigning by SCCS and others in the lead up to the 2019 Climate Bill. However, during the pandemic the climate emergency was very much on the back burner, and the ‘green recovery’ never materialised, resulting in only halting progress made since 2019. Where emissions have fallen, this has not been fast enough, and some sectors have barely seen any reductions since 1990 levels, leading to a series of damaging missed annual targets.
This led to the Climate Change Committee stating in early 2024 that Scotland’s once world leading targets were ‘no longer credible’, and the Scottish Government scrapping these in favour of a 5 yearly carbon budget system.
Yet, globally, scientists have sounded the alarm with ever-increasing urgency, and devastating climate impacts continue to escalate both in Scotland and in all parts of the world.
We need to recapture the focus on climate action as a priority. It is vital we embrace and accelerate action sooner rather than later, as investment now is essential if we are to achieve targets, and is also significantly more cost effective than delaying action (experts say a 10 year delay could be up to 40% more costly in purely financial terms).
As a climate movement, we must ourselves find ways to confront the scale, complexity and ubiquitous nature of the challenge. How do we drive rapid progress in every sector in a way that is fair to all? How do we add weight to our asks of governments at all levels? And how do we win over members of the public to the necessary change, to create the political space needed to implement the actions that are required at scale and at speed, while financing them in ways that are fair?
In short, how do we play our part in this crucial chapter in the journey towards net zero and beyond?
Only by being as consistent and as joined up as possible can we hope to succeed. We need to use our collective voice, backed up with our collective knowledge and know-how, as impactfully as possible. Whilst we have ambitious national targets, in order to deliver against them we need to push for action in every sector and at every level.
This manifesto of ideas is a contribution to that. It is our best attempt to bring together positive actions across the whole of Scottish society, which would help to deliver this necessary transition. The policies within it have been identified at speed and they will undoubtedly evolve and deepen. New ideas will emerge. But it is an attempt to get firmly on the front foot. To identify what we think needs to happen. To empower everyone within the climate movement to make their voices heard. In doing so, it is a chance to regroup, to refocus and to re-energise our diverse movement for change so that, together, we confront this existential challenge. Now is the time to double down, not water down.
Mike Robinson, Chair, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland
