Your suggestions for climate new year’s resolutions in 2024
We launched our new year’s climate resolutions campaign at the COP28 Global Day of Action on 9th December in Edinburgh, and have gathered hundreds of suggestions from people across Scotland for new year’s climate resolutions for party leaders to commit to.
I'm writing as it's appalling how we are sleepwalking into a catastrophe of our own making. We need to change how we organise the world, business, education, our free time. We need to act now.
Bogumila
I am nearly 80years old and am passionate about the need for us to change our ways. There are things we can do personally as well as as a nation, to mitigate the effects of climate change. Above all though we need systemic change from government to protect nature and create a sustainable environment for our young people.
Elizabeth
I have been following climate science since I was at school in 1972. I am retired now and one of the first things I did was to volunteer for SCIAF, who as you know, work for climate justice. I also signed up to Exeter University online climate science courses to refresh my knowledge. I have marched in Scotland including COP15 and COP26 and visited the Parliament in support of climate justice. There are many people in Scotland just like me who care deeply about these issues. For me, the key element is that people who deserve it least are suffering most from the climate crisis. The Scottish Government has a good track record in fighting for climate justice but there are signs recently of targets being missed, and climate ambition weakening. Scotland MUST continue to lead the way in setting and meeting targets.
Andrea
We have no more time to lose. Although Scotland is already one of the very few countries & regions in the world that have a legally-binding plan to net zero as part of a union, the Scottish Government needs to push Westminster to be bolder, more ambitious and take drastic action. We're likely to go above the 1.5ºC of global warming, but there's still time to minimise the damage. Please don't let human greed and selfishness destroy the beautiful world and country we live in.
Ron
I have been involved in education for sustainability (under this phrase or previous such as sustainable development education) for fifty years. I have seen our world deteriorate environmentally throughout that time. I am now a grandparent who despairs for the generations to come and my grandchildren are likely to very much more fortunate than billions of others. Please, please, please work for urgent actions which will address our climate and sustainability crises.
John
More needs to be done and it needs to be done faster. It's so disappointing to see the delay in DRS, principally because of the pathetic political football it became, and also the pampering to businesses that have been prioritised over and above the needs of the rest of the population, the environment and our future generations. The painfully slow policymaking for the CE Bill and CE Routemap and the disjoint that still remains across departments that all should be delivering biodiversity restoration, Net Zero, CWB and CE as their top priorities.
Clive
Thank you for what you have already done towards transitioning to a Scotland that is no longer using fossil fuels for energy. Please keep it up and move faster. I want to be proud to call myself Scottish, able to point to leaders who display long term thinking in policy making, with a whole planet perspective. Fairness is critical to me. In transitioning, I expect to have to pay more in taxes, to live less comfortably and with fewer options. I will be supportive of policy moves that reduce carbon emissions that have a negative impact on me personally and in conversation will seek to bring others with me.
Rosalind
Making the changes that ensures a descent future for the next two generations is a huge responsibility for those in power. We are now waking up to the realities of climate change. On behalf of my grandchildren, and all the other children in Scotland I ask you to put this issue at the top of your daily agenda.
George
