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 live in Argyll and many communities here have suffered from the serious damage to roads and bridges caused by the intense rainfall and flooding of 7/8 October. The stone bridge that provides access into and out of my village, Lochgoilhead, has had weeks of work to repair and strengthen it and the work is not finished. Our main route to the A83 through Glen Mhor is still closed because it is unsafe. Local community projects along the River Goil have been badly damaged and will cost us thousands of pounds to rectify. It is a fact that such weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. In addition to action to address the causes of climate change, we need a programme of measures to mitigate the effects of climate change so that communities can be better protected and more resilient. We need to improve methods of land management and forestry (primarily by Forestry and Land Scotland in our area) to prevent landslips and reduce the amount of brash that is carried down our waterways to destructive effect.
Alastair
Preserving our environment for the sake of future generations and other species needs action to be taken now - the longer you, our elected leaders, delay decisions to phase out fossil fuels and defer to vested interests on crucial steps to protect forests, oceans, food chains, air quality and biodiversity, the more acute will be the pain of implementing such measures. You owe it to us and to the children of today and tomorrow to step up, to fulfil your public duties, however difficult this may be in the short term and whatever resistance you may face - please be brave and act now, you know in your heart that it’s the right thing to do. Thank you 🙏
Richard
We have no time left. Not. The science has spoken and spoken. Please listen. Not tomorrow. Not next month, year, decade. NOW
Susie
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from road transport has hardly reduced from the 45% of total emissions over the past 20 years. Yet the UK Government is the only one in the EU and the US to have no incentives for the purchase of fully electric cars. The SMMT is now calling for the UK Government to reduce VAT on these vehicles by 50%. Perhaps they COULD FOLLOW NORWAY WITH 0% AND RAISE THE % OF FULLY ELECTRIC CARS AS NEW SALES FROM THE CURRENT UK % OF 16% TO THAT OF NORWAY AT 92%.
John
It isn't too late to save the planet if you act now. No more oil and gas licences. Keep the carbon in the soil!
Leslie
The cognitive dissonance of the scientific views on what we're facing versus the scale of the inaction by political leaders is distressing. There is no time for delay, please commit to taking bold and radical action for the climate, the planet and for humanity, now and in the future. We are a small nation but we can influence others by what we do.
Laura
Please let's show the rest of the UK that Scotland is visionary and ambitious on the twin global emergencies of climate change and the environment. We have shown others the way on so many issues over the years and must do so again at this time when other world leaders are stalling and failing us.
Susan
If you do not act today, there will be no tomorrow.
Frances
