The Changing Climate: The Imperative for Action
Dave GormanHead of Environmental Strategy
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Asked to cover…
Some of the science, particularly Scottish observations
SEPA’s response to the climate change challenge
Introduce Scotland’s Principal’s Climate Commitment
(in my role as Chair of the Advisory Board)
IPCC 4th Assessment report
The understanding of anthropogenic warming and cooling influences on climate has improved since the Third Assessment Report (TAR), leading to very high confidence that the globally averaged net effect of human activities since 1750 has been one of warming,
Earlier Flowering
3 weeks early
Snowdrop Wild Daffodil Winter aconite
2 weeksearly
Bluebell Dog violet Lesser celandine
1 weekearly
Broom Wild cherry
Courtesy:Prof. Fred Last,Longniddry
1978-2001
SEPA’s Climate Change Plan
Identifies actions that SEPA will take across all of its business activities and functions over the next 5 years in order to help Scotland respond to the challenges and opportunities that we face from climate change.
SEPA’s role
Monitoring and Analysis Regulation Advice to Operators Greening SEPA Informing and Influencing Communicating Information
Monitoring and analysis National Environment Monitoring
Programme – c50,000 samples, 700,000 determinands, 500+
chemicals, 2000 plants and animals.
What’s Behind the Commitment?
Part of the Campus Sustainability Programme Brought forward by SD Topic Support Network Output for CaSPr programme 2008-11
Commitment reflects similar work elsewhere In local government – ‘Scotland’s climate change
Declaration’ – ‘Nottingham Declaration’ In FE/HE ‘American College and University
Presidents CC Commitment’ – ‘CC Statement of Action for Canada’
Proactive response to Scottish Climate Change Bill, other UK/EU legislation
Towards a Climate Commitment
Scotland’s Principals’ Climate Commitment: A sector response to act on climate change Demonstrates leadership on climate change
Places sector at the vanguard Process covers both mitigation (causes) and adaptation
(effects) Strategic, to direct action over the medium term BUT with specific undertakings to act and report No ‘league tables’ – inclusive, not just the ‘greener’
Reflects work already being done through CaSPr carbon management, waste, recycling, energy saving
Partnership with Government, others in ‘shared endeavour’
What’s Happened So Far?
EAUC secured Scottish Funding Council support for process
Consultancy support to assist delivery Strong early collaboration to establish Advisory Board
Includes FE/HE representation, Scottish Government, EAUC-S, Scottish Funding Council, Universities Scotland, SEPA – add student and trade unions
Representation from college and university principals ‘Technical support’ from Carbon Trust, EST,
SNIFFER Board purposes:
to draft/consult on/finalise/launch Commitment develop business plan for future support by end-
2008 Agreed Board remit and approach for Commitment
What Happens Next?
Priority - draft Commitment text for consultation Circulate to FE/HE representative bodies Seek Ministerial support for Commitment Promote signature of Commitment by institutions Develop a support mechanism through CaSPr Link to other reporting/performance frameworks Foster linkages, smart working and learning:
Other sectors in Scotland – public, local government FE/HE activity elsewhere
The Future
‘There is nothing positive coming from behind, a cold wind is blowing in all our faces and this is how we see our immediate future’
Wolfgang Bernhard, VW
(NOT!)