Report: Scotland to become increasingly vulnerable to climate change

A report released today (24 November 2011) by the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the UK Committee on Climate Change states that Scotland could become increasingly vulnerable to the risks and impacts of climate change unless the Scottish Government delivers greater efforts to address them.

Responding to the ‘How well is Scotland preparing for climate change’, which shows that climate change will present both opportunities and potential vulnerabilities for Scotland, Stan Blackley, Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:

“With the UN climate talks starting in Durban next week, this is a timely report. At those talks, we need all of the countries in attendance to commit to serious action to reduce carbon emissions and support those who are being worst affected by the impacts of climate change.

“While we already know the devastating effects climate change is having and will increasingly have on developing countries, this report shows that climate change will also impact negatively on Scotland, and that we need to both prepare for it and mitigate against it.

“Scottish Ministers will be at the talks in Durban and will no doubt waste no time telling the rest of the world that they have committed to a carbon emissions reduction target of 42% by 2020. However, Scottish Ministers are at risk of missing interim targets, which will make this overall target harder to reach, and we continue to see them promote fossil fuels, cheap flights and road building in direct contradiction to this.

“The Scottish Government needs to seriously ‘up its game’ and fully fund all of the emissions reduction measures identified in its own Climate Change Act. As an easy start, it should invest in energy efficiency and demand reduction measures, reverse recent cuts to active and sustainable travel budgets, and initiate a nationwide, free and universal home insulation scheme.”

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact: Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland
 t: 0131 243 2719

Notes to Editors

1. UK Committee on Climate Change adaptation reports can be downloaded from:
www.theccc.org.uk/reports/adaptation

2. Friends of the Earth Scotland is * Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation * An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland * Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups – covering every continent. www.foe-scotland.org.uk