Climate Collaboration Challenge launches next week and north communities urged to take part
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Highlanders are being urged to share their ideas on how to tackle climate change.
With just under a year to go until the UN’s 26th Climate Change Conference (COP26), energy company ScottishPower, leading environmental organisation WWF Scotland and the public sector Sustainable Scotland Network are launching their Climate Collaboration Challenge on November 16, calling on communities, public bodies and businesses across Scotland to come together to spark innovative ways of tackling climate change.
Dr Sam Gardner, head of climate change and sustainability at ScottishPower, said: “While Glasgow may be playing host to COP26, we want to showcase the opportunity for the whole of Scotland to tackle climate change. The Highlands have played a major part in the journey to net zero so far, particularly in the renewables revolution that’s happened Scotland over the past 20 years, helping the country to almost completely decarbonise its power sector.
“We know there is a wealth of innovation already happening in the Highlands when it comes to climate action and we hope that the virtual nature of the event means that we can bring together groups that perhaps wouldn’t have crossed paths traditionally.
“Our aim is to facilitate conversations with communities, businesses and companies from across Scotland and we really hope that as many groups as possible join from the Highlands – no idea is too big or too small for the challenge.”
The trio hope to combine the energy, skills, resources and knowledge of businesses, industry, public agencies, financial institutions and civil society from across the country.
The launch event will take place virtually and will include the following speakers; Nigel Topping, high level action champion for COP26; Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Scotland's minister for environment, climate change and land reform; ScottishPower chief executive Keith Anderson; Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, climate and energy practice leader, WWF International; and Kathryn Dapré, chairwoman of Sustainable Scotland Network.
Following on from the event, there will be opportunities for those in attendance to attend future workshops and discuss the issue they are hoping to tackle, what actions they are hoping to take and how they can collaborate to make their idea a reality.
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “We’re already feeling the impacts of climate change here and around the world, and it’s vital we accelerate action to slash our emissions. By holding these events virtually, we hope to bring people, companies, and other organisations, whose paths may not usually cross, together.
“It would be really meaningful if we could join up a wide range of different ideas from right across Scotland to deliver real solutions to the problems driving climate change.”
Sustainable Scotland Network chairwoman Kathryn Dapré stated: “This initiative reflects the vital importance of collaboration in tackling climate change. Scotland’s public sector bodies will be critical in enabling the shift to net zero emissions and securing the opportunities of a green recovery from the current public health emergency.”
To get involved in the Climate Collaboration Challenge please visit ScottishPower’s website by November 13.
