Scottish Business in the Community at the heart of Scotland’s 2020 climate group
Scottish Business in the Community is to work at the heart of Scotland’s drive to play a world-leading role in tackling the challenges of climate change.
Chief Executive Jane Wood is one of 22 people invited to join the “2020 Delivery Group” charged with taking forward action to meet Scotland’s ambitious climate change targets. New Chair Brendan Dick is also serving in his role as Director of BT Scotland.
The group, comprising leading and influential figures in the private, public and voluntary sectors, was convened today in Falkirk, and also met with Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond.
The 2020 delivery group was initiated by Ian Marchant, Chief Executive of Scottish and Southern Energy, with the support of the Scottish Government. It aims to consider how Scotland’s business, voluntary and public sector can work together to help achieve Scotland’s targets and the transformational changes required in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Delivery Plan.
Jane Wood said: “Tackling climate change is a key challenge for business in order to create a sustainable economic success story in Scotland. We need to tackle climate disruption and face into finding more sustainable ways in which to power our economy.
“While they must lead, this is not a matter for Government alone. Tackling climate change and putting sustainability at the heart of what we do is something that everyone must take on board. It is right that the announcement of this partnership coincides with the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen, when this issue is absolutely top of the global agenda.
“Scottish Business in the Community is uniquely well placed to help forge the partnerships essential to enable positive change, and indeed through the May Day Network we are already actively engaged in tackling climate change, so it is appropriate that we should serve at the heart of this vital matter.”
Through the Mayday Network, we are able to showcase best practice examples of businesses actively engaged in tackling their environmental footprint and we have supported organisations as they have implemented carbon saving measures. We have further been working with environmental agencies in Scotland to ensure that businesses are able to access a range of services that will enable the business sector to deliver on the challenging targets set by the Scottish Government. With over 800 businesses signed up in Scotland, this rapidly growing network provides the perfect platform for Scotland to be a world leader in tackling climate change.
Earlier this year the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the industrialised world’s most ambitious climate change legislation. As a result of the Act, the Scottish Government has produced a ‘Delivery Plan’ setting out actions across key sectors.
First Minister Alex Salmond said: “There should be no doubt that climate change is the greatest environmental threat we face, so we must act now, and act together, to tackle it.
"And there should be no doubt about the commitment of the Scottish Government, Parliament and our private, public and third sector partners to tackling climate change. This new group brings together a wide range of expertise to examine in detail the actions needed across Scotland to meet our ambitious climate change targets.
"Not only does our climate change legislation have the most ambitious targets in the world, it includes a clear strategy to implement them and today is a key part of that.
"Our comprehensive climate change framework, including the world-leading emission reduction targets of 42 per cent and 80 per cent by 2020 and 2050 respectively, and the carbon assessment of our 2010-11 budget, provides a lead to other governments looking to Scotland as a model of international best practice.”
Those attending, other than Ian Marchant, Brendan Dick and Jane Wood, were:
Dr Campbell Gemmell - Chief Executive of SEPA; James Withers, Chief Executive National Farmers Union Scotland; Lady Susan Rice CBE, Chief Executive, Lloyds TSB; Michael Tracy – Managing Director of William Tracy Ltd; Graham Hutcheon – Operations Director for the Edrington Group; Nicola Shaw - Managing Director, FirstGroup; Lesley Ballantyne – Chief Executive, John Lewis Partnership Glasgow; Richard Ackroyd - Chief Executive, Scottish Water; Jo Bucci, Chief Executive, People’s Postcode Lottery; Nick Horler, Chief Executive, Scottish Power; Ian McKay, Scottish Director, Royal Mail Group; Grahame Smith General Secretary, STUC; Brian Souter, Chief Executive, Stagecoach; Dr Simon Pepper OBE, climate change adviser; Mike Robinson, Chairperson,Stop Climate Chaos Scotland; Jan Bebbington, St Andrews University; Josh Kane, Scottish Youth Parliament; David Lee, Independent writer and journalist; John Mason, Scottish Government.
The working remit for the group is to:
- advise on, and aim to make early progress towards, achievement of the outcomes and targets of the Climate Change Delivery Plan.
- identify relevant action and opportunities, and collaborate, to bring benefits to the Scottish economy.
- identify where the Group can best target its resources and expertise to accelerate the development, investment and action required across the following areas: Heat, Electricity, Waste, Transport, Rural land use and forestry, Consumer behaviour and attitudes.
- build on the workof the Climate Change Business Delivery Group and other climate change alliances to provide strong and visible leadership to Scotland’s business and non-governmental communities to inspire them to do more to reduce carbon emissions.
- help drive innovation through partnerships and synergies between members
Jane Wood concluded: “The remit is ambitious, as are the targets, but the high calibre of individuals already committed to serving on this group serves to underline that Scotland can play a leading role in creating sustainable economic development.”
