Latest news with #StopClimateChaosScotland
The National
10-08-2025
- Climate
- The National
Experts warn urgent action needed after Storm Floris damage
The prediction comes as calls intensified for Scottish leaders to ramp up action to tackle climate change after Storm Floris battered the country last week. Unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain caused widespread disruption across the country, leading to cancelled ferries, trains and flights, the closure of bridges and power cuts affecting nearly 50,000 homes. Multiple trees came down in the high winds, blocking roads and damaging properties, while campervans were blown over in the Isle of Skye. Wind speeds reached more than 100mph in some of the most exposed and mountainous locations. Environmental campaigners say the unseasonably high winds and heavy rain, combined with rising temperatures in Scotland, mean action has to be taken now to mitigate against the costs of climate change, while also prioritising a just transition from oil and gas. READ MORE: 'Absolutely crazy': Scottish jazz artist scores new film by Hollywood director The storm came just after Scotland had experienced its fourth warmest July on record. It was also the seventh warmest month in Scotland's temperature records, which go back to 1884. 'Six of seven months of 2025 have been warmer than average, five of them more than 1C warmer,' said environmental campaigner Richard Dixon. 'If this trend continues, 2025 will be the warmest year ever recorded in Scotland, beating 2022. Nine out of 10 of the warmest years in the 142-year record have been this century, the exception being 1997.' Members of Scotland's climate coalition said Floris was a potent reminder that everything possible must be done to limit the rise in world temperatures, which is known to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. They stressed that better protection to safeguard communities against the dangerous and costly impacts of severe conditions is also urgently needed. Mike Robinson, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), told the Sunday National: 'Over the past five years, we have seen less and less commitment and yet more and more impacts. 'Storm Floris was another example of the sort of extreme weather we are going to have to get more and more used to. 'Just this one storm disrupted trains for half the week, cut power to thousands of homes, damaged roofs and infrastructure and left debris everywhere. 'Fortunately, there was no loss of life and lots of people can work from home but the streets were deserted and high streets – which are struggling anyway – were empty. 'If we stop and think about the cost this is having already, knowing these events will become more commonplace, there is an urgent need to see more action to avoid future emissions and protect communities and infrastructure from the worst damage – whether that is high winds, flooding or wildfires.' READ MORE: 'F***ing slags': Oasis take aim at Edinburgh Council chiefs in first Murrayfield gig He added: 'We need to do a much better job of explaining and funding solutions through education and skills and we need to ensure public bodies and businesses are taking steps to limit their impacts. 'We need to channel our efforts into those things which will make the biggest difference. Ideally those things which will also help tackle other societal problems like inequality and fuel poverty. 'And we need to be assured that our political leaders are taking the issue seriously.' Human-caused climate change made the world's 10 deadliest extreme weather events of the past 20 years – including killer storms, heatwaves and floods – more intense and more likely, according to new analysis by scientists from the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London. SCCS coalition manager Becky Kenton-Lake said: 'Floris is not the first summer storm to blast Scotland and it won't be the last. However, Scotland's leaders must do everything necessary to guard against climate impacts and ensure communities are protected against the worst effects of wild weather. 'We need to see proper progress on slashing greenhouse gas emissions in a way that is fair and to dramatically boost our natural defences by restoring peatlands, planting trees and improving wetlands. 'The Scottish Government has an ideal opportunity to make this happen with its upcoming new Climate Change Plan, which is expected before the end of the year.'
The National
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Time is 'running out' to mitigate climate change in Scotland
The warning comes as legal action against the UK Government's 'inadequate' climate adaption programme is being taken to Europe's top human rights court. Backed by the charity Friends of the Earth, two men who believe their lives have been 'ruined' by extreme weather events and rising temperatures caused by the climate crisis are going to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the grounds that the UK response is failing to recognise their human rights. Kevin Jordan, whose seaside home was demolished after being hit by severe storms and rising sea levels, and Doug Paulley, whose multiple disabilities are worsened by rising temperatures, say the UK's approach to the changing climate is 'flawed'. The Scottish Government has also come under fire from climate campaigners who say last week's Programme for Government did not go far enough to mitigate against climate change. While welcoming the move to reverse the 'misguided' decision to reimpose peak rail fares, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said time was rapidly running out to deliver on a series of other critical commitments which have been promised for some time, including increasing native woodland creation and restoring peatlands. The group also said questions remained over how the Heat In Buildings Bill's 'overdue' and 'watered-down' targets for installing clean heating systems will accelerate the positive impacts on health, bills and planet that are urgently needed. READ MORE: Pro-Palestine activists protest against Israel at Eurovision opening ceremony 'Ultimately, the time for promises of action is past,' said Mike Robinson, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS). 'We urgently need to accelerate the speed of delivery, including by doing more to ensure we make polluters – like those who choose to travel by private jets – pay for their climate damage. 'We are also very concerned that the First Minister is putting increasing reliance and public funds towards unproven carbon capture and hydrogen technologies, instead of cutting emissions and moving away from our dependence on volatile fossil fuels markets. 'All MSPs must now heed the calls of the many people who have signed our recent petition urging faster climate action and the majority of the public that we know support this.' Rosie Heptonstall, a mother of two who works with Parents for Future Scotland, one of SCCS's 73 members, added: 'We need to improve standards of living for everyone, whether that's by reducing the bills families pay or by improving the air our children breathe. And we can't do this without moving away from fossil fuels. 'It's absolutely essential to have ambitious climate targets and to be working towards them, not just for our future but for the future of our children as well.' Liz Murray, head of Scottish campaigns at Global Justice Now, said it was 'strikingly noticeable' that the Programme for Government made no mention of fossil fuels, the root cause of the climate crisis. 'Public polling shows that most voters want to see leadership from politicians on climate change, so between now and the Holyrood elections, the Scottish Government must accelerate Scotland's move away from climate-wrecking fossil fuels and towards clean energy to strengthen our energy security, lower our bills and create new green jobs,' she said. READ MORE: Body recovered from loch after major search operation Meanwhile, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SRA) said nature was once again the Scottish Government's 'blind spot', undermining John Swinney's promises to make Scots healthier and wealthier. 'The Programme for Government is a missed opportunity for transforming Scotland from one of the world's most nature-depleted countries to a forward-looking Rewilding Nation with 30% nature recovery across land and sea,' said Karen Blackport, co-convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and chief executive of Bright Green Nature. 'Rewilding boosts health, jobs and local economies and helps tackle climate breakdown – but the Government still lacks a nature minister or a plan for the large-scale recovery of Scotland's ecosystems. Instead, ministers are backtracking on beavers, stalling on real protections for marine areas and showing a loss of nerve on lynx reintroduction by dodging reasoned debate on this crucial issue. 'We want to see a Programme for Government that makes Scotland healthier, wealthier – and wilder.' Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: 'This Government is taking forward vital climate measures such as abolishing peak rail fares for good to encourage people to use public transport, facilitating onshore and offshore wind projects to decarbonise electricity, investing in decarbonisation of heat for our homes and investing in peatland restoration to sequester carbon. 'And last week, the First Minister attended an event with climate activists and entrepreneurs to discuss, alongside other matters, climate debt for developing nations. We will not shy away from the vital action needed to reach net-zero by 2045.'
