Businesses and organisations across Scotland urged to step up to tackle the global climate emergency

09/10/2019

THE GLOBAL climate emergency is real and needs urgent attention. That’s the message to businesses and organisations across the country as part of Climate Week and the Scottish Government urges collective action to help end Scotland’s contribution to climate change. Recent findings show two-thirds of adults in Scotland believe that climate change is an immediate and urgent problem – which is a 20% increase in the last four years.


Now in its 4th year, Scotland’s Climate Week, which runs until Sunday 13th October, is the perfect opportunity for organisations to celebrate the positive action they’re taking to tackle climate change and to do more to help save the planet.


Scotland has the toughest set of statutory emissions targets of any country in the world. We will become by 2045 (when the greenhouse emissions are balanced by removals of those gases), in order to the impact of climate change on our society and environment.


Businesses and both public and third sectors across the country, can collectively help Scotland become a net-zero society. During Climate Week, businesses can raise awareness amongst their employees of the actions their staff can take, from walking or cycling to work, using employers’ recycling facilities for food waste, to encouraging the use of the train for short-haul business journeys instead of flying.


To highlight and celebrate the steps that businesses are taking, the Scottish Government is launching the Climate Week Awards. The awards will and reward businesses and taking positive action to tackle the climate emergency in the workplace.


Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Business, said:
“Climate change is the single greatest challenge facing the world today, and it’s a challenge that everyone must face together. That applies to businesses as well as individuals, which is why we’re asking to support their employees this Climate Week to enable change within the workplace. 


“Many businesses across Scotland are already taking significant steps to the climate emergency, but we know that more change is required – and urgently. We want businesses to ask how they can create the conditions for lasting change, perhaps by encouraging more employees to use public transport, reducing single-use plastics, or by sourcing food locally.”
Businesses are being encouraged to enter the Awards to highlight the positive action they are taking, with the last date for entries being Friday 1st November 2019.


The Award will be given to the business or who has best demonstrated the great work that they are doing to help make a difference in the fight against climate change. To enter the Awards, businesses must be registered and based in Scotland and be able to show action as shared in the Awards criteria and application form which can be found here: www.greenerscotland.org
Completed entries should be emailed to climateweek@stripecommuinications.com

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