Philip WrightHead of Climate Change and Air, ERAD

Changing our Ways Executive action on climate change

Ice Core /Temp

Global Temperature record

CO2 levels 20,000 years

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• The Physical Science Basis of Climate Change (February 2007). Concluded - now indisputable evidence that human activities since 1750 have warmed the climate.

• Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (March 2007) Report shows for first time that rising temperatures caused by human induced climate change over the last 30 years have already had an impact on people and the environment. In the 21st century climate change will have significant impacts for the natural environment and human society.

• Mitigation (April 2007)There is a significant economic potential for cost-effective mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from all economic sectors over the coming decades, sufficient to offset growth of global emissions or to reduce emissions below current levels. Mitigation efforts over the next two to three decades will determine to a large extent the long-term global mean temperature increase and the corresponding climate change impacts that can be avoided.

Impacts of climate change on Scotland

Handbook of Climate Trends (2006)

Over last 60 years:- Temperatures risen- Rainfall increased dramatically in winter months

Climate Change scenarios

UK Climate Impacts Programme. Future for Scotland:– more extreme weather with warmer, wetter winters, – up to 90% less snowfall, – sea levels rises of up to 600mm threatening coastal

areas – and an increased risk of flooding.

Scotland has a leadership role to play

Political

Technological

Moral

Scotland the leader

Kyoto

UK Climate Change Programme

UK Climate Change Bill

Playing our part

UK Climate Change Bill

Four pillars:-• To set statutory target to reduce carbon emissions by

60% by 2050, to introduce 5-year carbon budgets as milestones towards target and to provide for carbon credits purchased on the international market to count towards the target.

• To establish a Committee on Climate Change with a UK remit to advise Government on reduction of emissions.

• To create enabling powers to put in place new emissions trading schemes.

• To improve monitoring arrangements and reporting to Parliament.

Scotland’s Climate Change Programme

Scottish Climate Change Programme

Scotland’s Climate Change Programme

Ambitious

Mitigation and adaptation

Sector level

Evolving

Action for all

Action for all

• This is not just a job for central Government.

• Everyone must accept responsibility and contribute to `changing our ways' if more sustainable patterns of behaviour are to be adopted.

Mainstreaming

Senior Managers

Policy Makers – big wins

Analysts & Scientists

All staff

SNP Manifesto Commitments

Scottish Climate Change Bill - 3% carbon reductions per annum setting long term commitment to to cut emissions by 80% by 2050

Improving energy efficiency

Sustainable flood management

Proposed EU wide green energy research centre in Aberdeen

Support development of CCS

Develop offshore generation capacity and promote growing of energy crops

STRATEGIC RESEARCH NEEDS

Measuring Scottish Consumption of Carbon

A Scottish Green House Gas Inventory?

Consequences for carbon emission of land use change

Environmental and carbon consequence of

renewables (biomass, wind and wave and tidal energy)

Gaps identified by Agriculture and Climate Change stakeholders group

Specific needs in Forestry

SOME KEY QUESTIONS

What will a low-carbon economy look like, what does it mean for the land use and other sectors. How do we transition towards it and what impact will that transition have on our existing systems and industries?

At what scale should we focus attention and resources for delivery of outcomes of a well-adapted, low-carbon economy Scotland – the field/the farm/the landscape? Can we scale up what works at local level regionally or nationally?

How much longer will we or can we wait before we take the difficult decisions on sustaining our natural resources and consequently over what time scale should we be expecting commissioned research to deliver?

• Should flood protection schemes continue to be developed or should we change how we manage water upstream – through sustainable flood management?

• How do we balance the need to adapt to both local and global consequence of tackling and adapting to climate change

“The maps of the world will need to be redrawn”

Sir David KingUK Science Advisor

British Isles + !

Changing our ways

www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange