National Inquiry launches Highlands competition for future vision for a low carbon life
The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and The Highland Council has today launched a competition to identify future aspirational visions for a low carbon life in the Highlands of Scotland.
This competition forms part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh's major Inquiry into Facing up to Climate Change, launched in October 2009, which seeks to identify how to bridge the gap between the aspirations of the policies now in place to address climate change and the changes to behaviours and ways of life that the public will accept.
In collaboration with The Highland Council and the UHI, the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands, the RSE Inquiry Committee will be meeting in the Town House, Inverness on 2 June to hear evidence from a range of local stakeholders. They will also be holding a public evidence gathering meeting that evening to hear the views from the local public and it is to set the scene for this public meeting that the Committee are calling for visions of how families and communities in the Highlands might be living in the future in a low carbon way.
Details of the competition can be found on the RSE and Highland Council websites and some of the best entries will be displayed at the public meeting on 2 June, when the winners will be announced at the start of the public meeting. Prizes will be awarded, with the winner receiving £350, the runner up £150 and a prize of £50 for the best entry from a young person under 16.
In addition to feeding into the Inquiry, these entries will be used by The Highland Council to help them develop a Climate Change Strategy.
Launching the competition, the inquiry Chairman, Professor David Sugden, commented: "We are looking to find out how we can bridge the gap between the changes needed to meet the targets in the current climate change polices and where we currently lie, and in particular what the social, economic and practical barriers to change are. This competition will form an important part of the evidence gathering for the Inquiry and we look forward to seeing the ideas for a low carbon future that people in different parts of the Highlands come up with."
Notes for editors:
1. Highland competition details
People can find details of the RSE Highlands competition at: Royal Society of Edinburgh web site: www.royalsoced.org.uk/enquiries/climate_change/highlands_competition/index.htm
Who can enter? The competition is open to individuals and groups in the Highland Region but only one entry is allowed per person or group.
What are the prizes? Winning entry - £350; runner up - £150; best entry for a young person under 16 - £50
Prizes will be awarded at the RSE Inquiry public meeting at the Town House, Inverness on 2 June at 6 pm. A selection of the best entries will be on display at the public meeting from 5 pm.
What is the format for submission of entries? Entries should provide an aspirational future vision for a low carbon life in the highlands of Scotland. They should be provided on up to two sides of A4 and can include both text and imagery.
Entry deadline? Entries must be sent or delivered to The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ. Entries must be received no later than 5 pm on Wednesday 19th May 2010, and include the entrant's name and address, and if 16 or under, their age.
2. The RSE Inquiry into Facing up to Climate Change
The RSE is undertaking an inquiry into how we can best respond to climate change in Scotland. Climate is changing and the trends in statistics on flooding, precipitation and temperature in Scotland over the last 40 years have already required changes in our approach to risk and uncertainty. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act has now been set in place with a statutory target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020. In order to achieve this, the Scottish Government is looking to:
However, the gap between the necessary policies and where we are now is large. In order to inform the Inquiry, The Council of the RSE has agreed to undertake an inquiry into how society can best respond to climate change in Scotland with the following remit:
For further information please contact: Bristow Muldoon, Head of Policy & Parliamentary Affairs, Royal Society of Edinburgh, 0131 240 2787
The RSE is Scottish Charity SC000470