Independent inquiry investigates the best response to climate change in Scotland – public meeting in Inverness

Issued by the Royal Society of Edinburgh

The Royal Society of Edinburgh is calling on people across Inverness and the Highlands to have their say on one of the biggest challenges facing the world today.

As part of a major inquiry into how Scotland responds to climate change, the RSE will hold a public meeting in Inverness on Wednesday 2 June. This free event, being held at Inverness Town House, High Street at 6.00pm will give people the opportunity to make their views heard and help to inform the inquiry report.

Scotland has an ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020 but the move to the kind of low carbon economy we need to meet this target will be extremely challenging. The RSE’s inquiry aims to identify what barriers there are to change and what opportunities the move to a low carbon economy presents.

The Highland Council’s Climate Change Working Group Chair, Cllr Michael Foxley, who will be taking part in the event, said: “This is a great chance for people to get involved and I would encourage as many people as possible to come along. Climate change is a serious challenge affecting us all and its implications will have bearing on our communities and environments.  It is by participating in the inquiry and working together that we can effectively adapt and share ideas and good practice.”

Wednesday’s public meeting will commence at 6.00pm with an introduction by Professor David Sugden, chair of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s inquiry. A panel of local experts, including Councillor Foxley, Clive Bowman, Clim-ATIC project co-ordinator at the UHI Millennium Institute and Wendy Price of Transition Town Black Isle, will then be on hand to lead a debate focusing on the opportunities and challenges for Scotland in the move to a low carbon economy.

Prior to the meeting, from 5.00pm, there will be an opportunity to visit exhibition stands on display from a range of local bodies and organisations involved in this area, including those who have signed up to the Declaration. Tea and coffee will be available. Also on display will be a number of entries to our competition that invited people in the Highlands of Scotland to provide an aspirational vision for a low carbon life in the region. Prizes for the winning entries will be presented at the opening of the public meeting.

The RSE Inquiry will continue throughout 2010 and its findings will be published as a report in early 2011. The Inquiry team has held a number of public meetings across Scotland, including in Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dumfries and will be holding a further meeting in Glasgow on 7 July.

The RSE has issued a call for written evidence to help inform the inquiry and more information, including a list of questions, can be found on the website www.royalsoced.org.uk.

 ENDS

28 May 2010