Climate change conversations urged by council

Stirling Council’s leaders have issued a renewed plea for communities to join the conversation on climate change ahead of COP26 in Glasgow.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference runs from October 31 to November 12 and councillors are calling on residents to engage with the event and take action in their own lives to protect our natural environment.

Council leader Scott Farmer said:“The arrival of COP26 gives us an opportunity to look at how climate change is impacting our lives locally and what can be done to tackle it.

“Stirling is an area blessed with beautiful green spaces and living nature, both in our rural and urban settings, but we have all seen the effects of climate change on our local environment.

“Flash floods have brought devastation to some local businesses and closed off main transport routes in recent years, while our society’s throw-away culture and reliance on fossil fuels continue to pollute our lives on a daily basis.

“With the biggest climate event in a generation now on our doorstep, it’s time for everyone to assess how they live their lives in this very moment, and make immediate changes to protect our natural environment.”

The council’s Climate and Nature Emergency Plan focuses on the five key themes of: energy; transport; resource efficiency/circular economy; nature and biodiversity; and climate adaptation.

Over the course of COP26 the council will explore these themes on social media, sharing what work has been done, what work is ongoing and what needs to be done across Stirling to make improvements.

Stirling’s young people will also play a major role, with the work of schools shared across social channels during the fortnight of activity as well.

Depute leader Councillor Chris Kane, said:“The council and its public sector partners are directly responsible for only a small proportion of carbon emissions in the Stirling area: around two per cent in the case of the council.

“Responsibility for change must therefore be a collective effort of wider society and the choices we all make whether that’s recycling more, consuming less, walking, cycling or wheeling more, these little changes can have a cumulative effect that can make Stirling a place where everyone can thrive.”

Over the course of COP26 the council will use the hashtags #COP26 and #COP26Stirling to discuss local environmental action on Twitter and Facebook.