Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 14 January 2014
14 Jan 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Draft Climate Change Adaptation Programme
I thank the minister for that input. We are aware that they are five-year programmes, but there is a general point that we must look as far beyond that timeframe as we can.
I turn to areas in which the Government and other public sector bodies, the utilities and the private sector are already responding. We heard from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service how experience has taught it to work closely with partner agencies in response to flooding predictions and to forward deploy equipment and personnel. We were told that amalgamation of the police forces and fire brigades into national forces has “invigorated” the process of ensuring that assets are aligned to risks, and that the right resources are in the right place at the right time.
We were advised that, building on publication of the national flood risk assessment, SEPA has moved on to the new flood risk and hazard maps, which are to be launched tomorrow, as the minister revealed. Next year will see the development of risk management strategies, which will look at the biggest risks in each local authority area. Gordon McGregor of Scottish Power revealed that the power companies are working daily to monitor weather and its impact on power assets, which is making those assets more resilient, especially in areas that are subject to frequent storms. They are also building stress testing into the process of designing future infrastructure.
Some areas were highlighted as needing to be improved or addressed. We were told that there could be better joined-up working between agriculture and local authorities, with farmers planting low-value crops in fields that could be utilised for flood-plain storage rather than planting high-value crops that would have to be written off, out of necessity for the greater good. It was also suggested that, in pursuing woodland expansion, we should not see large-scale reversion from farming to forestry but should actively pursue the establishment of pockets of forestry and agroforestry systems.
We were told of upcoming problems with drought in the likes of Angus and Fife, with their short coastal rivers and areas of intensive agriculture. Indeed, the committee was advised that, in some parts of the country last year, we came within a week of restrictions being placed on irrigation. It was suggested that offline and winter storage in reservoirs should be encouraged.
The committee also heard of the need to support the research community. Professor Thompson summed up the situation when he said that
“rapid, risky things are now being thrown at our environment, and unless we have the science and innovative techniques in place to try to combat them, we will simply be folding our arms as those changes happen.”—[Official Report, Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, 30 October 2013; c 2842.]
Anna Beswick of Climate Ready Clyde suggested that we need a national heatwave plan, which I think is mentioned in the draft—England already has one—hard though it might be to imagine Scotland requiring to implement such a plan.
Transport Scotland is currently recruiting chartered engineers who must have an MSc, and it was suggested by Stephen Thomson of that organisation that introducing the concept of adaptation in MSc courses—whether for engineers or anyone else—would have benefits.
What came over loud and clear in evidence was that the various sectors generally realise—as they must—that they must play their part in adapting and becoming more resilient to the impacts of climate change. I thought that David Goodhew of Scottish Fire and Rescue best summed up the way forward when he told the committee that
“Extreme weather is not anybody’s problem; it is everybody’s problem. If we do not take a unified approach with real joined-up working ... we will fail ... it is a question of partnership, partnership and partnership.”—[Official Report, Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, 30 October 2013; c 2858-9.]
We need widespread engagement on responding to the challenges that we face, and we need leadership—not just from Government. Therefore, the formation of the public sector climate leaders forum is welcome, as is Claudia Beamish’s involvement in it, given that Scotland’s 2020 climate group focuses mainly on business.
There can be no doubt that, as the minister highlighted in his letter to the RACCE Committee, we need exemplar bodies from the private and public sectors. There are good examples. I visited the Kingsway campus of the new Dundee and Angus College last Friday and was delighted to learn how that building has been made to rise to the challenge of tackling climate change. Worcester Bosch has sponsored the installation of a ground-source heat pump, which is used for training that company’s technicians. A solar power room provides a training facility for students, as well as meeting the building’s energy needs, and rainwater is being harvested for toilet flushing in the catering block. Through strategically positioned monitors in the building, the college is advising students and staff of the performance of measures such as the solar power unit, with the aim of creating a culture of awareness of the need to save energy and to promote renewable energy use.
I turn to areas in which the Government and other public sector bodies, the utilities and the private sector are already responding. We heard from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service how experience has taught it to work closely with partner agencies in response to flooding predictions and to forward deploy equipment and personnel. We were told that amalgamation of the police forces and fire brigades into national forces has “invigorated” the process of ensuring that assets are aligned to risks, and that the right resources are in the right place at the right time.
We were advised that, building on publication of the national flood risk assessment, SEPA has moved on to the new flood risk and hazard maps, which are to be launched tomorrow, as the minister revealed. Next year will see the development of risk management strategies, which will look at the biggest risks in each local authority area. Gordon McGregor of Scottish Power revealed that the power companies are working daily to monitor weather and its impact on power assets, which is making those assets more resilient, especially in areas that are subject to frequent storms. They are also building stress testing into the process of designing future infrastructure.
Some areas were highlighted as needing to be improved or addressed. We were told that there could be better joined-up working between agriculture and local authorities, with farmers planting low-value crops in fields that could be utilised for flood-plain storage rather than planting high-value crops that would have to be written off, out of necessity for the greater good. It was also suggested that, in pursuing woodland expansion, we should not see large-scale reversion from farming to forestry but should actively pursue the establishment of pockets of forestry and agroforestry systems.
We were told of upcoming problems with drought in the likes of Angus and Fife, with their short coastal rivers and areas of intensive agriculture. Indeed, the committee was advised that, in some parts of the country last year, we came within a week of restrictions being placed on irrigation. It was suggested that offline and winter storage in reservoirs should be encouraged.
The committee also heard of the need to support the research community. Professor Thompson summed up the situation when he said that
“rapid, risky things are now being thrown at our environment, and unless we have the science and innovative techniques in place to try to combat them, we will simply be folding our arms as those changes happen.”—[Official Report, Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, 30 October 2013; c 2842.]
Anna Beswick of Climate Ready Clyde suggested that we need a national heatwave plan, which I think is mentioned in the draft—England already has one—hard though it might be to imagine Scotland requiring to implement such a plan.
Transport Scotland is currently recruiting chartered engineers who must have an MSc, and it was suggested by Stephen Thomson of that organisation that introducing the concept of adaptation in MSc courses—whether for engineers or anyone else—would have benefits.
What came over loud and clear in evidence was that the various sectors generally realise—as they must—that they must play their part in adapting and becoming more resilient to the impacts of climate change. I thought that David Goodhew of Scottish Fire and Rescue best summed up the way forward when he told the committee that
“Extreme weather is not anybody’s problem; it is everybody’s problem. If we do not take a unified approach with real joined-up working ... we will fail ... it is a question of partnership, partnership and partnership.”—[Official Report, Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, 30 October 2013; c 2858-9.]
We need widespread engagement on responding to the challenges that we face, and we need leadership—not just from Government. Therefore, the formation of the public sector climate leaders forum is welcome, as is Claudia Beamish’s involvement in it, given that Scotland’s 2020 climate group focuses mainly on business.
There can be no doubt that, as the minister highlighted in his letter to the RACCE Committee, we need exemplar bodies from the private and public sectors. There are good examples. I visited the Kingsway campus of the new Dundee and Angus College last Friday and was delighted to learn how that building has been made to rise to the challenge of tackling climate change. Worcester Bosch has sponsored the installation of a ground-source heat pump, which is used for training that company’s technicians. A solar power room provides a training facility for students, as well as meeting the building’s energy needs, and rainwater is being harvested for toilet flushing in the catering block. Through strategically positioned monitors in the building, the college is advising students and staff of the performance of measures such as the solar power unit, with the aim of creating a culture of awareness of the need to save energy and to promote renewable energy use.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08732, in the name of Rob Gibson, on the Scottish Government’s consultation on its draft climate change a...
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
Presiding Officer, I crave your indulgence as I try to get all the detail in.Change and adaptation are rarely easy. How many psychiatrists does it take to ch...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I remind members who wish to speak in the debate that they should press their request-to-speak buttons. I call Paul Wheelhouse. Minister, you have seven minu...
The Minister for Environment and Climate Change (Paul Wheelhouse)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer.I thank the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee for its efforts in scrutinising the draft Scottish climate c...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Minister, will you draw to a close, please?
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I will, Presiding Officer.I hope to pick up on some additional points in my closing speech. Suffice it to say that Scotland is well placed to respond to clim...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
This committee debate is extremely important and timely as it comes in the immediate aftermath of the recent severe weather and flooding. They focused all ou...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
Can you draw to a close, please?
Claudia Beamish
Lab
That chimes with some of the committee’s recommendations. I ask the minister to take forward those fundamental governance issues in the final adaptation prog...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
I am not a great fan of the phrase “adopting a holistic approach”, but one thing is for sure: if climate change adaptation is to be successfully mainstreamed...
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
I say at the outset that I am pleased to contribute to the debate. It is an important issue that requires the attention of all parliamentarians and all commi...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the committee and witnesses for their work in getting us to this debate today.I want to focus on the processes and principles of adaptation in relati...
Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
SNP
I hardly need to point out in the early part of 2014 that climate change is with us. We have clearly reached the point where it does not matter why it is hap...
Nigel Don
SNP
Yes; that is long overdue. We cannot do things with land without maps, so I am delighted to hear that we have got that far. I must take issue with what has b...
Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD)
LD
Like many other members, I was proud to put through the Parliament the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill back in 2009. Although at the time there were differenc...
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the debate, and I thank the committee for bringing it to the chamber and for the work that it has done in assessing the draft climate change adapta...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
We have robust evidence for global warming, as colleagues have already said, but there are still many unknowns and variables involved in predicting exactly h...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
It is probably fair to say that climate change adaptation often plays second fiddle to the mitigation agenda and the urgent need to reduce our emissions. Tha...
Alex Fergusson
Con
The debate has seen a fair amount of consensus throughout the chamber, which is very much as it should be in a debate of this nature. Climate change presents...
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I stress that a thread running through the adaptation programme is the value of interconnections and partnerships, showing the need for clear paths of commun...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I thank members. I agree with Alex Fergusson that the debate has been consensual. It has been rightly so, because we are talking about a matter that cuts acr...
Alex Fergusson
Con
Do targets have a role to play in monitoring and evaluation?
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I think that they do. Nigel Don made valid points about that. It is important to have a focus that drives effort, and the maxim about what is measured being ...
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP)
SNP
My preparing for the debate prompted me to re-read in detail the evidence on the draft programme that was given during two stakeholder meetings that were hel...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I thank the deputy convener for taking an intervention and I apologise for interrupting. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 specified a five-year time ho...
Graeme Dey
SNP
I thank the minister for that input. We are aware that they are five-year programmes, but there is a general point that we must look as far beyond that timef...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
Graeme Dey has made an extremely useful point about the capacity of institutions to provide practical examples of what we can all do. Institutions such as co...
Graeme Dey
SNP
Sarah Boyack has made a very good point. I do not think that there is anything that I can add to that.There is so much more that can be done, as Sarah Boyack...