Hansard

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 what gets done is probably fair. We need to look at the matter. Where we can build in measures that provide some spine for what we are trying to achieve, it will be helpful to do so.

I want to pick up briefly on as many as possible of the points that committee members made. I take on board what Claudia Beamish said about the national performance framework and the other NPF, which is the national planning framework 3. Those are important; we need to consider how the planning system can help to reinforce our intention to make Scotland as resilient as possible.

Claudia Beamish and Alex Fergusson touched on issues that relate to the farming for a better climate programme. I have written to the committee about that extremely important programme. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment wants our efforts in that regard to be enhanced, which will not only help with mitigation but make our farming sector resilient to events such as those to which Alex Fergusson referred. He was right to say that it is about not just flooding—on which we have been focusing recently—but heat and, in some areas, severe snow, as my constituents and those of Alex Fergusson and Claudia Beamish know well from their experience last year.

On the SUDS issue that Sarah Boyack raised, we feel that we have a reasonably good track record on those issues in Scotland at least, but we are not complacent. I plan to meet key stakeholders to consider what more can be done on sustainable drainage systems. I have taken the point on board.

Patrick Harvie referred to the international dimension. He is absolutely right that this is not just about a domestic agenda. Much of our economy would be vulnerable to impacts on the food supply chain. As consumers, we must all take that on board. The next climate change risk assessment that will be undertaken at UK level will focus more on the international dimension; that will feed through to the Scottish Government’s planning. We will get the evidence on that. I have had some interaction with the Met Office on impacts that might be felt in our key international development partner countries, including Malawi, in order to understand what impacts they face. Those impacts will be severe on the current trajectory on which we are as a planet.

Angus MacDonald made important points about partnership working. He was absolutely right. In respect of equalities, in the climate justice agenda at home and abroad, we know that often lower-income communities are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. They are usually in lower-quality housing, which is sometimes built on flood plains, so they are at risk. We must take into account equalities issues in reaching conclusions on what strategy we should use, and we must prioritise and target our help at those who are least able to help themselves.

Jamie Hepburn asked how we are using data in our resilience programme. Ready Scotland’s, traffic Scotland’s and SEPA’s floodline services are absolutely vital in informing the public about the actions that they can take, such as avoiding journeys where possible, taking alternative routes to work or to meet relatives, or preparing their property for the imminent risk of flooding. Those services are crucial, so we will do as much as we can to ensure that take-up is enhanced. If there was a silver lining to the cloud that came over the festive period, it was the increased take-up of the floodline service, which I was delighted to see. Up to 18,200 people are now registered with the service; that compares to up to 125,000 properties that are known to be at risk from flooding. We are getting there slowly but surely, so I encourage all members to make as many of their constituents as possible aware of the services and to get them to sign up to them where possible.

I am conscious of the time, so I will close.

We know that Scotland has to become a more resilient society; that is a key priority for the Government. We are working closely in partnership with local authorities, SEPA, Scottish Water, power companies and the emergency services to ensure that we are doing all that we can to target our efforts and to reduce the risks to our society from changing climate.

Our adaptation programme will continue to support activities such as SEPA’s flood risk awareness-raising activities, including floodline. Our natural environment is vulnerable to changes in climate—it is not just about people—and we know that many species are threatened by climate change. Some impacts may be irreversible, but we will do what we can as a society to address them. We estimate that Scotland’s natural environment is worth up to £23 billion per year to the country. That puts in perspective the importance of protecting our environment from the impacts of climate change.

A number of members mentioned land use. We have a lot of work going on on the regional land use framework pilots; I hope to report back to Parliament on that in due course. We have a solid evidence base, which will continue to develop, for understanding the impacts of climate change on our society. We are already working with the UK Government and other devolved Administrations to develop a further climate change risk assessment, as I mentioned in relation to Mr Harvie’s point, and we are working with ClimateXChange, which Angus MacDonald mentioned, and the adaptation sub-committee of the Committee on Climate Change to take forward our strategy.

Obviously, we are aware that the issue of climate change will become more and more significant for our country, and we are developing our adaptive capacity. I thank organisations, including Adaptation Scotland, that play an important part in shaping some of that work and which will continue to support our activity.

The consultation responses and the committee’s work are very valuable to the Government, and we have taken on board many of the messages. We will work on finalising our adaptation programme in the near future; I will seek to show the committee and members that we have listened to the points that have been raised and that we will do what we can to ensure that we have a strategy that makes Scotland the most resilient country we can make it; that helps us to adapt to the effects of climate change; that helps us to protect Scotland’s much-loved natural environment; and which—of course—makes us a more resilient country to live and work in.

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