Hansard

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.