Hansard

That should be just long enough for the dulcet tones of Lord Foulkes to disappear from the back of the chamber.

I thank the members who have stayed to participate in the debate and I thank those who supported the motion. I ask members to welcome to the public gallery the representatives of projects that have successfully bid for money from the climate challenge fund.

I am often given to comment on the status that climate change has achieved on the political agenda over the years. When I was a lad, I was taken along by my mum to various environmental demonstrations. I am pleased to say that she still goes to environmental demonstrations. It is fair to say that, in those days, climate change and other issues that were being raised by the environment movement were sometimes portrayed as being on the fringes of the political agenda.

However, over not only the short span of my life, but the decades since the concept of climate change first came to the awareness of scientists, we have reached the point at which the few who deny the issue, who deny the reality of the problem and who deny the serious impact that it will have on lives and economies around the planet are now portrayed as the fringe eccentrics on the edges of the issue. It has taken a long time to reach that point and it has taken a lot of work, not only by politicians but by communities and activists at community level. We are now at the point when ministers are asked questions about climate change every week in this Parliament; they have to respond and take the issue seriously.

We have reached the point at which the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, today addressed the delegates at Poznan and called for a new climate revolution—in fact, for "a new Copernican revolution". That is how profound the issue is. Global solidarity is needed on climate change, which is the defining challenge of our era. Mr Ban argues that if banks are too big to fail, so is the climate. That is something on which we can all now agree, although there might not have been such agreement even a few short years ago.

We Greens have played our part constructively, not just here but around the world, although we certainly do not pretend that we are the only people to have done so. Other people in other political movements have done so, and people have played their parts in their own communities. We will continue to challenge the Government sometimes, issuing our criticisms as we did yesterday when we considered the strategic transport projects review. Criticism on its own is not enough, however, even when Governments fall short. It is necessary also to promote positive ideas about what can be achieved. That is the approach that we took to last year's budget negotiations, when we asked for the establishment of the climate challenge fund, which has presented an opportunity for communities to bid and to set their own agendas.

Although consensus has developed on climate change, something has fallen between the cracks. We have spoken about the relationship between Government, business and individuals. Who needs to play their part? Where does the balance of responsibility for climate change lie? It has been forgotten for a long time that, between Government, individuals and business, communities can collectively play a far more powerful role than any of us can individually. Cutting emissions directly is one thing, but communities can also set their own agendas and priorities. Different solutions will be appropriate in different towns and villages and in different parts of a city. The issues might be around food production, transport, buildings or lifestyle. People have a host of choices and opportunities.

If the Government simply comes along, wags the finger and tells communities how things are going to be, however, it risks its approach being rejected. The Government allowing communities to set their own agendas, and providing a little bit of extra financial support can help to create a can-do spirit. That is what communities can do, which individual action—however important—cannot do on its own. With that can-do spirit, relationships can be built at community level, which can generate all sorts of spin-off benefits, whether in social justice or in economic wellbeing—which means so much more than mere growth, of course.

In many ways, we face a pretty frightening time with the so-called triple crunch. We are facing an economic crisis, a climate crisis and an impending energy crisis—all three at once. Those are the consequences of generations of unsustainable politics and economics. They might be unprecedented challenges, but there are unprecedented opportunities, too. Creative solutions are available, not just for tackling climate change, but for working towards the concept of a sustainable community.

The Transition Network Ltd is one of the organisations that have benefited from the climate challenge fund. It is the inheritor of a set of ideas—a holistic sense—about what sustainable communities are. Over the years, we are going to have to build in concepts not just of low-carbon living but of resilience and self-reliance. If the climate crisis, the energy crisis and the economic crisis play out as some of us fear, the communities that will prosper and thrive, and which will be able to maintain wellbeing, will be those that can meet their needs locally. That might mean local food production, which the Toryglen gardening club is exploring. Other projects have benefited from the climate challenge fund.

I asked ministers recently whether they are aware of the land share concept: the idea that those who have spare land that is not being used can turn it into something productive and an asset for a community. That is very much what the folk in Toryglen are doing. They are working with churches, housing schemes and a host of people who can provide a little bit of land. That land can be the catalyst not just for producing food locally and cutting carbon emissions, but for bringing people together with their common interests—despite the frightening economic crisis.

I hope that members will refer to various projects around the country that are benefiting from the scheme and that are creating benefits for the communities that they serve. I have circulated to all members a map that shows where projects are around the country. There are many more of them in the pipeline.

In closing, I will mention Des McNulty's members' business debate next week, on the subject of eco-congregations. I am aware that the eco-congregations network is now a huge network of projects around the country. I hope that the network is positively considering the opportunities that the climate challenge fund offers.

I again thank members and the many activists from around Scotland who are making things happen. Without that, policies are worth very little.

I invite anyone who wishes to join us to committee room 4 for a little drink at the end of the debate.