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by Louise Wilson
24 March 2021
We will fail future generations if we don’t act on climate change, warns citizens assembly

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We will fail future generations if we don’t act on climate change, warns citizens assembly

Scotland’s climate assembly, made up of over 100 members from across Scotland, has warned failure to act on climate change now means “we will fail our current and future generations”.

Publishing its interim report, the assembly agreed there needed to be “cultural change” across society, from government and business to communities and individuals.

Its top recommendations include adopting quality standards for the carbon impacts of buildings, making homes more energy efficient and implementing mandatory standards on businesses to meet the demands of climate change.

The final report will be published after the Scottish election and ministers must respond within six months to its recommendations.

Co-convener Ruth Harvey said: “I am full of admiration for the contribution members of the Assembly are making to Scotland through their hard work and determination in grappling with so much complex, technical evidence.

“This is a learning journey I believe all of us in Scotland now need to take together. For the first time, ordinary folk are today setting out for our parliament a concrete program so that Scotland can take the lead in tackling the climate emergency.”

The assembly also called for improvements to public transport systems, including making it more affordable and integrated, as well as early adoption of alternative fuel sources for all travel modes.

Communities should also be empowered to develop localised solutions, it said.

The assembly is the second citizens assembly to provide feedback to the government.

It was designed to be representative of Scotland as a whole in terms of age, gender, household income, ethnicity, geography, rurality, disability, and attitude towards climate change.

Khopolo, a member from Dundee, said: “I hope what we've come up with will get implemented and that the politicians will listen to us as ordinary members of society who have spent so much time trying to craft something that is relatively straightforward and simple to understand.”

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