ABERDEEN LEADS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Aberdeen City Council is commended for becoming the first Scottish council to publish a Climate Change Action Plan. Copies of Aberdeen City Council's Climate Change Action Plan are available from Dawn Schultz, Marketing Executive, City Development, Aberdeen City Council on (01224) 523128.

The plan seeks to involve the community in measures designed to tackle climate change, through various aims, including informing the public of the local and worldwide effects of global warming, and encouraging business, community groups and individuals to develop local action plans to reduce climate change.

Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development Allan Wilson said: "Scottish Ministers are committed to tackling climate change, but an effective strategy to tackle climate change must engage with local communities. The publication of Aberdeen City Council's climate change action plan underlines its commitment to lead the response in its own community.”

IREDUCE EMISSIONS

"The Council's efforts contribute to the Scottish Climate Change Programme aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland. The Plan will act as an incentive to others to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases which are contributing to change, and increase their capacity to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change."

Community Leadership and Climate Change in Scotland: Guidance for Chief Executives of Scottish Local Authorities provides guidance to councils on reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights the actions local authorities can take which will also contribute towards wider objectives in areas such as social justice and health improvements.

WARMER AND WETTER 2080

Findings of research for the UK Climate Impacts Programme forecasts that, by the 2080's, Scotland will be warmer with wetter winters and much less snowfall. Rising sea levels will threaten low lying coastal areas and more storm rainfall will bring a risk of more floods.

SCOTTISH CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME

The Scottish Climate Change Programme details measures in devolved areas aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases believed to be causing climate change. This programme of measures contributes to the UK Climate Change Programme which was also published in November.

UK CLIMATE CHANGE

The UK Programme contains measures aimed at delivering the UK Kyoto commitment of a 12.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-2012 and moving the UK as a whole toward the domestic goal of a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010.

Data published in Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: 1990-1999 shows that emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland dropped by almost 5% between 1990 and 1999