Fife College works with Scottish Government to produce new climate emergency guidance

Fife College has welcomed the publication of new guidance for public sector bodies to help them take action to combat the global climate emergency.

The new Scottish Government report, entitled ‘Public Sector Leadership on the Global Climate Emergency’, provides advice for public bodies on robust, consistent and comprehensive carbon management, and information on the resources available to support them.

Fife College worked closely with the Scottish Government and the Sustainable Scotland Network in the drafting of the paper, with engagement on it being led by the College’s Environmental Services Coordinator, John Wincott.

Its publication comes before the start of the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, and makes clear the crucial role the public sector has to play in the implementation of national and local climate policy.

It states that public bodies are also expected to show leadership, with a need to reduce emissions close to zero without offsetting for Scotland to meet its climate change goals.

Earlier this month Fife College announced that its new Dunfermline campus will be the first net zero tertiary education building to be constructed in Scotland.

Speaking after the publication of the guidance, Environmental Services Coordinator at Fife College, John Wincott, who is also the Chair of the Sustainable Scotland Network, commented:

“We were delighted to work with the Scottish Government and the Sustainable Scotland Network in the drafting of this guidance.

“Public sector bodies have a huge role to play in helping Scotland meet its climate change targets, and we were pleased to be able to bring the experience gained from the work being done in the College sector to reduce emissions.

“At Fife College we’re already taking action to reduce emissions, including constructing the first net zero college building in Scotland with our new Dunfermline Campus plans, and ongoing work to curb emissions from our estate and fleet.

“This guidance will help us continue this work, and will no doubt prove to be a useful resource as the sector does all that it can to fight the global climate emergency.

“Together we can cut emissions and build a greener Scotland, but it will need a coordinated and concerted effort if we are to succeed.

“That is why the collaborative experience of producing this guidance has been such a vital component in Scotland’s journey to net zero – only by collaborating and working together can we produce the necessary changes.”