More than 65% of Scots ‘still concerned about climate change’

One year after Scotland’s largest climate strike, 68% of people still believe climate change is an urgent problem, according to a new survey.

More than 40,000 adults and children took to the streets one year ago to demand urgent action from the Government to reduce carbon emissions.

The strike led to the Scottish Government increasing its 2030 climate target in the Climate Bill just five days later.

The protest was part of a global movement, spearheaded by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, with more than four million people across the world taking part.

However, a poll this week by the Scottish household survey showed that 68% of adults still believe climate change is an immediate and urgent problem.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s climate and energy campaigner Caroline Rance said: “Last September’s climate strike is unforgettable.

“The atmosphere was electric as tens of thousands of people came together on the streets to protest government inaction on climate change and push for change.

“Collectively we succeeded in pressuring the Scottish Government to increase their climate commitments.

“Although Covid restrictions mean we can’t come together in the same way at the minute, we must remember that all of those people still care and that public pressure for the government to act on climate and deliver a green recovery is high.

“Building people power is how we will create the fairer, greener society we need, one powered by renewables, where our homes are warm, our journeys are safe and our jobs do not damage our environment.”

She continued: “The school strike movement was, and is, so strong because they are fighting for their future and for a liveable planet for their peers around the world. We only have to look at wildfires in California or landslips in Scotland to know that this is only becoming more urgent.

“Coronavirus has shown us what an emergency response, guided by the best scientific evidence, really looks like. When will we see a similar commitment to the Climate Emergency?

“One year on, we still see Governments handing out licences for companies to look for more climate-wrecking oil and gas, politicians arguing for bigger roads and a desire to return to the normal that was destroying the planet.

“Instead we need a recovery that urgently creates good green jobs, speeds the transition away from fossil fuels and protects the most vulnerable.”