Sustainable development in Scotland – projections, goals and results

When it comes to sustainable countries, Scotland plays an important role. The visions that are soon to be developed in Scotland regarding becoming more sustainable and encouraging projects that will transform the country in the long run stirred interest among other states. Since the Global Goals was launched in the 2015, Scotland decided to sign in and commit to a list of projections and goals that not all countries can promise to fulfil. Today, the Global Goals reached no less than 190 state members. Scotland promised to support the Global Goals by all means. Some of the goals that this country is involved in are very ambitious and might remain just goals for now. By 2030, most of them should be completed though. One of the factors that is disused in the Global Goals Agenda is represented by sustainability. Here are some other facts about sustainable development that have to do with Scotland:

Scotland’s mission in terms of sustainable development

Some of the goals that Scotland adopted to become more sustainable are related to the education or economy of the country. This happens because – without proper education or a good economy – the country wouldn’t be able to achieve the goals that it projected. In this sense, the number one goal that Scotland is trying to achieve is eradicating poverty. No family or individual in Scotland can be poor. All people should have a place to stay and food to eat. This has to do with the second goal of Scotland, which is ending hunger in the country. Ending hunger contributes to the third goal, which is encouraging better health and the well-being of the citizens. The quality of education comes next, as well as promoting gender equality.

In terms of sustainability, there are a few specific goals that need to be achieved as soon as possible in Scotland. The first one has to do with implementing an affordable, clean energy system. The country actively invests money in this sector, as it will be profitable itself in the future years, when it reduces the general costs of the country. Modifying the way industry and infrastructure are handled is part of the goals because new criteria is involved, taking into account the eco-friendly changes that the world is trying to make. Transforming cities in sustainable ones and educating communities to encourage this way of living is part of Scotland’s mission for the next few years. Encouraging a responsible consumption and production should help achieving another goal that Scotland has, which is taking climate action. The country protects life below water and life on land. All these wouldn’t be possible without offering decent workplaces which will lead to a visible economic growth and strong institutions. Scotland sets partnerships with other countries that are oriented towards these goals in order to achieve them faster.

Resources and organizations that sustain these goals

In order to achieve the goals and respect its mission, Scotland invested a lot of time, money and effort in raising organizations that are entirely dedicated to transforming the country into a more sustainable one. The organizations that fight for changing the country’s way of living are very numerous and they have diverse projections. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Community Resource Network Scotland

This organization dedicated its time to inform the community about all the things they don’t know about a sustainable lifestyle, including details about Scotland’s efforts for recycling, reusing and reducing waste. The organization also puts together educational events in this sense. It is based on the example of baling and compacting waste in the UK.

• Energy Saving Scotland Advice Center

This is an organization that is meant to help the citizens of Scotland to learn how to reduce their energy bills to a minimum by adopting a sustainable lifestyle. The company helps with providing people with important information regarding insulation, heating systems, A+++ appliances and so on.

• Keep Scotland Beautiful

This organization is mostly based on helping people understand the impact of their activities on the environment, while offering convenient measurements to change the habits that are not eco-friendly with those that are beneficial. The organization is enhancing the importance of litter-free streets and investing in a sustainable environment.

• Trip Share Edinburgh

This is a company that helps people find other people in the area that use their personal car to go to work or other places and encourages carpooling. This means that the number of cars in traffic is reduced and the level of pollution is decreased. The company also encourages renting bikes, walking on foot or sharing taxis.

• Walk It

Walk It is a map that gives you the shortest, fastest routes to your destination so that you can walk on foot. It tracks the journey time, the number of calories burnt until reaching the destination, a precise step counting feature and the quantity of carbon saved by walking.

Universities that teach sustainability in Scotland

Because Scotland encourages sustainability practices, the country’s universities are now promoting obtaining a sustainability degree. One good example of institutions that teach sustainability is represented by the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Dumfries, which offers students the chance to get their Environmental Science and Sustainability degree.

The modules at this school involve studying core environmental science, researching and discussing the global environmental issues that currently worry the world’s countries and understanding core Earth system science, absolutely paramount for making good choices in environmental moves. In the second year, students will learn what methods can be applied in environmental science, how farming systems can help a country become more sustainable and what options a country has when it comes to energy. In the third year, things get even more complex, as students will discuss the human impact on the Environment and applied ecology. During the final year, students will finish their studies in the environmental field, will complete their knowledge on environmental policy and management and will discuss future perspectives on the environment.