Scotland’s Climate Week – Climate conversations helping to shape Renfrewshire’s path to net zero

National and local partners have joined communities for a series of conversations which are helping to shape Renfrewshire’s path to net zero.

Key local, regional and national stakeholders joined Renfrewshire Council to scope out the actions that will support the area’s efforts towards becoming net zero by 2030, while also identifying the mutual challenges and problems that are preventing a quicker transition towards their shared goals.

A total of 57 organisations, including SP Energy Networks, Scottish Water, Transport Scotland and all Glasgow City Region local authorities, attended the workshop hosted by the council as high-level projects from across a range of sectors were discussed and held up as best practice for other organisations to follow – including the district heating network which supplies the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) based in Renfrewshire.

Partners also identified the value in collaboration, with skills, projects and solutions to be shared, as they put forward their commitment to supporting the council’s RenZero campaign and the delivery of its Plan for Net Zero.

Stuart Walker, Net Zero Manager at SP Energy Networks, said: “Achieving our climate targets is a hugely complex undertaking that involves the full spectrum of society. Working in partnership allows all stakeholders to understand and support each other and use our combined energies, resources and knowledge to deliver projects that will make a meaningful impact on climate change.

“The desire to deliver on our climate challenges collectively is so encouraging, with everyone involved at all levels of our organisations being willing to think out the box and even change policies and processes to ensure projects are delivered and targets are met.

“These next decades of collaborative partnership working will go down in history as a testament to what can be achieved when we are collectively motivated and mobilised, ideally with Scotland at the forefront.”

The partner event followed a community event earlier in the year that allowed community voices to be heard and identified the priorities of local people for their local areas in relation to climate change.

The priorities highlighted by local people included improved public transport, easier access to active travel methods, protecting green spaces and enhancing nature, improving energy efficiency to make it affordable, empowering communities in the decision-making process, and reducing and redistributing food waste.

Councillor Jim Paterson, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Planning and Climate Change Board said: “Collaboration is absolutely key to success when it comes to working towards becoming net zero in Renfrewshire.

“We know that as a council we cannot do it alone, with research showing we only contribute approximately 2.5% of Renfrewshire’s emissions, so conversations and partnerships with communities, partners and businesses is the only way to make true progress with our RenZero campaign.

“I’m delighted to see so many organisations, both local and national, come together to share their ideas and best practice with us and, with this week being Scotland’s Climate Week, it’s great to review the tremendous work ongoing in Renfrewshire and outline the firm commitment we have to reach this important goal.”

The council has already set out Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero, which focuses on five key themes of clean energy, sustainable transport, circular economy, connected communities and resilient place, and will play a leadership role by striving to become a net zero organisation while working closely with businesses, partners, and stakeholders to make radical, but essential, changes.

The feedback from each of the climate conversations will form the basis of the council’s road map to delivering the changes required within the plan as the area works towards to become net zero by 2030.

For more information, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/climatechange.

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