Scottish council election candidates urged to prioritise climate change

Prioritising transport and waste management should be the priority of the upcoming council elections to tackle climate change, environmental activists have said.

Friends of the Earth Scotland said the May 5 elections will be “significant” in averting climate breakdown.

The campaign organisation is urging political parties to back a string of environmental policies to help to tackle the issue.

The activists said that powers held at local government level make councils pivotal when it comes to tackling and building on the legacy of Cop26 – the UN climate conference held in Glasgow last year.

Policies such as setting up publicly owned bus companies are being encouraged since transport makes up a third of carbon emissions in Scotland, according to the group.

Local authorities are also urged to utilise active travel funding.

The Scottish Government provided local authorities with funding to prioritise cycling, walking and safer routes.

The funding goes directly to councils and has been increased from £24 million to £35 million for 2022/23.

Friends of the Earth Scotland said local authorities must play their part in reducing the carbon impact of household waste as the group estimates Scotland burns almost as much of its household waste as it sends to landfill.

The environmental organisation said Scotland has one of the poorest recycling rates in the UK, falling to 42% between 2019 and 2020.

Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “These elections are being contested against the backdrop of a climate and nature emergency.

“Many of the powers to drive action on the climate crisis sit with local councils, which is why this vote matters so much.

“Councillors must put people and the planet at the head of all the decisions they make.

“This means making it easier and more affordable to take public transport by running services in the interest of passengers rather than shareholders, helping people to reduce and recycle their waste, and planning for the vital phase-out of incineration.”

She encouraged voters to talk to their local candidates to build pressure for climate action.

She added: “Over the coming weeks, people can get in touch with candidates to hear what they have to say on these climate-critical issues and build pressure for ambition and urgency at the local level during the next five years.”

The environmental group has also issued a programme of policies on climate action which they want political parties to champion.