This conference discusses the Scottish Government's objective of achieving a net zero Scotland by 2045, considers the policy and funding commitments announced by the First Minister to support that objective and looks at the challenges and opportunities for core carbon-emitting organisations, sectors and services in responding to the Scottish Government's ambitions.
Prior to the emergence of coronavirus, climate change had forced its way to the front of the policy agenda. Scientific evidence, natural disasters and climate extremes regularly commanded news schedules and the Scottish Government responded with a series of initiatives announced in its Programme for Government. In addition, a number of major strategy deliberations have been clustered around the response to climate emergency and have given additional opportunity to conceive and deliver a concerted policy and spending response to the challenge. The advent of Coronavirus has not lessened the climate challenge.
The priority given to the challenge by the Scottish Government has been categorical. Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister, Scottish Government has said: "In the next 12 months, we will receive the recommendations of the Infrastructure Commission, publish a finalised transport strategy, complete our capital spending review, renew the national planning framework and publish an updated climate change plan. All that work is vital in ensuring that Scotland becomes a net zero emissions nation." Programme for Government debate, Scottish Parliament, 3rd September 2019.
The Infrastructure Commission report, the Scottish Government's Capital Spending Review, development of National Planning Framework 4, an updated Climate Change Plan, the new National Transport Strategy and the climate priorities of the Programme for Government 2019-20 together constitute an unprecedented chance to genuinely join-up policy, spending and implementation focussed on achieving net zero. So how do we take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that potential is turned into delivery?
Key Points
Director
Connected Places Catapult
Director
Stefano Smith Planning
Director
MacArthur Green
Co-founder and CEO
UrbanTide
Technical Director
Arcadis
Policy Manager
Smart Energy GB
Head of Content
Energy Saving Trust
Steve Turner
Director
Connected Places Catapult
Steve is Director for Devolved Authorities at the Connected Places Catapult. As a recognised leader in innovation and sustainability he has over 25 years of experience working in both the public and private sector. As Director at the Connected Places Catapult he works at the interface between local government and business, using his extensive knowledge and experience to help harness technology to deliver wider economic, social and environmental objectives. Prior to joining the Connected Places Catapult he was Digital Cities Leader for Arup where he delivered Smart City strategies for some of the largest developments in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, representing £billions of investment. As Head of Future Cities at Manchester City Council he set up Manchester’s widely admired Smart City innovation programmes, Triangulum and CityVerve securing over £50m of inward investment for the city, as well as establishing it as the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area.
Stefano Smith FRTPI
Director
Stefano Smith Planning
Stefano is a commercial and pragmatic development planner with a strong customer focus. Stefano has nearly 30 years of UK professional experience of managing multi-disciplinary teams within a planning, environmental, design and engineering consultancy.
He has extensive experience in providing development planning and project management services in the environment, infrastructure, energy, commercial, industrial, housing and mixed-use sectors. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute (FRTPI) with experience in statutory planning (including approvals & consents and expert witness), sustainability, regeneration, master planning & urban design, consultation & engagement strategies and tools & development economics. He is a seasoned practitioner in stakeholder engagement and the development of communication strategies, as well as the use of appraisal and assessment tools.
Stefano has successfully advised, negotiated, and delivered complex land development and infrastructure projects of ranging sizes. He has worked in both the private and public sectors, particularly pertaining to the principles and practice of the economics of urban regeneration, land development, sustainability, urban design, complex environmental assessment, and project management.
Kirsty MacArthur
Director
MacArthur Green
Kirsty is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the legal and contractual risks concerning MacArthur Green.
MacArthur Green is a carbon negative environmental consultancy, supporting the renewables sector with ecology, ornithology and peat advice. MacArthur Green is combatting climate change with our carbon negative business model. This type of business model is successful and MacArthur Green are supporting other businesses to adopt a similar approach so we can all get to net zero (and beyond) quicker.
A qualified solicitor, Kirsty specialised in environmental, planning and consenting matters in the renewables energy sector prior to joining MacArthur Green. Kirsty’s most recent career involved working as an Associate for international law firm Pinsent Masons LLP. During her time at Pinsent Masons, Kirsty was seconded to the ScottishPower Renewables legal team for one year. This experience provided Kirsty with a unique insight into the legal requirements of renewable energy developers, including work in relation to onshore and offshore wind, biomass and marine renewables. She provided legal advice in relation to the first tidal development in the world in the Sound of Islay for ScottishPower Renewables, and also in respect of a prototype wave development at EMEC.
Kirsty gained her Law degree in 2001 from Glasgow University, her Diploma in Law (Glasgow Graduate School of Law) in 2002 and qualified as a solicitor in 2004. During her career at Pinsent Masons, she was recognised an Associate to Watch in Environment by the Chambers and Partners Guide (2010 and 2011). She was noted as ‘exceptionally bright and enthusiastic’ in the same publication. Kirsty subsequently went on to gain a Diploma in Environmental Law and Management.
Stevie Revill
Co-founder and CEO
UrbanTide
I am passionate about unlocking the value of data to make a sustainable world.
To realise this I co-founded UrbanTide and created our uSmart AI Platform specifically to meet the growing urban challenges of the 21st-century. At UrbanTide we are proud to say that uSmart is currently helping to solve global challenges including
The motivation for UrbanTide came through working on improving mobility solutions with data and from 2012 through 2014 leading core elements of the multimillion pound OPEN Glasgow Programme including the City Technology Platform development to unlock Glasgow’s data and enable AI applications.
I also work to support organisations on their own journey providing advice including smart cities maturity modelling. I am UrbanTide’s lead trainer and have trained representatives from 200+ public sector organisations across the UK and Ireland on the better use of data and open data.
Teneille Humphris
Policy Manager
Smart Energy GB
Teneille works across all teams at Smart Energy GB to ensure everyone understands the technical and policy developments within the government’s broader programme.
She advises Smart Energy GB on the accuracy of claims they make in local and national communications activity, including TV and radio advertising, partnership marketing, and PR.
She joined the Public Affairs team at Smart Energy GB in 2015 to build and manage the company’s new correspondence unit before advancing to her current role in policy in 2018.
Teneille champions a collegial working environment, and has a background in history and philosophy of science. She has worked in New Zealand and the UK in academic, museum, and government positions.
Stuart Dainton
Head of Content
Energy Saving Trust
Stuart is passionate about addressing the climate emergency and leads the content team at Energy Saving Trust, being responsible for content on digital across social media channels, e-mail and website.
Stuart has a diverse background as a former Royal Air Force logistics and procurement officer, working across the globe in several countries and environments. He then transitioned into sustainability. He has worked across the waste industry, construction, communications and marketing and the natural environment, building knowledge and experience in roles from business development, head of partnerships, head of innovation, a head in a global conservation programme, and been a commercial director in an energy efficiency company.
He is now committed to helping to tell the story to enable millions of householders to make better energy choices with transformative energy programmes. Whilst also providing advice and support to businesses with energy efficiency strategies, research, and communications, enabling them to play their part in building a sustainable future.
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