A pioneering partnership to tackle climate change has been created in the heart of Scotland’s central belt.
North Lanarkshire will be at the forefront of efforts to tackle the ongoing climate emergency through the creation of a partnership involving local schools, colleges, businesses, the local authority, the voluntary sector, Scottish Enterprise, NHS Lanarkshire and the emergency services to curb the region’s carbon emissions.
The ACT Now (Action on Climate Together) partnership comes ahead of the major global diplomatic Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow later this year.
The partnership will help local people, communities, schools, community and voluntary organisations and businesses mobilise their resources to reduce their carbon footprint. The initiative will provide practical guidance and support to help residents and organisations reduce their carbon emissions to help meet our North Lanarkshire goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2030. This will complement the action being taken by public bodies such as North Lanarkshire Council and NHS Lanarkshire to achieve net zero.
Des Murray, Chief Executive of North Lanarkshire Council said: “As a council, we must be at the forefront of driving and influencing a change in behaviour by reducing carbon emissions in the services we deliver, as well as through our duty to reduce emissions in our area. As we strive to recover from the health pandemic, we must focus on a sustainable, inclusive and green recovery – that will be top of our agenda through our Recover NL programme.
“We have already surpassed our 2022 target by reducing our carbon footprint by 34% over a four-year period. Crucially, this net-zero target is for the whole region of North Lanarkshire, which means it’s not just the council that needs to take action, we all do. That includes our housing, our businesses, our industries and the people who live here. And we need to change our behaviour quickly if we’re going to truly bring about any significant reduction in carbon emissions.
“By working with our partners, businesses and our communities, we can all achieve so much towards safeguarding the future of our wider environment, wildlife and the prosperity of our families and future generations. Now is the time to build a better and greener future.”
Maddy Halliday, CEO with Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire and ACT Now Lead Officer said: “We must be ambitious in our plans to tackle climate change and not wait until it is too late. Concerns about the future, carbon emissions, pollution, global warming and the misery these things can bring is very real and will affect everyone.
“Already we have seen the significant impact that climate change can have on our weather, our environment, our seas, oceans, agriculture and wildlife.
“We must work in partnership to support our residents, communities, voluntary and businesses organisations to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and to help stop the damage climate change is causing.
“This isn’t all about world leaders, politicians and big business – we all have a role to play as it is every one of us who will feel the consequences if serious action isn’t taken now.”
ACT Now North Lanarkshire have launched a new website – which will provide guidance and support for local people, business and organisations to get involved and improve our environment and reduce their carbon emissions and achieve net zero.