Scotland
Scotland (Scots: Scotland, Scottish Gaelic: Alba [ˈal̪ˠapə] (listen)) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96-mile (154 km) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and the Irish Sea to the south. There are also more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Most of the population, including the capital Edinburgh, is concentrated in the Central Belt – the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands – in the Scottish Lowlands.
Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities, known as council areas. Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland being the largest in terms of area. Limited self-governing power, covering matters such as education, social services and roads and transportation, is devolved from the Scottish Government to each subdivision. Scotland is the second largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8.3% of the population in 2012.
Scotland community action
Sustainability initiatives
- Comrie Carbon Challenge
- Community Powerdown
- Eigg Island going green, (Wikipedia)
- Going Carbon Neutral Stirling, information from scotland.gov.uk
- Knoydart Foundation Powerdown
- Sustaining Dunbar
- Transition Linlithgow
- Transition Scotland
Local sustainability initiatives
Please see our Local communities in Scotland pages, where of course you can share any more information you may have about local sustainability initiatives.
Community involvement
Citizens' Assembly of Scotland, added 15:26, 27 September 2020 (UTC)
Action for Planning Transparency, a group made up of members of the public, based in the Highlands of Scotland - Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy in Scotland - Scottish Community Alliance - The Scottish Parliament, e-Petitioner
Climate action
- COP26 Coalition, a civil society coalition made of groups and individuals from a range of constituencies in Scotland and the rest of the UK, organising for climate justice around COP26. added 17:01, 21 December 2020 (UTC)
Scottish action on climate change - Scottish Communities Climate Action Network - Climate change information from the Scottish government - Stop Climate Chaos Scotland
Biodiversity
Scottish Wildlife Trust - Wikipedia: Fauna of Scotland, Nature conservation in Scotland
Community currencies activism
ScotPound, neweconomics.org
Community energy
Aberdeen Community Energy - Callander Community Hydro Project - Community Energy Scotland - Diturbinengwall Wind Co-op - Microgen Scotland - Spirit of Lanarkshire, wind energy co-operative.
Wikipedia: Renewable energy in Scotland, Wind power in Scotland, Gigha, Wind turbines
Cycling activism
Black Isle Bicycles - Cycling Scotland - The Bike Station, bicycle recycling and cycling promotion charity for Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth - Stirling Cycle Hub
Education for sustainability
Earthship Fife: Sustainable Communities Initiatives - Eco-Schools Scotland
Food activism
Dundee Urban Orchard - Nourish Scotland - Slow Food Perth - Scottish Crofting Federation - Soil Association Scotland
Ethical consumerism
Social inclusion
Fairer Scotland Scottish Government Blog - Fairer Fife
Scotland’s Outlook Scottish charities campaign to "shine a light on the scale and impact of the poverty crisis in our communities."
Sustainable transport activism
Paths for All - Transform Scotland, registered charity based in Edinburgh (charity number 041516). They campaign on issues regarding sustainable transport, encouraging improved transport policies and practice. The organisation is made up of 63 member groups, including those from the private, public and voluntary sectors. Transform Scotland works closely with their sister organisation in England and Wales, Campaign for Better Transport (CBT). - Traveline Scotland, plan any public transport journey within Scotland
Towards sustainable economies
Enough! added 13:17, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
Proposals to test basic income at the municipal level have lately (Oct 2017) gained considerable political support in Scotland. [1]
Basic Income Scotland - Citizen's Basic Income Network Scotland, charity campaigning for a Basic Income in Scotland
Trees, woodland and forest
- Alliance for Scotland's Rainforest, added 17:42, 1 March 2021 (UTC)
Reforesting Scotland is a membership organisation concerned with the ecological and social regeneration of Scotland. It aims to significantly increase the forested areas of the country.
Trees for Life is a registered charity working to rewild the Scottish Highlands.
The Caledonian Forest once covered a large area of the Highlands of Scotland as extensive stands of majestic Scots pine, interspersed with birch, rowan, juniper and aspen trees, but is now reduced to about 2% of its former extent. Through planting native species of trees, removing non-native species and fencing seedlings to protect them from overgrazing by deer and sheep, Trees for Life aims to help the natural regeneration of the forest. Its long-term goal is to create a fully restored, healthy ecosystem, with the reintroduction of missing species of wildlife, such as the beaver, wild boar, lynx and wolf.
The vast majority of its work is carried out by volunteers. By engaging people from diverse backgrounds, it aims to achieve a powerful and educational experience that will promote the work of restoration to wider audiences and lead to increased support for the return of the forest and its species.
Urban sustainability
- Midsteeple Quarter, added 16:44, 26 February 2021 (UTC)
Resources
see separate article: Resources Scotland
News and comment
See separate article: Scotland news
Events
2015
April 25 Pedal on Parliament
2014
May 17 Warming up for the Commonwealth Games at Lang Craigs, plant a tree in the Commonwealth Grove at Lang Craigs
March 8 - 14 St Andrews Green Week
Ecovillages
Findhorn Ecovillage is an experimental architectural community project based at The Park, in Moray, Scotland, near the village of Findhorn. The project's main aim is to demonstrate a sustainable development in environmental, social, and economic terms. Work began in the early 1980s under the auspices of the Findhorn Foundation but now includes a wide diversity of organisations and activities. Numerous different ecological techniques are in use, and the project has won a variety of awards, including the UN-Habitat Best Practice Designation in 1998.
A recent independent study concludes that the residents have the lowest ecological footprint of any community measured so far in the industrialised world and is also half of the UK average. Although the project has attracted some controversy, the growing profile of environmental issues such as climate change has led to a degree of mainstream acceptance of its ecological ethos.
Local communities in Scotland
See also
local information can be found, or shared, via our many UK location pages
UK Talk - UK Village pump CASwiki... Places - Topics - Resources - News / About - Join - Talk - Village pump / UK |
External links
- Wikipedia: Scotland, Sustainable development in Scotland
- Common Weal, 'think and do tank' campaigning for social and economic equality in Scotland