IET: Culture shift needed to meet Scotland’s green commitments
A culture shift costing billions of pounds is required if Scotland is to meet its climate change obligations, policy makers will be told this week.
Despite substantial reforms to building standards, the built environment sector still accounts for more than 40 per cent of Scotland’s CO2 emissions and in 2008, transport accounted for 26 per cent of Scotland’s total greenhouse gas emissions
A Holyrood event, organised by the Engineering Policy Group Scotland (EPGS), which includes a number of professional organisations, including the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), will hear from industry experts.
James Anderson from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and Professor Iain Arbon from Engineered Solutions will share their knowledge with Scottish policy makers on what investment is needed, and how best the Scottish Government can assist some transport and built environment businesses to promote efficiency, new technologies and skills to enable Scotland to continue its journey towards a low carbon economy.
Derek Elder, EPGS Chair, said: “The built environment and transport sectors represent a major challenge to reducing emissions and ultimately moving towards a sustainable low carbon economy.
“The future will require a step change in attitude, behaviour and business practice to achieve the desired shift towards a low carbon economy with new models of cooperation between central government and industry central to this.”
The event will also include a question and answer session. The panel will comprise Professor Ian Arbon, Jim Anderson, Andrew Lee of the Carbon Trust, and Rhoda Grant MSP and John Wilson MSP.
The briefing takes place on Wednesday 19 September and will be chaired by Murdo Fraser MSP, Convener of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee in the Scottish Parliament.
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About the EPGS:
With a combined membership of 40,000 Scottish engineers and scientists, the EPGS acts as a two-way link between the professions and government in Scotland. It aims to proactively share knowledge and feedback into government thinking and raise matters of relevance with the government concerning all aspects of engineering.
The EPGS comprises senior members from across Scottish industry, academia and professional organisations. The leadership is provided by a core group consisting of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Institute of Physics Scotland (IOPS), the Institution of Engineers & Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS) and Semta.
Notes to editors:
§ Interview opportunities are available with IET spokespersons.
§ The IET is Europe’s largest professional body of engineers with over 150,000 members in 127 countries.
§ For more information, visit www.theiet.org.
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