Pollokshields gets set for local climate action

With support from environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, the Pollokshields Trust has developed a bespoke Community Climate Action Plan, setting out how the local community can improve their environment and tackle the challenges we all face.

The collaborative plan sets out specific actions people can take in their area, to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, boost the local economy and make Pollokshields a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place to live.

It is designed to be updated regularly, can be contributed to by anybody in the community - and everybody can play a part in tackling climate change through the activities it sets out.

Bill Fraser of the Pollokshields Trust said: “Working with Keep Scotland Beautiful on our Community Climate Action Plan programme helped bring us as a community together, to think about how we can tackle climate change in Pollokshields.

"We’ve now created a plan and started the process of making Pollokshields a green and great place to live. The programme helped show us all that there are things that we are already doing, and that we can start taking action on, to make a difference. The best thing is that it’s achievable for everyone.”

Funding from The Scottish Government, as part of Scotland’s COP26 community engagement programme, has allowed Keep Scotland Beautiful to work on Community Climate Action Plans with seven communities including Pollokshields.

Keep Scotland Beautiful’s communities manager Katie O’Donnell said, “It has been inspiring to work with communities to provide support as they put plans in place to take real, meaningful climate action – the appetite for this is hopefully linked to increased awareness of the climate crisis following COP26.

"I’m delighted that the successful groups are working with us to help Scotland meet the ambition of becoming a Net Zero Nation and look forward to seeing each of them take their next steps to put their Community Climate Action Plan in place.

"I am also delighted to announce that, thanks to further funding from The Scottish Government, Keep Scotland Beautiful will be able to continue to support the communities for another year – until March 2023 - as they progress through their plans.”