Climate conference takes place in Inverness
With the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 27) taking place this week, the Highlands had its very own climate conference.
The Royal Bank of Scotland hosted guests to the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness to hear from NatWest Group’s head of climate strategy implementation Dr Gary Kendall.
He provided an in-depth analysis of what has led the planet to the point it is at today, predictions for the future and information on what the NatWest group is doing to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
He said it is planning to at least half its climate impact of its financing by 2030. This means to stop investing in those industries that produce emissions and focus its investment on green energy.
Dr Kendall explained the difference between ‘mitigation’ and ‘adaptation’ as set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Mitigation is the things that are being done to make a change to the rising temperature, and adaptation is the changes that are going to need to be made in order to deal with the consequences of climate change, for example, flood protection.
He said: “Mitigation is to avoid the unmanageable and adaptation is managing the unavoidable.
“We’ve only got so much money for adaptation.
"The most suffering is going to be with the people and societies and the nation’s who have done the least to cause the problem.
“They have the lowest adaptive capacity and resilience and they are the most vulnerable to the changes.”
Also speaking at the conference were representatives of local businesses who are fore-runners in just transition policies in the area. Victoria Erasmus, owner of the Glen Mhor Hotel and the up-and-coming Uilebheist Distillery in Inverness, discussed how to address the topic of climate change with people in an engaging way, when anxiety is high about energy prices and emotive language such as ‘climate emergency’ is being used.
She said: “People are stressed, so it is about taking your staff along with you and helping their mental health.
"As a business leader we need to take responsibility for what we can do.”
Inverness Botanic Gardens facilities manager Ewan Mackintosh, alongside horticulture manager Gavin Skipper discussed their GROW Project which provides inclusive learning and work for adults with a learning disability.
Bryony Beck, destination development manager for Visit Inverness Loch Ness, highlighted the organisation’s sustainable tourism strategy.
