People in the Highlands urged to back Inverness Courier campaign to take simple measures to combat rising temperatures, as COP26 gets underway
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People across the Highlands are being urged to take simple measures to help the environment.
While COP26 takes place in Glasgow, Culloden and Ardesier councillor Trish Robertson, who heads Highland Council’s climate change working group, says rising temperatures are already having an impact on the way in which people live their daily lives.
More extreme weather patterns led to damage to infrastructure, disruption of vital services, and a shift in agricultural growing seasons.
Cllr Robertson, who is attending the COP26 conference on behalf of the council this week to find out what more we can do in the Highlands to combat impending environmental disaster, is asking everyone to make changes – including reducing reliance on cars.
Saying young people are leading the way with pushing for climate action, she said: “COP26 is here, and from this meeting we need to see a positive move from all the parties showing how we can come close to the target of reducing climate change to 1.5 degrees as set out in the Paris Agreement.
“The younger generation have demonstrated regularly in the Highlands, asking for the authorities to deal with climate change.
“Past months have increased the pressure and now many more are aware of the problem we, as a planet, face.
“It has been argued that governments need to do more and no one can argue against this.
“I admit to my own impatience at the pace of progress with so many issues to address. More charging points for electric vehicles, please – and yet the price of cars leaves this out of the reach of many in the Highlands.
“I drove the hydrogen car on Friday at the Inverness College UHI Low Carbon Day (see page 5), and although a brilliant design it’s cost is prohibitive.
“A simple practical design of a car would be more affordable and available sooner. This would put these cars within the reach of more people.”
She conceded she was becoming disillusioned with progress.
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