Historic Scotland and Climate Change
Historic Scotland is part of the Scottish Government and is contributing to the government’s strategy to tackle climate change and reduce Scotland’s carbon footprint.
Historic Scotland aims to be recognised nationally and internationally as a world-class innovative institution at the forefront of making the historic built environment a key element in achieving emissions reduction targets, creating sustainable economic, social and environmental opportunities, and playing its part in the transfer to a low carbon economy.
Public Body Duties
Historic Scotland is supporting the Scottish Government with Scotland’s climate change target to reduce carbon emissions by 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
Charged with being an exemplar in the ‘Climate Change Public Bodies Duties’ (guidance to support public bodies in exercising their duties under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009), we are working on projects to mitigate
emissions from our own operations, adapt
our buildings and make our activities more sustainable
We will support the public and partners through advice and the publication of research on measures they can take to improve energy efficiency in their traditional buildings.’
Climate Change Action Plan 2012-2017
Our Climate Change Action Plan for 2012-17
provides details on how we are approaching projects with a focus on the future challenges facing the historic environment through climate change and how Historic Scotland will support the public and others in the heritage sector through this transition period.
Historic Scotland is responding to the challenge of climate change and is learning to understand and manage the impact of climate change on the historic environment.
- implementing a wide-range of adaptation projects to reduce the carbon emissions from our operations;
- recording, monitoring and researching the impacts and reporting our findings through publications, outreach events and conferences and our climate change blog and internet pages;
- implementing greener management practices at our sites and offices and in our day-to-day operations ,and measuring the impact of the commercial element of our business under the green tourism business scheme ;
- engaging with partners and stakeholders for a joined-up approach to slow down the onset of climate change impacts;
- providing guidance to the heritage sector and the public on a range of issues through our technical research (to prepare Scotland’s traditional buildings for climate change) by disseminating appropriate building repair techniques and energy efficiency advice.
Our Carbon Footprint
In our latest Sustainability Report
, we reported on an overall 18% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 16% reduction in total energy consumption, since 2008-9.