Education & Engagement

While elements of this area have been touched upon in the other thematic areas, due to the need for clear and coordinated communication to drive behaviour change and support with staff, elected members, students, residents and businesses, a separate Engagement Plan has been developed.

Education has been highlighted as a theme because it is important to recognise that Climate Change will impact disproportionately on the younger members of our society, and it is our duty to minimise the impact by acting now whilst preparing our children and young people for the challenges facing their generation and future ones. It is important that we ensure that our young people are climate literate as well as recognising and nurturing their interest in climate change by recognising their right to a voice and ensure their views are acted upon.

This is a high impact area; the UK’s Commission on Climate Change has identified that 59% of necessary emissions reductions require some element of behavioural change to be achieved. This will be especially important in achieving our transport, buildings and waste ambitions. Using schools as conduit for education can be especially powerful as often through what a child learns, it is possible to influence behaviour in their wider family.

An Engagement Plan is under development as a means of mapping engagement and stakeholders across a wide spectrum – this will be maintained ‘live’ and aim to be as comprehensive as possible. The Plan maintains a data base of stakeholder groups and individuals sorted by interest area and level of influence.


The Plan, amongst other things, collates a list of projects/activities linked to Engagement. For example: -

  • linking with the Corporate Events team to run ‘pop-up’ stalls at regular market type events to promote general climate change activity or specific action groups work;
  • developing in-house climate change training materials for Council staff and elected members;
  • developing climate change induction materials as part of the overall portfolio for new elected members;
  • developing climate change briefing materials or community councils;
  • linking with Community Planning Partnership to have climate change activity on the ongoing agenda;
  • continued support of the climate commission as it develops and engaging with residents and businesses as part of the Perth and Kinross Offer;
  • developing engagement plans for young people;
  • continuing to develop approaches for climate education in Learning for Sustainability;
  • reviewing and revising school operations.

A climate emergency has been declared internationally and recognised by both the UK and Scottish Governments. ​The key long-term target is to ensure Perth and Kinross is Net Zero by 2045 at the latest. To achieve this, the majority of action required must be underway by 2030.​

A key consideration in developing the Road Map is the duty placed on Councils by the UN Convention on Children’s Rights, this requires that children and young people are involved in the decisions that affect their lives and that children’s rights are always respected, protected and fulfilled by public authorities. Climate change is an issue that young people are particularly passionate about.

The main policy document related to this this is that Scotland’s “Vision 2030+ Report”. This provides a strategic plan and recommendations on how the Scottish Government will support Learning for Sustainability up to 2030. The main recommendations include: all learners should have an entitlement to Learning for Sustainability; every practitioner, school and education leader should demonstrate Learning for Sustainability in their practice; every school should have a “whole school approach” to Learning for Sustainability that is robust, demonstrable, evaluated and supported by leadership at all levels; and school buildings, grounds and policies should support Learning for Sustainability.

The following road map provides an overview of the actions which Perth & Kinross Council will undertake to increase Education and Engagement on climate change.​

PDF: Accessible version of Road Map
PDF: Accessible version of Road Map

One of the key challenges will be ensuring that there is consistent and coordinated messaging across all the communication channels and engagement tools. If messaging is overwhelming or contradictory it can put people off making changes.

Perth & Kinross Council already has many channels into our communities and businesses. It is necessary to capitalise on this existing engagement to convey climate messages to avoid multiple teams duplicating engagement.

Perth & Kinross Council has historically not been effective at reaching and engaging with children and younger people on environmental and planning topics. It will require meaningful engagement that is children and young people designed and envisioned to build on current effective communications platforms and approaches

The following Key Performance Indicators have been developed to enable progress and monitor climate action related to Education and Engagement. The KPI framework will be further developed during 2022.

Key Theme

Performance Indicator

Baseline Value

General

Views on Climate Change Webpage and Social Media channels

Indicator methodology and baseline under development – to be finalised in 2022

Community Groups

Number of community groups active on climate change related projects

Indicator methodology and baseline under development – to be finalised in 2022

Schools

% of schools with Eco School Status

124 schools registered under Eco-Schools programme; 36 Green Flag awards (2021)

Businesses

Number of businesses engaged with on climate matters

Indicator methodology and baseline under development – to be finalised in 2022

Contact Information

[email protected]