- 'This could be the holy grail to replace palm oil' - research team, BBC News (Sep 18, 2023)
- Orkney islands to trial electric ferries to cut carbon emissions, theguardian.com (Sep 11, 2023)
- The world’s first rewilding centre has opened in Scotland, positive.news (Apr 17, 2023)
- Edinburgh is a hotbed of community self-empowerment - with the Edinburgh Tool Library showing the way, The Daily Alternative (Mar 14, 2023)
Scotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba [ˈal̪ˠapə] ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland is the second-largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8% of the population in 2019. Scotland's only land border is a 96-mile (154-kilometre) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to the south. Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions and contains more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Most of the population, including the capital Edinburgh, is concentrated in the Central Belt—the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands—in the Scottish Lowlands.
The Kingdom of Scotland emerged in the 9th century, from the merging of the Gaelic Kingdom of Dál Riata and the Kingdom of the Picts, and continued to exist as an independent sovereign state until 1707. In 1603, James VI inherited England and Ireland, forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain, with the Parliament of Scotland subsumed into the Parliament of Great Britain. In 1999, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister. Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 members of parliament (MPs). Scotland is a member of the British–Irish Council, the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Heads of Government Council.
This page is the beginnings of a portal for Scotland community action. It focuses mainly on Scotland community action topics. Separate pages cover Resources Scotland, and Scotland news
Scotland topic articles[edit | edit source]
Networks and sustainability initiatives[edit | edit source]
- Comrie Carbon Challenge
- Community Powerdown
- Eigg Island going green, (Wikipedia)
- Going Carbon Neutral Stirling, information from scotland.gov.uk
- Knoydart Foundation Powerdown
- Sustaining Dunbar
- Transition Linlithgow
- Transition Scotland
Ecovillages[edit | edit source]
Findhorn Ecovillage is an experimental architectural community project based at The Park, in Moray, Scotland, near the village of Findhorn. The project's main aim is to demonstrate a sustainable development in environmental, social, and economic terms. Work began in the early 1980s under the auspices of the Findhorn Foundation but now includes a wide diversity of organisations and activities. Numerous different ecological techniques are in use, and the project has won a variety of awards, including the UN-Habitat Best Practice Designation in 1998.
An independent study concludes that the residents have the lowest ecological footprint of any community measured so far in the industrialised world and is also half of the UK average. Although the project has attracted some controversy, the growing profile of environmental issues such as climate change has led to a degree of mainstream acceptance of its ecological ethos.
Community resources[edit | edit source]
- communitylandscotland.org.uk, added 16:55, 6 July 2021 (UTC)
Climate action[edit | edit source]
- COP26 Coalition, a civil society coalition made of groups and individuals from a range of constituencies in Scotland and the rest of the UK, organising for climate justice around COP26. added 17:01, 21 December 2020 (UTC)
- Scottish Communities Climate Action Network, Member's network, scottishcommunitiescan.org.uk
- Fife Communities CAN, Climate Action Network, added 16:27, 16 August 2022 (UTC)
- Scottish action on climate change
- Climate change information from the Scottish government
- Stop Climate Chaos Scotland
see also: List of climate assemblies, Scotland
Community involvement[edit | edit source]
- Generations Working Together, "nationally recognised centre of excellence supporting the development and integration of intergenerational work across Scotland." added 15:44, 4 March 2021 (UTC)
- Citizens' Assembly of Scotland, added 15:26, 27 September 2020 (UTC)
- Action for Planning Transparency, a group made up of members of the public, based in the Highlands of Scotland - Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy in Scotland
- Scottish Community Alliance *The Scottish Parliament, e-Petitioner
Community currencies activism[edit | edit source]
ScotPound, neweconomics.org
Community energy[edit | edit source]
Aberdeen Community Energy - Callander Community Hydro Project - Community Energy Scotland - Diturbinengwall Wind Co-op - Microgen Scotland - Spirit of Lanarkshire, wind energy co-operative.
Wikipedia: Renewable energy in Scotland, Wind power in Scotland, Gigha, Wind turbines
Cycling activism[edit | edit source]
Black Isle Bicycles - Cycling Scotland - The Bike Station, bicycle recycling and cycling promotion charity for Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth - Stirling Cycle Hub
Education for sustainability[edit | edit source]
Earthship Fife: Sustainable Communities Initiatives - Eco-Schools Scotland
Food activism[edit | edit source]
- GetGrowing Scotland, "brought to you by the Community Growing Forum Scotland, a group of grassroots projects and support organisations sharing information, inspiration, and expertise from communities and partners across Scotland." added 17:34, 22 November 2021 (UTC)
Dundee Urban Orchard - Nourish Scotland - Slow Food Perth - Scottish Crofting Federation - Soil Association Scotland
Ethical consumerism[edit | edit source]
Land reform[edit | edit source]
- Community Land Scotland, added 12:41, 25 October 2022 (UTC)
In the 21st century, land reform in Scotland has focused on the abolition and modernisation of Scotland's antiquated feudal land tenure system, security of tenure for crofters and decentralisation of Scotland's highly concentrated private land ownership. Scotland's land reform is distinct from other contemporary land reforms in its focus on community land ownership, with the Land Reform (Scotland) Acts of 2003 and 2016 establishing the Community Right to Buy, allowing rural and urban communities first right of refusal to purchase local land when it comes up for sale. Crofting communities are granted a similar Right to Buy though they do not require a willing seller to buy out local crofting land. Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016, Scottish ministers can grant a compulsory sale order for vacant or derelict private land or land which, if owned by the local community, could further sustainable development.
- Land reform policy information from gov.scot, added 18:16, 20 February 2022 (UTC)
- Scottish Land Commission, added 15:51, 17 February 2022 (UTC)
Social inclusion[edit | edit source]
Fairer Scotland Scottish Government Blog - Fairer Fife
Scotland's Outlook Scottish charities campaign to "shine a light on the scale and impact of the poverty crisis in our communities."
Sustainable transport activism[edit | edit source]
Paths for All - Transform Scotland, registered charity based in Edinburgh (charity number 041516). They campaign on issues regarding sustainable transport, encouraging improved transport policies and practice. The organisation is made up of 63 member groups, including those from the private, public and voluntary sectors. Transform Scotland works closely with their sister organisation in England and Wales, Campaign for Better Transport (CBT). - Traveline Scotland, plan any public transport journey within Scotland
Towards sustainable economies[edit | edit source]
- Community Wealth Building, north-ayrshire.gov.uk, "the first Community Wealth Building Council in Scotland", added 16:00, 13 October 2021 (UTC)
- Enough! added 13:17, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
Proposals to test basic income at the municipal level have lately (Oct 2017) gained considerable political support in Scotland.[1]
Basic Income Scotland - Citizen's Basic Income Network Scotland, charity campaigning for a Basic Income in Scotland
Urban sustainability[edit | edit source]
- Midsteeple Quarter, added 16:44, 26 February 2021 (UTC)
Near you[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Wikipedia: Scotland, Sustainable development in Scotland
- Common Weal, 'think and do tank' campaigning for social and economic equality in Scotland