w w w . s c o t l a n d . g o v . u k

9 780755 948512

ISBN 0-7559-4851-3

15© Crown copyright 2005

This document is also available on the Scottish Executive website: www.scotland.gov.uk

Astron B43460 12/05

Further copies are available fromBlackwell's Bookshop53 South BridgeEdinburghEH1 1YS

Telephone orders and enquiries0131 622 8283 or 0131 622 8258

Fax orders0131 557 8149

Email ordersbusiness.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

SCOTLAND’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGYCHOOSING OUR FUTUREThis document is available in alternative formats on request.

SCOTLAND’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGYCHOOSING OUR FUTURE

Scottish Executive, Edinburgh 2005

© Crown copyright 2005

ISBN: 0-7559-4851-3

Scottish ExecutiveSt Andrew’s HouseEdinburghEH1 3DG

Produced for the Scottish Executive by Astron B43460 12/05

Published by the Scottish Executive, December, 2005

Further copies are available fromBlackwell's Bookshop53 South BridgeEdinburghEH1 1YS

100% of this document is printed on recycled paper and 100% is recyclable

CONTENTS

Foreword 05

01: Building a sustainable future: a new strategy for Scotland 06

02: Why this matters: the context for sustainable development 10

03: Building a strong, sustainable economy 14

04: Making the links: travel 18

05: The well-being of Scotland’s people 22

06: Making the links: food 28

07: Supporting thriving communities 32

08: Making the links: environmental justice 40

09: Protecting Scotland’s natural heritage and resources 44

10: Making the links: waste 50

11: Scotland’s global contribution 54

12: Making the links: built environment 60

13: Learning to make Scotland sustainable 66

14: Making it happen 72

15: What the public sector will do 80

16: Working together for a sustainable future 84

Making the links: what individuals/households 88in Scotland can do

Making the links: what businesses in Scotland can do 89

Making the links: what the community and 90voluntary sectors can do

2/3

Images do not necessarily depict the case studies to which they are adjacent.

4/5

FOREWORDSustainable development is a concept easy to subscribeto, harder to put into practice. What matters is the changeto culture, policy and action that results from a strategy –and this one is designed to deliver such change.

Few words are required to state our commitment. As theFirst Minister and Deputy First Minister of Scotland, weare determined to lead a government which is an exemplarof sustainability. We have made progress already but haveno doubts that there will be many more hard choicesbalancing the social and economic with the environmental.Scotland bears the scars of decisions taken in the past –but we are determined to stay the course and bring aboutthe long-term changes in the way we govern, so thatScotland sets an example to the world.

Jack McConnell MSPFirst Minister

Nicol Stephen MSP Deputy First Minister

Europe by day

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: A NEW STRATEGY FOR SCOTLAND

1

6/7

1.1 Scotland is committed to building a sustainablefuture. Individuals, businesses, local authoritiesand communities are taking action to change theway we use resources, plan and develop services, andseize the economic opportunities that sustainabledevelopment presents. Policies and programmesare in place to drive change in key areas:transforming the way we deal with our waste,capitalising on Scotland’s sources of renewableenergy and taking action on climate change.

1.2 We have to build, fast, on that progress andmomentum if Scotland is to make the radicalchanges that are now urgently required.

1.3 This is a priority that is shared across the UK andthe international community. Scotland signed upto a new UK shared framework for sustainabledevelopment, One future – different paths1,in March this year. The framework sets out a commongoal for sustainable development across the UK:

“to enable all people throughout the world tosatisfy their basic needs and enjoy a betterquality of life without compromising thequality of life of future generations”

and a powerful new set of principles that will helpus to achieve it and which underpin the approachthat we are adopting in Scotland (see below).

1.4 This strategy sets out the measures that we willtake in Scotland to turn the framework into action.

WE HAVE TO BUILD, FAST, ON THAT

PROGRESS AND MOMENTUM IF SCOTLAND

IS TO MAKE THE RADICAL CHANGES THAT

ARE NOW URGENTLY REQUIRED

Europe at night

S C O T L AN D ’S G L O B AL

C ONTRI B UTIO N

THE WELL-BEING OF SC O T L AN D ’ S

PEOPLE

SUPPO R TING THRIVING C OMMUNITIE S

P R O TECTIN G S C O T L AN D ’ S N A TU R A L HERI T A GE AN D RESOU R CE S

T C A P A C I Y B U I L D I N G

S K I L L S

E D U

C A

T I O

N

P U B L I

C S E C T O R I N D I V I D U A L S

C O M M U N I T Y A N D V

O L U N

T A R Y

S E C

T O

R S

WHY THIS MATTERS THE CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

LEARNING

MAKING IT HAPPEN GOVERNANCE AND DELIVERY

BUISINESS

8/9

1.5 The UK framework challenges governments to “promote a clear understanding of andcommitment to sustainable development so that allpeople can contribute to the overall goal throughtheir individual decisions”. This strategy for Scotlandhas been prepared with that challenge in mind:

• The document sets out at a high level what weare trying to achieve in Scotland.

• It provides the strategic framework for a numberof the Executive’s new and emerging strategieson climate change, transport, renewable energy,energy efficiency, green jobs and biodiversity. Itdoes not attempt to replicate the detail ofthose programmes.

• Each section sets out the outcomes that we are working towards: what difference new andexisting programmes and investment will make.

• It looks at these issues from different perspectives:from a focus on the health and well-being ofindividuals in Scotland through to thesustainability of the planet, with learning to livemore sustainably a theme which runs acrossthem all. This is illustrated in the facing diagram.

• Some key issues – travel, food, waste and the built environment – are considered in the round, to help illustrate the connectionsbetween both problems and solutions.

• It sets out the contribution that people in Scotlandcan make, whether individually or collectively.

1.6 The strategy also draws out the connections betweenissues, making the links between problems thatare often presented as disparate and disconnected.The strategy explores for example:

• the social and environmental consequences ofour purchasing choices and use of resources

• the interaction between people and theenvironment we live in

• the human consequences of global environmentalchallenges such as climate change.

1.7 Making the links can be an effective stimulus toaction, encouraging us to spot solutions anddeliver creative new approaches. It is a moreefficient way of taking action, pooling resourcesin the pursuit of common goals. And it can helpus to build new partnerships and alliances withother businesses, groups or individuals who havesimilar objectives. The strategy includes examplesof people in Scotland taking action in this wayand of the links that are being made. We hopethese will inspire others to follow suit.

LIVING WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITSRespecting the limits of the planet’s environment,resources and biodiversity – to improve ourenvironment and ensure that the natural resourcesneeded for life are unimpaired and remain so forfuture generations

ENSURING A STRONG, HEALTHYAND JUST SOCIETYMeeting the diverse needs of all people in existingand future communities, promoting personalwell-being, social cohesion and inclusion, andcreating equal opportunity for all

ACHIEVING A SUSTAINABLEECONOMYBuilding a strong, stable and sustainableeconomy which provides prosperity andopportunities for all, and in whichenvironmental and social costs fall onthose who impose them (Polluter Pays)and efficient resource use is incentivised

PROMOTING GOODGOVERNANCEActively promoting effective, participativesystems of governance in all levels ofsociety – engaging people’s creativity,

energy and diversity

USING SOUND SCIENCERESPONSIBLYEnsuring policy is developed andimplemented on the basis of strong scientificevidence, whilst taking into account scientificuncertainty (through the PrecautionaryPrinciple) as well as public attitudes andvalues

UK SHARED FRAMEWORK: PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

WHY THIS MATTERS:THE CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

2

WIDESPREAD FLOODING DEVASTATED SEVERAL

CENTRAL EUROPEAN CITIES IN 2002 WHILE AN

UNPRECEDENTED HEAT WAVE LED TO

OVER 20,000 ADDITIONAL DEATHS IN

2003. SCOTLAND IS STARTING TO

EXPERIENCE MORE FREQUENT EXTREME

WEATHER EVENTS, AND STORMS AND

FLOODING ARE PROJECTED TO BECOME

MORE FREQUENT IN FUTURE DECADES

10/11

2.1 At the start of the 21st century countries acrossthe world are facing up to the global threat ofunsustainable development, causing damage to such an extent that the planet cannot sustainhuman life, leading to a world where futuregenerations would no longer have the resourcesto meet their needs.

2.2 This is no longer a distant threat: it is happeningnow. Unsustainable development across the worldis changing habitats and climates, overexploitingresources and creating pollution. If current patternscontinue, damage to the natural world willaccelerate, not diminish.

2.3 These changes cannot be seen as ‘just’ anenvironmental problem. We can already see thedramatic human consequences of changes in theglobal environment. Extreme weather patternscaused by climate change are linked to increasedcycles of drought across Africa, triggering deepeningfood shortages and exacerbating hunger. Widespreadflooding devastated several central European citiesin 2002 while an unprecedented heat wave led toover 20,000 additional deaths in 2003. Scotlandis starting to experience more frequent extremeweather events, and storms and flooding are projectedto become more frequent in future decades.

Deforestation in Brazil

2.4 Facing up to these challenges means changingthe way that we live and develop: as individuals,as a nation and as part of a global society. In anincreasingly global economy, we rely on importsof food, raw materials and manufactured goodsfrom and exports to many nations. That challengesus to consider the impact of the resources thatwe are consuming.

2.5 One way of measuring this is our ecologicalfootprint, an estimate of the land and sea areaneeded to provide all the energy, water, transport,food and materials that we consume. In 2001,the average Scot had an ecological footprint 2.4times the global average2. If everyone on Earthlived the same way, it is estimated that threeplanets would be needed to sustain us. A keyobjective for this strategy must be to reduce thesize of that global footprint.

2.6 These priorities for Scotland and across the UKare our response to these challenges:

• Sustainable consumption and production:achieving more with less. This includes reducingthe inefficient use of resources, looking at theimpact of products and materials across theirwhole lifecycle and encouraging people tothink about the social and environmentalconsequences of their purchasing choices.

• Climate change and energy: securing a profoundchange in the way we generate and use energy,and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Natural resource protection andenvironmental enhancement: protectingour natural resources, building a betterunderstanding of environmental limits, andimproving the quality of the environment.

• Sustainable communities: creatingcommunities that embody the principles of sustainable development locally.

IF EVERYONE ON EARTH LIVED THE

SAME WAY, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THREE

PLANETS WOULD BE NEEDED TO SUSTAIN

US. A KEY OBJECTIVE FOR THIS STRATEGY

MUST BE TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THAT

GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

12/13

2.7 We will achieve these changes in Scotland only bylearning and embracing new approaches to theway that we go about things, whether that is asindividuals, businesses, communities or government.We must all learn to:

• respect the limits of the planet’s environment,resources and biodiversity

• use resources as efficiently as possible – includingreducing the need for them in the first place

• get much better at thinking about the long-termconsequences of our actions – and their globalas well as the national and local consequences

• develop a much more integrated approach totackling problems and identifying solutions.

2.8 Sustainable development presents us with aframework for thinking about the future: the kindof world we want to live in and the legacy we wantto leave behind for future generations. The actionswe are taking are driven by a vision of the futurewe want to build, a Scotland that:

• is a leader in green enterprise

• has transformed its approach to waste,reducing our dependency on landfill

• is maximising the potential of our renewableenergy sources

• has a vibrant, low-carbon economy

• provides a quality environment for all.

2.9 This future is within reach. We can all play a partin making it happen.

BUILDING A STRONG,SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY3

14/15

3.1 We are committed to pursuing the goal ofsustainable development in an integrated way,through a sustainable, innovative and productiveeconomy that delivers high levels of employment,and a just society that promotes social inclusion,sustainable communities and personal well-being.This will be done in ways that protect and enhancethe physical and natural environment, and useresources and energy as efficiently as possible.

3.2 The chapters that follow describe the future weare building: improving the well-being of peoplein Scotland, supporting Scotland’s thrivingcommunities, protecting our natural resourcesfor the long term, and making a fair globalcontribution. A strong, sustainable economy has a key role to play in securing this future.

3.3 The Framework for Economic Development in Scotland(FEDS)3 articulates a clear vision – to raise the qualityof life of the Scottish people, through increasingeconomic opportunities for all on a socially andenvironmentally sustainable basis. These prioritiesare reflected in our strategy for the EnterpriseNetworks, A Smart, Successful Scotland4.

ECONOMIC GROWTH IS OUR TOP

PRIORITY – BUT NOT AT ANY COST. WE

MUST RECOGNISE THAT ECONOMIC

GROWTH AND THE PROTECTION OF

OUR WORLD FOR THE FUTURE GO

HAND IN HAND. THE CHALLENGE IS TO

MAKE ECONOMIC GROWTH

SUSTAINABLE, BREAKING THE LINK

WITH ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE

The British Isles

3.4 This economic framework is complemented by the Executive’s commitment to Closing theOpportunity Gap. The six objectives of Closingthe Opportunity Gap5 will tackle poverty anddisadvantage, including action to increase thechances of sustained employment for thevulnerable and disadvantaged; to improve theconfidence and skills of the most disadvantagedchildren and young people; and to increase therate of improvement of the health status ofpeople living in the most deprived communities.

3.5 Economic growth is our top priority – but not at any cost. We must recognise that economicgrowth and the protection of our world for thefuture go hand in hand. The challenge is to makeeconomic growth sustainable, breaking the linkwith environmental damage. To achieve this weneed to make dramatic improvements in businessresource efficiency, to seize the economicopportunities that sustainable developmentrepresents and to become more mindful asbusinesses and consumers of the social andenvironmental consequences of the way we liveour lives.

3.6 The actions in this strategy reinforce the approachset out in FEDS and will help us deliver sustainableeconomic development in Scotland: improvingtransport, investing in infrastructure, regeneratingcommunities, protecting our natural resources andreleasing the skills and creativity of Scotland’s people.

3.7 Our vision is of a vibrant, low-carbon economywith Scotland a leader in green enterprise. Inexploiting business opportunities, we want tofocus on innovation and high value activity. Byimproving resource efficiency, we can competemore effectively in global markets. The recentlypublished Going for green growth: a green jobsstrategy for Scotland6 highlights the wealth ofbusiness and employment opportunities arisingfrom the shift towards a sustainable future andthe potential in sectors like waste management,recycling and renewable energy.

3.8 It also highlights how companies of all types and sizescan improve their productivity and competitivenessby using resources more efficiently. Improvingproductivity through smarter use of resources,whether water, energy, or raw materials, can helpincrease the competitiveness of Scottish businesses,safeguarding jobs and providing a basis forfurther job creation.

CASE STUDYKilmarnock Company gives offgood vibes for the environment

Kilmarnock-based Dana GlacierVandervell Bearings (DGVB)manufactures aluminium and bronzebimetallic materials for bearingcomponents.

DGVB, which employs around 500 atits Kilmarnock site, won a nationalVision in Business for the Environment(VIBES) award in December 2004 inthe large company category. Throughimproved environmental measuresthe company has cut copper and leademissions to air by more than 50 percent, saving £43,000 in 2003 alone.The reduction in material usageproduced further savings of £26,000.

The closure plan of an oil-fired powerplant on site reduced oil usage by49% between 2002-2004. Lead

emissions to water also decreased by44% over this same period. Energywas reduced and material utilisationimproved through revising andoptimising working procedures.

DGVB has a specific environmentalpolicy which is displayed on the intranetsite and company website and alsohas a designated ‘EnvironmentalChampion’. Company representativesdiscuss and highlight the policy withtheir customers on a one-to-onebasis. Furthermore, all suppliers areaudited and complete an assessmentof environmental matters.

www.vibes.org.uk

Image left: Ocean Power Delivery Ltd

16/17

3.9 There is huge scope for improvement inScotland. An estimated £1.3 billion is lost to theScottish economy every year through energywastage. In addition, the unproductive use ofresources costs the manufacturing sector inScotland around £300 million every year, whichcould be reduced by waste minimisation.

3.10 Becoming more energy efficient is a majorpriority for Scotland, for both economic andenvironmental reasons. Energy efficiencymeasures are expected to contribute half of theUK’s objective of a 60% reduction in carbondioxide emissions by 2050. Energy efficiency hasa key role to play in our approach to the problemof climate change – possibly the biggest long-termthreat facing businesses in Scotland.

3.11 The business case for sustainability is simple.Smarter use of resources does not just makegood economic sense; it is absolutely essentialfor our long-term survival.

MAKING THE LINKS: TRAVEL4

18/19

4.1 Being able to travel – to see people, to get towork, to explore our world – is vital to our senseof well-being. More sustainable travel choicessuch as cycling and walking bring major health aswell as environmental benefits. Good transportlinks help places to function and communitiesto thrive. But transport also puts pressure on ournatural resources – land, air quality and especiallyenergy, mainly fossil fuels – and makes a significantcontribution to our global environmental impact:it accounts for some 28% of our energy use and27% of our net greenhouse gas emissions7.

KEY ISSUES4.2 Transport is an area where the challenges of

sustainable development are particularly acute.Business and commerce rely on transport to growour economy: without freight transport no goodswould get to market or to consumers; withoutthe ability for people to travel to their work, wecould not do business and create jobs; and withoutinternational aviation business and tourism wouldsuffer. But transport has significant social, economicand environmental downsides too. For example,road traffic can be hazardous to health (in termsof accidents and poorer local air quality) andunrestricted increases in car use will lead to increasedcongestion, stifling economic growth in our cities.

4.3 These challenges have become more acute inrecent years. The amount that people in Scotlandtravel per year is increasing – figures for averagemiles travelled in 2002-03 are 43% higher thanfigures for 1985-868. In particular, the car is thedominant mode of travel and use of the car issteadily going up – road traffic has grown by 19% over the last 10 years.

BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL – TO SEE PEOPLE, TO

GET TO WORK, TO EXPLORE OUR WORLD – IS

VITAL TO OUR SENSE OF WELL-BEING. MORE

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL CHOICES SUCH AS

CYCLING AND WALKING BRING MAJOR

HEALTH AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL

BENEFITS. GOOD TRANSPORT LINKS

HELP PLACES TO FUNCTION AND

COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE

Outside Waverley Station, Edinburgh

4.4 Aviation has seen large increases of some 91% in 10 years9. Although aviation brings manyeconomic benefits to Scotland it is also a majorenvironmental issue because of greenhouse gasemissions. Subject to specific concerns beingaddressed regarding lifeline air services in theHighlands and Islands, the Executive supports the UK Government in seeking the inclusion ofthe aviation sector, which accounts for a modestbut growing proportion of greenhouse gasemissions, in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

4.5 Historically economic growth has beenaccompanied by traffic growth but we need tobreak that link. We wish to support people inmaking the choice to use public transport, walkor cycle, knowing that these are healthier, safer,more sustainable modes of travel. The ScottishExecutive has an aspiration to stabilise road trafficlevels at 2001 levels by 2021. That is why we aremaking record investment in public transport andother initiatives to promote more sustainablealternatives to single-occupancy car use. This willimprove safety, reduce pollution and congestion,and free up the roads for essential economic activity.

4.6 One of the key challenges for the Executive’s newNational Transport Strategy will be how to supportScotland’s long-term economic growth whiletaking full account of, and reducing whereverpossible, environmental impacts. The Strategywill set out a long-term vision for transport; ourfive key objectives for transport (economy,environment, social inclusion, safety and integration);drivers for change; and principles by which we willproceed. It is also likely to include a range of plans,policies and actions to deliver our objectives andindicators to allow us to monitor the effectivenessof the strategy, covering issues such as:

• how we might reduce the need for travel – forexample by making links with planning policiesand promoting the uptake of alternatives suchas home working

• how we might encourage more sustainable modesof travel – by making the choice to use publictransport easier through better infrastructureand services, integrated ticketing, betterpassenger information, and improved safetyand security, and by encouraging more cyclingand walking with attendant health benefits

• the need for demand management measures tomake modal shift away from single occupancycar use a reality.

CASE STUDYEdinburgh CityCarClub

Edinburgh CityCarClub is the largest inBritain, operated by Smart Moves withthe support of the City of EdinburghCouncil. It offers an alternative totraditional car ownership throughpay-as-you-drive car hire. Membershave local access to a car when theyneed one and only pay for the time itis in use and the miles driven. Cars areparked in reserved parking spaces, closeto homes or workplaces and can bebooked on-line or by telephone. Allvehicles are serviced and maintainedby the club, which means membersdon’t have the expense or bother ofdealing with servicing, repairs, insurance,MOTs, road tax and cleaning.

CityCarClub provides a hassle-freealternative to traditional car ownership.It suits people with a variety oftransport needs, from those livingwithin 10 minutes’ walk from a bayto those only needing a car on odddays. By only paying for the time theyuse the cars, members save moneyand help reduce the number of carson the road. CityCarClub citesresearch showing that each car in acar club typically replaces five privatelyowned vehicles. Fewer cars = lesscongestion and also quieter, cleaner,safer streets.

20/21

4.7 Similar concerns will be reflected in the regionaltransport strategies to be developed by regionaltransport partnerships, which will be required to cover:

• how to meet the need for efficient transportlinks between heavily populated places

• how transport will be provided, developed,improved and operated to enhance social andeconomic well-being

• the promotion of public safety, including roadsafety and the safety of users of public transport

• the principles of sustainable development, andhow to conserve and enhance the environment

• the promotion of social inclusion

• the encouragement of equal opportunities

• the facilitation of access to hospitals, clinics,surgeries and other places where a healthservice is provided

• integration with transport elsewhere.

ACTIONS FOR THE FUTURE4.8 The Scottish Executive will:

• Develop a new National Transport Strategy tobe published by the middle of 2006, which willset out its key objectives of economic growth,social inclusion, protection of the environmentand health, integration and safety, and themeasures which will be taken to meet themover the medium to long term.

• Work with regional transport partnerships andgive them guidance on the development oftheir regional transport strategies (which willrequire Ministerial approval).

• Promote the uptake of sustainable Travel Plans.

• Continue to use the Scottish Transport AppraisalGuidance (STAG) to subject new transport projectsto rigorous appraisal against economic, accessibilityand social inclusion, environmental, safety andintegration objectives.

• Invest substantially in public transport infrastructureand services, and continue to promote walkingand cycling.

• Invest in rail infrastructure projects including raillinks to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports andthe Borders rail link, to improve rail services andsocial inclusion, and in targeted improvementsto the trunk road network.

• Roll out the Scotland-wide free bus scheme forolder and disabled people from 1 April 2006 toensure that they have access to services andopportunities.

• Support initiatives to promote more efficientfreight practices.

THE WELL-BEINGOF SCOTLAND’S PEOPLE5

22/23

INTRODUCTION5.1 Promoting personal well-being is one of the core

aims of sustainable development. Good health, adecent income, meaningful work, a high qualitylocal environment, spending time with friendsand family, taking part in activities that are notlinked to work – sport, culture, leisure, studying,volunteering: these are all part of the mix thatcontributes to our sense of well-being, asindividuals and as a country.

5.2 Sustainable development is about securing abetter quality of life for current generations, withoutcompromising the right of others in the worldand future generations to do the same. As adeveloped and relatively wealthy nation Scotland’sconcerns are more about maintaining than securingthe fundamentals of life that we take for granted:enough food to eat, a safe water supply, shelterand protection from disease. But we still face majorchallenges in terms of delivering improvementsto the quality of people’s lives, their health andwell-being.

5.3 For most people, work is a key part of what helpsus to flourish. Employment and economic activityrates are at historically high levels. And yet at anyone time about 13% of our young people aged16 to 19 are not in education, training oremployment; 11% of the working-age populationare not working but want to do so10. The creationof opportunity for all is a major priority and akey route to improving the well-being of peoplein Scotland.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT

SECURING A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR

CURRENT GENERATIONS, WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE RIGHT OF OTHERS

IN THE WORLD AND FUTURE

GENERATIONS TO DO THE SAME

Scotland from space

5.4 Our health and well-being are inextricably linkedto the quality of our air, water and food. Aspects ofthe social and physical environment are believedto be particularly important in the burden of illhealth and the absence of well-being, and to be a significant factor in health inequalities. This is acritical issue for Scotland. Although people are livinglonger, they often do not spend those additionalyears in good health. There are unacceptableinequalities in life expectancy and health byalmost every measure and at every stage of lifebetween the most affluent and the mostdeprived areas in Scotland.

5.5 Many people in Scotland suffer from mental healthproblems at one time or another. Around a thirdof all GP consultations and a similar proportion of absences from work are due to mental healthproblems. This represents a social and economicburden for the country – but more importantly ahuge personal challenge for individuals and theirfamilies. Learning how to promote good mentalhealth for individuals, communities and as asociety is a prerequisite for the modern Scotlandwe are trying to build.

KEY OUTCOMES5.6 We want people in Scotland to enjoy higher

levels of well-being, through:

• increased economic opportunities for all

• an environment that provides the conditionsfor health and well-being

• a focus on the promotion of good mentalhealth and well-being.

INCREASED ECONOMICOPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

5.7 The primary contribution of economic developmentis through the provision of opportunities for allpeople to participate in and benefit from the ongoing economic activity within Scotland.

5.8 FEDS highlights the need for all in society toenjoy enhanced economic opportunities, withsocial development in turn contributing toeconomic prosperity, and identifies closing theopportunity gap as one of its key outcomes.

WE WANT PEOPLE IN SCOTLAND TO ENJOY

HIGHER LEVELS OF WELL-BEING, THROUGH:

• INCREASED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

FOR ALL

• AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROVIDES

THE CONDITIONS FOR HEALTH AND

WELL-BEING

• A FOCUS ON THE PROMOTION OF GOOD

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Images left and near right: Greenspace Scotland

24/25

5.9 Although the current Scottish employment rateof 75.2% and economic activity rate of 79.6% are at record levels, there are still some areas of concentrated unemployment, economicinactivity and deprivation. The EmployabilityFramework for Scotland and NEET (not ineducation, training or employment) Strategy will be published shortly. Together, these will setout how the Executive and its partner organisationswill ensure that those who want to work – whatevertheir current circumstances – are given the bestsupport to help them to develop the confidence,ability and skills to enable them to move intowork and maintain and develop their job andcareer. They will place increased emphasis on thedevelopment and delivery of locally basedsolutions able to support those furthest from thejobs market, those closest to the job market andthose in low-paid, low-skilled jobs into morerewarding and sustainable work.

AN ENVIRONMENT THATPROVIDES THE CONDITIONSFOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

5.10 Investment in the quality of our environment is anecessary condition for health. Major programmesare in place to ensure that people in Scotland have:

• clean and safe air to breathe

• safe and healthy food to eat

• clean and safe water to drink

• protection from the threat of flooding

• waste dealt with safely.

5.11 Air quality, largely as a result of traffic emissions,remains an important environmental issue in someurban areas. Air-borne pollution can cause manyhealth problems, especially for the very youngand elderly. Air quality has improved greatly overthe last 10-15 years as a result of technologicalimprovements and tighter legislation, leading tosignificantly reduced emissions. However, increasingtraffic levels are forecast to start offsetting thesegains unless more is done. Councils are required todeclare and take action in Air Quality ManagementAreas (AQMAs) to tackle air quality hotspots.Edinburgh and Glasgow already have AQMAplans in place and Aberdeen’s is being finalised.

5.12 The serious health effects of flooding can rangefrom those associated with sewage contaminationto the long-term anxiety of dealing with its aftermath.There is some evidence that recent flood losses inScotland’s heavily-populated urban areas strucklow income groups hardest. This is compoundedby the fact that these communities may be the leastresilient to disruption and least likely to be able toafford insurance. The Executive has commissioneda study into the range of social impacts of floodingin Scotland and the most effective interventions,and has established a Flooding Issues AdvisoryCommittee to advise on taking forward Scotland’sNational Flooding Framework, founded on theprinciples of ‘awareness, avoidance, alleviationand assistance’.

5.13 The environments we live in should make healthychoices the easy choices. That means:

• safe, accessible, attractive places where we cancycle and walk

• access to affordable, healthy food

• public spaces that are free from smoke

• healthy workplaces

• access to recreation, be it gyms, parks, artscentres, swimming pools or libraries, thecountryside and its woodlands, hills and lochs,greenspace – places where we can stretch ourlegs, our lungs, our minds and our spirits.

5.14 Parks and greenspaces within our communitiesmake an important contribution to physical healthby providing places for walking, play and sport, andto mental health by offering ‘breathing spaces’away from the stresses of modern life. They helpto make neighbourhoods attractive places wherepeople want to live and work and provide forbiodiversity and opportunities for people to learnabout nature and our cultural heritage.Improving the quality of our greenspace inScotland will be a priority for this strategy:building on the investment which is alreadybeing made to deliver projects throughoutScotland, identifying the most effective deliverymechanisms, and releasing funding opportunitiesthrough a review of funding streams.

5.15 Our home environment can also play a significantcontribution – positive and negative – to our healthand well-being. Measures to reduce cold and dampnessin Scotland’s homes and investment in our housingstock are now beginning to have an impact.Programmes like Warm Deal and the CentralHeating Programme have contributed to thesubstantial decline in the proportion of peopleliving in fuel poverty (738,000 households in1996 to 286,000 households by 2002)11.

CASE STUDYProjectScotland

ProjectScotland was specifically set upto connect young Scots with full-timevolunteering opportunities. It is part ofthe Scottish Executive’s VolunteeringStrategy and was established inresponse to a demand from youngpeople from all backgrounds to playan active role in their communities,broaden their horizons and enhancetheir experiences.

Stuart McArtney was a ProjectScotlandvolunteer at BTCV Scotland, the UK’sleading charity in creating betterenvironments where people feelvalued, included and involved. Stuartis committed to conservation andsustainable development issues. Thisis what he says about volunteering –

“I was a volunteer officer for BTCV in Stirling. Having finished a Forestrydegree last year I found it difficult to get a job as I did not have anyexperience. Volunteering with BTCVgave me great experience. I plannedprojects, made funding applicationsas well as building upon my technicalskills. I also built up a good networkof contacts that have helped me tofind the right job – as an AssistantForestry Consultant.

“I can’t give volunteering enoughpraise for the opportunities that ithas given me so far.”

For more information onProjectScotland, click onwww.projectscotland.co.uk

For more information on BTCV,click on www.btcv.org

Image left: ProjectScotland

26/27

The Executive has the target of eradicating fuelpoverty, as far as reasonably practical, by 2016.To this end, it is currently consulting on how bestto take forward this work when the presentprogrammes end in 2006. The price of fuel is asignificant factor in achieving this target and theExecutive will need to work with fuel supply companiesto help their most vulnerable customers.

5.16 Public health and environmental improvementshave historically gone hand in hand. That traditioncontinues today through major investmentprogrammes, for example in our waterinfrastructure and the quality of our housingstock. We are still limited however in ourunderstanding of the specific ways in which theenvironment affects human health and well-being.The Executive is developing a new strategicframework that will map the connectionsbetween health outcomes and environmentalfactors, including the impact of the broaderenvironment (poverty, unemployment andother causes of stress) in which people live.The initial focus of the programme will be onchildhood asthmas and cardiovascular disease.This new approach should allow us toidentify the most effective interventionsthat will secure improvements in both theenvironment and health.

A FOCUS ON THE PROMOTIONOF GOOD MENTAL HEALTHAND WELL-BEING

5.17 We know from research – and indeed personalexperience – that many factors influence ourhappiness and well-being. Good health, socialnetworks, community involvement, the quality of our local environment and living conditionscan all have a powerful impact on how we feel.A decent level of income, a good job, the opportunityto progress: these are all factors that contributeto our well-being. Yet we also know – frominternational comparisons and studies over time– that for society as a whole once countries havereached a certain level of development there isonly a weak link between further increases inincome and happiness. This may be because ourexpectations and aspirations continue to rise orare relative to those around us; it may be becauseincreased consumption brings a different set ofproblems: a poorer work-life balance, more timespent commuting, concerns about traffic fumesand air quality, less time to spend doing thingswe enjoy.

5.18 The Executive is committed to developing abetter understanding of the components ofpersonal well-being: how they interact, howpublic policy can influence them and how overallwell-being might be measured in Scotland.NHS Health Scotland is developing proposals fora core set of national mental health and well-beingindicators for Scotland. The Executive willsupport the work of Defra to investigate theconcept of well-being and explore how policiesmight change with an explicit well-being focus.Depending on the strength of the evidence, theresults of this research may be used to develop amore comprehensive set of well-being indicatorsto measure progress across the UK. The Executivewill also encourage public debate around well-being:what it means to us in Scotland, how to measureit and how public policy can influence it.

MAKING THE LINKS: FOOD6

28/29

6.1 Safe, healthy food is vital to health and well-being.The food and drink industry from primary producersthrough to retailers and the food service sectormakes an important contribution to communities,creating wealth and providing employment andaccess to healthy, affordable food. Food and drinkindustries depend on sustainable managementof natural resources, such as water, land andfish stocks. Growing, transporting and processingfood is a major contributor to our globalenvironmental impact.

KEY ISSUES6.2 The Scottish Food and Drink Strategy aims to

achieve a sustainable and profitable food and drinkindustry in Scotland that is consumer-focused,market-led and internationally competitive. TheExecutive is working with the Industry Strategy Groupto identify and address sustainable developmentpriorities within the sector, mainly relating to theuse of water and energy and production of waste(including packaging), and is also funding workby the Waste and Resources Action Programmeto tackle food and packaging waste (see chapter 10).

6.3 ‘Food miles’ are a source of greenhouse gasemissions, which contribute to climate change,and can be reduced by more efficient use oftransport. Food-related freight and shoppingtraffic is a factor in the rising level of traffic onScotland’s roads, which is one of the challenges tobe addressed by our National Transport Strategy.

SAFE, HEALTHY FOOD IS VITAL TO HEALTH AND

WELL-BEING. THE FOOD AND DRINK INDUSTRY

FROM PRIMARY PRODUCERS THROUGH TO

RETAILERS AND THE FOOD SERVICE SECTOR

MAKES AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO

COMMUNITIES, CREATING WEALTH AND

PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT AND ACCESS TO

HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE FOOD

Farmers planting onions

6.4 There is a need to encourage the industry andconsumers to increase the take up of locally-produced food and for the industry to ensure thatit responds fully to the growing consumer interestin healthy balanced diets by providing choicesand information to support purchasing decisions.

6.5 The Executive gives a range of financial support tofood businesses. Growing these businessessupports both agricultural and fisheries producers’output by offering local outlets for produce. Italso delivers the wider outcome of sustaininglocal communities, providing employmentopportunities which in turn support local shopsand services and bringing other economicbenefits such as food tourism.

6.6 The sustainability of our primary food producersin agriculture, sea fisheries and aquaculture isbeing addressed through a range of policies,including both sectoral strategies and frameworksand cross cutting approaches such as ourbiodiversity strategy, as part of the Executive’swork to ensure natural resources are managedsustainably (see chapter 9).

6.7 Everyone has the right to a safe, healthy diet anddiet has a potentially major contribution to maketo improving the health of Scotland’s people,especially in our most disadvantaged communities.Improving Health in Scotland: the Challenge12

emphasises the importance of diet as a specialfocus national programme and sets out theExecutive’s continuing commitment to theprinciples of the Scottish Diet Action Plan. As partof this strategy, Eating for Health: meeting theChallenge13 provides the strategic framework forfood and health policy implementation at thenational level, supported by regional and localaction plans developed in partnership betweenlocal authorities and NHS Boards.

6.8 The Food Standards Agency, an independent UKGovernment department with offices across theUK including in Scotland, has the remit to protectconsumer interests related to food. One of its keystrategic goals is to continue to work towardsreducing the incidence of food-borne disease andthe Agency also seeks to make it easier for allconsumers to choose healthy diets, improvingquality of life by reducing diet-related disease.

6.9 For many communities, food access – defined interms of accessibility, affordability, culture andskills – remains a major concern. The FoodStandards Agency has commissioned a foodaccess map of Scotland, from which a toolkit willbe developed to help local authorities respond totheir communities’ needs, and the ScottishCommunity Diet Project is reviewing its strategiesto support disadvantaged communities to

CASE STUDYHealthy Roots Initiative, Aberdeen

Healthy Roots is a community-ledinitiative to transform 2 hectares ofderelict land in the Middlefield area of the city into a new public park.

Work has involved clearing of thederelict site and the creation of apath network, flower beds, picnicbenches, vegetable plots, composting,wildlife gardens and several play areas.

The scheme offers multiple benefitswith a focus particularly on encouragingsocial inclusion, healthy eating andurban regeneration. Healthy eating ispromoted by making it fun and partof the overall activities of the park ratherthan something people ‘ought’ to do.

The site also provides ‘horticulturaltherapy’ for a number of mentalhealth and disability organisations in the city. Healthy Roots has receivedinvaluable support from localconservation volunteer groups.

Contact: Healthy Roots, 3B ManorWalk, Aberdeen AB16 7UJ Tel: 01224 680330

www.middlefield.freeuk.comaberdeencountrysideproject.orgwww.greenspacescotland.org.uk