This article was originally published in The National
The past year has seen baking heat, water shortages, wildfires, flooding and storms, so what must be done to weather the effects of climate breakdown and bring a brighter, greener future for Scots and communities across the world?
It has been a turbulent year for the environment, from severe weather like never before, to rising misinformation over the climate crisis and political rollbacks on measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Weather-wise, 2025 is expected to rank in the world’s top three warmest years since records began, with this summer the hottest ever known. It continues the trend where all of the hottest years in history have taken place in the past decade, with rising temperatures driven largely by use of fossil fuels.
This warming has brought everything from blizzards, tornadoes and floods to droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and tropical cyclones across the globe.
Scotland and the UK have not escaped the effects, with a long dry period sparking water shortages and resulting in the worst harvest some farmers have ever experienced. Numerous massive wildfires cause damage on an unprecedented scale, with outbreaks in Dava and Carrbridge the largest the country has ever seen.
Internationally, rapid melting of the Arctic ice cap continues – it is now the smallest ever recorded, with consequences for the rest of the planet.
However, despite the mounting ‘physical proof’ of climate change, misinformation has also increased, and political consensus on what to do about it has rarely seemed so fragmented.
The cost of living has continued to rise, with many more households pushed into fuel poverty due to rocketing energy bills – driven by volatile global oil and gas prices.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s workforce is suffering due to lack of support and planning to achieve a just transition for businesses and workers to move from dependency on fossil fuels to a low-carbon society.
North Sea workers are being axed in droves as oil and gas supplies continue to dwindle, with reports of 13,000 jobs linked to the petroleum sector lost in the past 12 months – including hundreds due to the closure of Scotland’s only refinery, at Grangemouth, and the Mossmorran petrochemical plant in Fife. At the same time there has been criticism that support for promised green jobs has failed to materialise, although Westminster has now pledged £120 million to rescue some operations at Grangemouth.
Green goals
Over the past year there have been several notable moments that will influence the direction of travel for emissions-reduction goals.
Environmental campaigners have welcomed progress towards phasing out fossil fuels, with the UK government’s recently announced ban on exploration and development of new oil and gas wells. Retention of the so-called windfall tax, a levy on profits generated though factors outside a business’s control – in this case high petroleum prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – has also been commended.
Less well-received moves include the Scottish Government putting its long-awaited Heat in Buildings Bill formally on hold. And there has been criticism of a lack of forward travel on cutting emissions from transport, one of the biggest sources of pollution, with the goal to cut car use by 20% by 2030 dropped.
Worldwide, there have been some wins for the environment.
In July, a landmark ruling from the International Court of justice, the world’s highest court, found nations have obligations to act on climate change and cleared the way for legal action where they fail to do so.
Wind, solar and other renewable power generation overtook coal as the world’s leading source of electricity in the past 12 months, with major expansion in China responsible for much of the growth.
Looking ahead to 2026
So, as 2025 draws to a close, what action should be taken in the new year?
Members of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), a coalition of more than 70 groups from across all sectors of society, have come up with a list of five no-brainers that would drive forward climate action, provide jobs and help “transform the world into a cleaner, healthier and fairer place”.
1. The Scottish Government must produce a robust and effective Climate Change Plan to reap maximum benefits for people and the planet.
SCCS chair Dr Mike Robinson said: “In 2026 a new Climate Change Plan will be finalised – a huge opportunity to change life for the better for millions of Scots and help communities across the world at the same time.
“It must contain strong measures that create energy-efficient homes, better and cleaner transport systems and support for farmers to shift to nature-and-climate-friendly practices. These will also lower bills, safeguard livelihoods, improve public health and boost the economy.”
2. Scotland must support and drive community-owned renewable energy to bring maximum benefits and control to people living nearby.
“The move away from fossil fuels and to renewable energy is vital, but too many people across Scotland feel like the energy transition is being done ‘to them’ not ‘with them’,” said Liz Murray, policy manager for Community Energy Scotland.
“The renewables revolution is generating vast profits, but much of that is being extracted out of Scotland.
“Community-owned renewable energy brings income directly into local neighbourhoods. This income is then used for an array of things that benefit people living there, such as insulating homes, providing community transport, setting up local businesses and creating community gardens – and bringing jobs that go with those things.
“We need politicians to remove the obstacles and smooth the way to greater community ownership of Scotland’s vast renewable energy resources so that everyone can benefit.”
3. Plans to drill major new oil and gas wells in the North Sea must be permanently cancelled to avoid millions of tonnes of climate-warming emissions, and workers must get proper support to move into safe green jobs.
Rosie Hampton, oil and gas campaigns manager at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Oil and gas are costing us the earth, from sky-high energy bills to mounting impacts of extreme weather from Arthur’s Seat to Indonesia.
“Our energy future must be built on renewables that are affordable and run in the public interest. Opening new fields like Rosebank would undermine the energy transition and divert time and resources away from creating decent green jobs with a long-term future.”
4. Scotland must introduce a tax on private jets.
Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “Private jets are one of the dirtiest forms of transport, yet thousands of private flights take off and land at Scottish airports every year, streaking our skies with a trail of pointless pollution while the rest of us bear the climate cost in floods, heatwaves and disrupted lives.
“Introducing a Scottish private jet tax in 2026 is a no-brainer: it could raise tens of millions for fair climate action, paid for by those doing the most damage.
“It’s time for the Scottish Government to end its holding pattern and make 2026 the year in which the ultra-wealthy’s free licence to pollute is finally revoked.”
5. Compensation must be secured for developing countries suffering the biggest impacts of climate change but have contributed least to warming.
Ben Wilson, director of public engagement for Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund and international policy lead for SCCS, said: “Climate justice funding is a no-brainer in 2026, especially as the Commonwealth Games comes to Glasgow.
“Commonwealth countries like Bangladesh, Malawi and Fiji, and many of the world’s other poorest nations, are already being devastated by the impacts of climate change. They didn’t cause this crisis. They didn’t economically benefit from this crisis. But they are suffering first and worst for it.
“Richer nations must stump up cash for their atmospheric vandalism to help communities on the climate frontlines.”
Action stations
Scots will be watching closely as political parties put together their manifestos for the Holyrood election in late spring, with action on poverty, energy and jobs expected to be among key concerns for voters.
One thing is certain, though, no matter the result of the election in May. With around a third of current parliamentarians stepping down, there will be a large cohort of new MSPs to engage with on climate issues.
SCCS is calling for strong national action on climate and nature.
Better protection for the communities most at risk from the impacts of climate breakdown is also necessary, to help safeguard people and livelihoods.
“There is more that unites us than divides us,” said Dr Robinson.
“We all want the same basic things – a world that is safe, healthy, bountiful and fair, with a bright future for generations to come.
“And all this is achievable with urgent, strong climate action.
“Surely that’s the best new year’s resolution anyone could have.”
