East Dunbartonshire people embrace Climate Emergency Training
29 August 2025
People across East Dunbartonshire have embraced the opportunity to learn more about the Climate Emergency with almost 200 attending free training to find out what positive action they can take and more than 150 pledges to act being made.
Designed by Keep Scotland Beautiful in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Council and East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action the training programme was fully funded by £42,175 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
People representing local organisations, communities and businesses were encouraged to get involved, but anyone with ties to the East Dunbartonshire was able to attend one of the courses or workshops.
Using local case studies and examples, the training helped participants to cut through jargon and gain a clear understanding of terms like ‘net zero’, ‘global warming’, ‘climate change’ and ‘carbon footprint’.
In total five courses were developed and offered through 22 training sessions which 179 people attended. Courses included in-person and online training, which was fully accredited by The Carbon Literacy Project, plus shorter introductory sessions.
Seventy participants who completed the accredited training went on to become officially certified as Carbon Literate, after passing an assessment where they pledged action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, five people completed a Train-the Trainer course, which helped them to start acquiring skills and knowledge necessary to develop and deliver a Carbon Literacy course in their community.
Tim Mullens, our Senior Training Officer, said: “It was great to work collaboratively with East Dunbartonshire Council and East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action to provide the people of East Dunbartonshire with the opportunity to attend Climate Emergency Training and inspire them to take positive actions that will benefit their communities and the planet.
“The training emphasises hope over despair and introduces co-benefits of climate action, such as improved resilience to extreme weather, reduced costs and improved environments, and we are thrilled that 70 people went on to become formally certified as Carbon Literate.
“Looking to the future we recommend that a suite of Climate Emergency Training – featuring accredited courses and introductory options - is embedded in East Dunbartonshire climate action projects, and across Scotland as we work towards Scotland becoming climate literate.”
Councillor Paul Ferretti, Convener of the Council's Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee, said “When this Council was elected in 2022, we stated that the Climate Emergency was one of the biggest priorities we face.
“It affects us all and we are seeing more and more of its impact in Scotland with warmer temperatures and more extreme weather incidents.
“The Community Carbon Literacy Project in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful has ensured local people, including community groups and organisations, gain a real understanding of the impact of climate change as well as allowing them to learn how to make a positive difference.
“It was fantastic that 179 people attended the training and the collective actions that were agreed will ultimately benefit us all.”
Ann Innes, Chief Officer of East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action, said: “We were delighted to have our staff attend this training and learn more about how we as communities can help navigate and tackle the Climate Emergency.
“More widely, it’s inspiring that so many people from across East Dunbartonshire chose to participate in the training and that more than 150 pledges were made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.
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