As we pour a wee dram, belt out Auld Lang Syne to our own household members and the TV to welcome a new year: one that is probably more welcome than ever before, I’d like to take the opportunity to say thanks for joining us on our voyage through 2020, and to invite you to continue to support our vision of a clean, green, sustainable Scotland.
What lies ahead in 2021 is exciting, but will no doubt also be challenging. It is a year that marks the start of our charity’s 21st anniversary, it is the extended Year of Coasts and Waters, and it is probably most importantly, as an environmental charity, the year that we will welcome world leaders to Scotland for the biggest UN summit on climate change – COP26.
It is a year that we are committed to building back better as we work towards a green and just recovery from the pandemic that is very much still influencing our lives.
We have an opportunity together, to inspire action ahead of, and beyond, COP26 when the world will be watching our country. Our environment deserves our full attention and we will do what we can to demonstrate how much we care and are committed to improving it.
Throughout the year we will continue to support individuals, communities and organisation on their journey towards Net Zero and encourage and celebrate the positive changes that can, and are being made.
We are looking forward to building a national coalition to address the looming litter emergency and we will continue to champion the improvements, celebrate the achievements and recognise those of all ages from right across Scotland who are playing their part and inspiring us daily.
If 2020 taught us anything it is that the impact of working collaboratively is powerful and gets results. Personally, last year gave me time to re-connect with nature and to re-discover, with my family, my love for the outdoors, in particular messing about in boats. It reinforced the importance to me of our green and blue spaces, not just those we travel to, but those directly outside our homes, in our own neighbourhoods.
It also reminded me that the people of Scotland are a resilient lot. But, we need to be sure that everyone who lives, works and visits our beautiful country has the knowledge, understanding and skills we need to address the climate, nature and looming litter emergencies.
Our shared goal must be a clean, green and sustainable Scotland. Join us and be part of the solution as we take action collectively to combat climate change, reduce litter and waste and protect and enhance the places we care for. Together we can make our country, our world, the place it could and deserves to be.
