Our recommendations for a green recovery respond to the compound crisis of Covid-19 and climate change.

Our 'Forward, Faster, Together: Recommendations for a Green Economic Recovery in Edinburgh', report highlights the conditions for a successful green recovery; governments must enable change, we must accelerate existing programmes, new and more effective partnerships must deliver, and we must work with the people of Edinburgh to build a resilient city that meets their needs.

The Edinburgh Climate Commission was established just as Covid-19 took hold and our first report is for all who have a role in how Edinburgh recovers from the pandemic.

Delivering a better future for Edinburgh

Covid has challenged our city and shown what is possible when we all align behind the science for a collective, urgent response. As the focus shifts to recovery, we must seize this moment to deliver a better future for Edinburgh.

A green recovery is one that delivers for the long term; that catalyses job creation into growth industries, empowers citizens, improves public health and drives innovation while all the time removing our contribution to the climate crisis.

These conditions provide the enabling context for our ten recommendations for a green economic recovery in Edinburgh, creating jobs, reducing emissions, and building a better, fairer city:

1. A Joint Commitment to Green Economic Recovery from Local and National Government
2. Public stimulus investment decisions should be conditional on a greener future
3. Redesign and invest in carbon neutral transport infrastructure
4. A citywide approach to energy efficiency and renewable heat
5. Localise services, support and infrastructure to build community resilience
6. Focus on wellbeing in natural and built environment investments
7. Embrace new business practices to reimagine building assets and opportunities for the city
8. Grow skills and knowledge to deliver a city green recovery and lead a global transition
9. Develop low carbon sectors and business models to make the city globally competitive
10. Become a global leader in sustainable investment

Delivering these recommendations for a better future requires collective action across city stakeholders; local and national government must lead, communities must be enabled to respond, businesses supported to change working practices and people encouraged to change behaviours. Everyone in the city has a part to play in addressing the climate emergency.

Do you have comments on this report? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us via https://www.edinburghclimate.org.uk/contact