Climate / Less than half of councillors and senior management have undertaken climate emergency training
Availability and time constraints have been suggested as reasons why the figures appear to be low
ONLY around half of councillors in Shetland have taken up the offer of climate emergency training, new figures have revealed.
And under one quarter of senior Shetland Islands Council (SIC) management have carried out the training too.
This is despite the SIC acknowledging a climate emergency back in 2020.
The figures featured in a climate change update report presented in the council chamber last month. It said that 48 per cent of Shetland’s 23 councillors have undertaken the training, despite a target of 100 per cent by 2026.
The target for senior management is also 100 per cent by 2026 – but as of the end of 2024/25 the figure sat at 24.2 per cent.
Across the wider council at the end of 2024/25 a total of 115 SIC staff had undertaken the training, out of a total headcount of 3,533 – around three per cent.
The SIC’s climate change strategy team leader Claire Ferguson said the training is offered to all staff within the council, as well as the Shetland Partnership, with the course run monthly.
Members of the Shetland Partnership includes NHS Shetland, Shetland Amenity Trust, Shetland Arts and Shetland Recreational Trust.
Ferguson said the course is run through national organisation Keep Scotland Beautiful, with members of her team accredited to deliver it.
Keep Scotland Beautiful said the climate emergency training will help people to learn about climate science, understand terms like ‘net zero’ and ‘global warming’ and understand the impacts of climate change.
“We worked with them to create a course that’s accredited by them, but was also Shetland-specific,” Ferguson said.
When asked why the take-up appeared to be low, she said “everybody is just so busy” – especially SIC managers juggling a lot of priorities.
She said one way of bolstering uptake could be tying the training in with climate change impact assessments now being carried out when officers start a new project or policy.
“What we’re trying to do is to find ways to make it as practicable as possible, and make it an efficient use of officer time as possible,” Ferguson.
One of the councillors who has done the training is environment and transport committee chair Moraig Lyall.
She said 48 per cent is “fairly reflective” of the number of councillors who usually attend seminars and engage with training opportunities.
“Some clearly have full-time employment and other responsibilities which prevent them from attending,” Lyall explained.
“The course is repeated regularly and is now part of the onboarding process of the council which will increase the number.”
The councillor added her view that a recorded version of it that people could complete online at a “convenient time could help make it accessible for others for whom finding time in a busy role is difficult”.
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