Sustainable development and climate change strategy

Priority 1: Contribute to improving health and wellbeing through environmental protection and access to environmental benefits for all

• Air quality projects to be identified, funded, and implemented
• Identify and manage contaminated land within the statutory regulatory framework
• Incorporate the risk of heat and overheating in the corporate risk register
• Promote healthy and sustainable food including Fairtrade products to council employees and South Lanarkshire residents

Priority 2: Progress climate justice and ensure the transition to net zero by 2045 does not exacerbate poverty or inequalities

• Assess the impact of climate change on South Lanarkshire communities
• Support the households within the South Lanarkshire Council area that are in, or are susceptible to being in, fuel poverty
• Investigate options to replace fossil fuel heating systems within our domestic properties
• Identify and support the development of initiatives to tackle food poverty and food security
• Promote the weather-related warnings and advice provided by the Met Office and SEPA to support individual and community preparedness
• Localise the UN's global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and integrate them with South Lanarkshire's Community Plan

Priority 3:  Influence change by improving the understanding of Sustainable Development and the Climate Emergency across South Lanarkshire

• Mainstream sustainability and climate literacy learning and development across the council
• Support the delivery of communicating the council's sustainable development and climate change approach
• Further embed sustainable development and climate change into the council’s decision-making process
• Deliver town centre visioning at a local level
• Support towns to transition to net zero
• South Lanarkshire school pupils to influence climate change behaviours across schools and local communities
• Improve the carbon footprint of all school communities
• Embed sustainability in the curriculum across all Education establishments

Priority 4:  Improve affordable, sustainable, and accessible transport options

• Extend South Lanarkshire’s cycle network and associated facilities
• Expand the provision of publicly available Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure in South Lanarkshire
• Complete a variety of projects to enhance the attractiveness of public transport
• Progress towards decarbonising the fleet of South Lanarkshire Council vehicles
• Ensure climate change, access to services and active travel forms part of the design of new residential developments
• Utilise ultra-low carbon vehicles or public transport for Education related travel
• Consider sustainable travel within the council’s employee travel plan
• Continue to achieve Cycle Friendly Employer status

Priority 5:  Progress a transition to net-zero, energy efficient, and climate resilience homes, buildings, and infrastructure, and minimise the unsustainable use of natural resources and regenerate where appropriate

• Reduce South Lanarkshire Council's carbon footprint
• Reduce South Lanarkshire Council's carbon footprint for indirect emissions not currently measured
• Explore funding and finance models for net-zero and climate adaptation projects 
• Ensure environmental sustainability considerations are considered within the capital plan
• Ensure environmental sustainability considerations are taken into account within budget strategies
• Develop a place-based approach to climate action across South Lanarkshire
• Reduce flood risk across South Lanarkshire
• Improve the resilience of the road network through routine maintenance
• Develop online services for citizens reducing the need for travel
• Utilise innovative and new information technologies for environmental benefits
• Implement new energy standards within revised building regulations in all new buildings and major renovations
• Assess council housing stock in order to meet the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH2) by 2032
• Promote and provide assistance to improve energy efficiency, reduce fuel poverty and assist in the decarbonisation of homes
• Develop a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and delivery plan for South Lanarkshire
• Support Registered Social Landlord partners to improve the energy efficiency of their housing stock and meet EESSH2
• Review new build home specifications to meet the national low or zero emissions heat requirements
• Review specifications and standards for new build non-domestic buildings for maximum energy efficiency
• Assess the council's non-domestic buildings and develop a detailed action plan to meet the national target of being heated by zero carbon heat sources by 2038.
• Support the delivery of Climate Ready Clyde's (CRC) Adaptation Strategy
• Benchmark the council against Adaptation Scotland’s Adaptation Capability Framework
• Work collaboratively with Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company (URC) on district heating
• The new HR Finance and Procurement (Fusion) system supports sustainable ways of working

Priority 6:  Improve the availability and access to quality local outdoor spaces and services

• Prepare replacement South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3
• Preparation of an Open Space Strategy for South Lanarkshire
• Promote the use of local and seasonal food and drink produce to residents and visitors

Priority 7:  Empower communities to take climate action and be more environmentally sustainable

• Continue to administer and monitor the Climate Emergency Community grant fund
• Develop and deliver a Public Engagement plan
• Increase the provision of high-quality food growing opportunities on council land, promote and support other forms of food growing where possible
• Support the remediation of vacant and derelict land that promotes social and environmental benefits
• Include environmental considerations within the delivery of the council's Community Wealth Building Strategy

Priority 8:  Take action to allow South Lanarkshire to become a zero-waste society

• Consider alternative refuse collection patterns and waste capacities
• Review of recycling bins at flatted properties in South Lanarkshire
• Ensure environmentally sustainable training options are delivered by external training providers
• Reduce printing and photocopying across the council, and reduce the use of materials and resources for printing and design purposes
• Reduce the instances of avoidable food waste and the benefit of composting food waste with residents, schools, and council employees

Priority 9:  Enhance, protect, and respect the outdoors and the natural and historic environment

• Implement the actions within the Litter Strategy to reduce litter and fly-tipping
• Work with external partners to ensure South Lanarkshire’s historic environment is protected and enhanced

Priority 10:  Conserve, restore and improve biodiversity, and use nature-based solutions in tackling the climate crisis

• Review council use of herbicide with a view to reducing the amount used
• Measure tree canopy and increase tree planting across South Lanarkshire
• Increase Biodiversity and invest in peatlands across South Lanarkshire
• Implement new technologies and more sustainable cleaning materials within council facilities

Priority 11: Enable a fair transition to a green economy leaving no one behind

• Deliver the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to help ensure a just transition to net zero
• Increase the number of young people obtaining the skills to access green and circular economy employment
• Engage with employers to provide workforce up-skilling and re-skilling for a green and circular economy
• Consider climate change impacts within the council’s workforce planning

Priority 12:  Lead the transition to a circular economy and improve resource efficiency through responsible consumption and production, and buying and selling of local goods and services

• Review the scope and scoring of sustainability requirements in procurement contracts
• Progress the Procurement Flexible Framework Sustainability action plan
• Provide procurement support to council services within contract specification development
• Assess the capacity of the local food and drink sector to supply food and drink to the council
• Introduce the Return Deposit Scheme in line with national guidance
• Reduction of single-use plastic items within Facility Services

Priority 13:  Support South Lanarkshire’s businesses in the transition to a net-zero economy and help to ensure they are climate resilient

• Promote the support that is available to businesses for good sustainability outcomes
• Encourage and influence sustainable property improvements on business premises