An electronic pocket guide to the environment and sustainability has been launched today (11^th Oct) with the COP26 climate change summit three weeks’ away.

Environmental Protection Scotland’s e-leaflet – ‘Pursuing the Triple Win in a Scottish context’ – can be downloaded by delegates before they arrive at the conference in Glasgow that takes place from  October 31^st to November 12^th.

Produced in association with the Scottish Government, the e-leaflet sets out how Scotland can achieve a ‘Triple Win’ of improved health and wellbeing, equity and the environment with a greater focus on greenspace, energy efficient living, and changes to the way we consume food and travel.

The launch comes after people reconnected with nature, walking, cycling during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

The e-leaflet says that human driven changes to the global environment and the pandemic have re-established environmental health at the centre of the public health agenda in a way not witnessed since the 19^th century.

It explains the work of Scotland’s Place Standard, which pioneered a shared vision to foster a better sense of understanding of the role that the places people live in have in creating sustainable communities. It also considers the EU-funded INHERIT initiative which stimulates effective policies, practices and innovations that address key environmental stressors of health and the underlying causes of health inequity.

There are links to websites about a raft of information and the wealth of data-driven websites that support the ‘Triple Win’ objectives, including food growing information, air quality and flooding data, and the recycle and reuse economy.

Nigel Kerr, Chair of Environmental Protection Scotland, said: “There have been dramatic changes to people’s lives and lifestyles with sharp increases in walking, cycling, and use of parks and other greenspace sites during the COVID-19 lockdowns of the past 17 months.

“Ahead of the COP26 summit, our e-leaflet puts in one place a lot of the research and understanding that is being gained in the field of health & wellbeing, equity and sustainability – which creates a ‘Triple Win’ for society. Tackling the inequity that exists in society alongside climate change will be one of the biggest challenges that policy-makers and academics face in the coming years.

“Encouraging people to gain a better understanding of the health, wellbeing and opportunities to develop the places where we live, and work will contribute to tackling the issue of global warming.”

Professor George Morris and Dr Tim Taylor of the University of Exeter and Professor Jon Fairburn of Staffordshire University contributed to the e-booklet.

Dr Taylor of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health said: “The University of Exeter is leading the way on research that explores the complex links between the environment and human health – including the search for “triple-win” solutions that improve environment, promote health and reduce health inequalities. This e-leaflet is an important step in influencing individuals, organisations and policy makers to make key changes to deliver effective solutions to the climate change and public health challenges we are facing as a society.”

Professor Fairburn said: “Scotland is well placed to provide a leading role in tackling these agendas due to the richness of digital datasets available in Scotland. These can be used to monitor progress at a number of scales as well as being used for communication and involvement of the public in actions at the local, regional and national level”

“Scotland was also one of the first countries in Europe to examine issues of environmental justice in the early 2000’s and already has plenty of examples of good practice to draw on and to develop further. Hopefully delegates to COP26 will hear about some of the good work in Scotland.”

The e-booklet can be downloaded here: https://www.ep-scotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/EPS-Pursuing-the-Triple-Win-in-a-Scottish-context.pdf