Scotland's just and green recovery from COVID-19

Date: 11th June 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

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Eighty civil society organisations have become signatories to a letter to the First Minister asking to meet and discuss how Scotland can successfully respond to COVID-19, whilst also tackling climate change to #BuildBackBetterScot.

As Scotland transitions out of crisis and works towards recovery, the letter recounts the First Minister’s statement that Scotland needs a recovery that cuts climate emissions by “building a fairer, greener and more equal society”. The letter goes on to stating that COVID-19 offers the opportunity to accelerate the repurposing of government away from the prioritisation of economic growth and towards goals of wellbeing and sustainability, ending inequality and environmental destruction. It also offers steps which signatories believe must be followed to deliver a just and green recovery. These are:

1. Provide essential public services for people, not profit.
2. Protect marginalised people and those on low incomes by redistributing wealth.
3. Provide new funds to transform our society and economy to meet Scotland's Fair Share of climate emissions cuts and greatly enhance biodiversity.
4. Strengthen democracy and human rights during these crises.
5. Offer solidarity across borders by proactively supporting an international Coronavirus and climate emergency response that challenges the scapegoating of migrants, centres on the worst affected, bolsters global public health, development and environmental bodies, and ensures equitable access to COVID-19 treatment.

Read the letter in full here.