Just Transition Commission Engage with Young People around Net Zero
The Just Transition Commission and Young Scot explored young people’s insights and their ideas for potential solutions to the transition to Net Zero. The focus of workshops was how to support businesses, sectors and industries to ensure that the shift to Net Zero is fair and equitable.
The insights from these workshops covered a range of topics including:
awareness and attitude
changing habits
society
heritage and history
infrastructure
compliance and accountability
education
careers and employment
sustainable farming
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Just Transition Commission
Engagement Report
December 2020
Overview
The Just Transition Commission and Young Scot partnered to deliver two workshops. These explored young people’s insights and their ideas for potential solutions to the transition to Net Zero supporting the shift across business, sectors and industries to ensure this is fair and equitable.
This engagement provides headline insights and questions, that will help inform the Commission’s final report to Scottish Ministers. The workshops explored the key focus areas identified by the Just Transition Commission, allowing the young people to:
Develop an understanding of Scotland’s climate change targets and the importance of growing an inclusive, net zero economy.
Begin to consider their future vision and what kind of Scotland young people would like to see by 2045.
Identify the main impacts and issues directly related to young people’s own lives including their ideas to reduce emissions, and the future impact on skills and education.
Identify young people’s experiences of climate change within education and skills.
Scope opportunities for future improvement.
At Young Scot we recruited 11 young people aged 15-25 across two online workshops in October 2020. The objective was to gain an understanding of young people’s views on climate change and how they think it will impact their lives in future, particularly around skills and education.
We promoted the recruitment for the two workshops to our existing volunteers, through our regional and national networks, promoted posts on our social media channels and directly to Young people signed up to Young Scot Rewards. The recruitment reach for this project was lower than the anticipated target of up to 20 young people. However, the insights gathered were broad and explored a variety of areas. For more information on the demographics of the participations, please see Appendix 1 and 2.
We hope this work provides a foundation for future collaboration with young people, particularly in the implementation of the Just Transition Commissions final recommendations.
Summary
The workshops allowed the young people to explore the range of priorities identified by the Just Transition Commission. Some of the key discussion points are included in this summary. Further insights can be found in the next section of this report.
The young people clearly felt a responsibility to support positive climate action and had a varying level of experience and knowledge which diversified the conversation. They all felt that action needed to be taken by decision makers as soon as possible and they did not want to be discussing the same issues in 10/20 years’ time.
The insights covered a range of topics including:
awareness and attitude
changing habits
society
heritage and history
infrastructure
compliance and accountability
education
careers and employment
sustainable farming.
The young people also discussed education gaps at length. They raised a range of issues including a lack of role models and integration of the topic in day-to-day school life. This connected to a conversation about access to up-to-date and relevant courses to set young people on a career path in climate change, and the need for integration with industry and business across sectors.
To forge new employment opportunities, adapt careers and enable people to make a living, the young people felt that the Commission should address the potential upheaval for certain sectors to enable a different way of working. This also included concerns for individuals, for example car mechanics, whose livelihoods may significantly change and require upskilling/retraining.
The role and accountability of businesses (local, national and international) was debated at length, with the need to challenge corporations to do more to take moral action and to provide smaller businesses with inspiration and incentives to work towards net zero.
Protection of heritage, experiences, way of living and access to explore the world was regularly flagged as a concern. Being able to have a balance and provide opportunities to offset carbon emissions was important to the group.
Across all discussions, the young people continued to outline key guiding principles for a just transition, ensuring change is ethical, equitable, moral, accessible, and sustainable. They shared the need for all recommendations to be considered from a rights-based perspective (Human Rights and the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child), with empathy and understanding for those who did not share the same views around climate action, while providing support and initiatives to open people’s eyes to the urgency of the climate crisis.
Findings
Due to the restrictions in place during the time of the sessions, there were adjustments made to the Young Scot operating model and working practices. To ensure that delivery of engagement through co-design continued with minimal disruption, providing young people with accessible opportunities to participate during this time, the session was delivered remotely using Zoom video conferencing and other digital communication tools, such as Menti, a digital questionnaire platform.
The workshops were facilitated by Young Scot’s #YSHive team of expert co-design staff. This ensured that the diverse young people involved were able to contribute their views confidently and take part in the discussions.
Additional Young Scot staff members were involved in the delivery of the activities to ensure that the young people taking part were supported and encouraged to share their insights and experiences. Further support measures were offered to all the participants in order to take part, ensuring that the model was inclusive and accessible.
As part of the two digital sessions, the young people discussed broad issues, sharing their views, and highlighting key priority areas. They then explored a few key ideas and improvements. Feedback from both sessions has been combined in this section.
Awareness and Attitude
The young people shared a sense of urgency for change, however recognised the importance of a just transition to ensure change is ethical, moral, accessible, and sustainable. They reflected that COVID-19 has demonstrated the capability for our society and decisions to make instrumental change, especially related to behaviours, albeit enforced restrictions.
One participant said, “…long term, we need to save the world! But people are living in the world right now and they have livelihoods that need to be considered”.
They spoke broadly about people’s attitudes, raising concerns that people do not want to change their lifestyle, and many feel it isn’t an immediate issue. The participants felt it was important to be more tolerant, “even though they are stubborn”. They felt organisations like Extinction Rebellion are doing a lot to challenge decision making and actions, but that approach will not work for everyone and “we need to find ways that aren’t forceful on others”. Some disagreed and felt that we are at a critical point and climate action needs to be enforced.
Some felt people can feel attacked by what is being done to them around climate change and wanted to encourage people on board, not make them feel like change is being done to them. Particularly with COVID-19, so much is impacting on people’s lives, so recognition of the whole picture is important.
Many shared their thoughts around influencers in young people’s lives, who may help form their awareness and attitudes. For example, if you live in a commuter town to Aberdeen, you may have parents working in the oil industry who may be more opposed to climate action due to the impact on their jobs/sector.
Changing Habits
The young people questioned what was happening to encourage changing in the habits of young people, their peers, family, and wider communities. They questioned, “How could people take more responsibility for their individual behaviours?”.
They suggested that positive peer pressure may encourage people to see how they can play their part. This includes the individual, but also companies and businesses. Starting with big corporate organisations, the young people wondered how smaller businesses will be encouraged to make sustainable changes, without taking the hit financially. They agreed that more campaigning and financial support is required to encourage a change in habits (reduce, reuse, recycle) and be harsher on impacts if people are not doing it.
They suggested that climate change should not be expensive from an individual and social point of view. Climate action plans should ensure cost to change isn’t out of reach.
Society
The young preople discussed the need to have a consistent approach to management and conservation. They felt that climate change should not be treated as an isolated issue and should be delivered in conjunction with economic and social needs, including tackling inequality. Discussion also included how we could encourage society to take care of the environment, even in basic ways including anti-littering.
The young people felt that change shouldn’t infringe the rights of others and consider the impact of change on their lives and livelihoods. They expressed their concerns that there needs to be “ethical innovation” in challenging climate change, where the welfare of others is at the heart.
Heritage and History
Some of the young people also volunteer on a project with Historic Environment Scotland, and raised the question for the Commission to consider, “How do people see the link between climate change and our heritage/history?”
Many felt this was important, as directly impacts our environment, and damage to historical monuments. They also saw young people’s roles and response to climate change as a point in history, “How will our generations action on climate change be seen?”
Infrastructure
The main conversation points around infrastructure focused on travel and energy. They discussed the ban of the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2032 in Scotland and raised concerns that Scotland is not using enough renewable energy and is still reliant on fossil fuels, “How can we power all the electric vehicles?”.
They raised the inequality of access to electric cars, even though there is a financial support scheme available, it is not enough for low-income households. There needs to be a transition incentive, especially for those who can set new behaviours.
They asked, “What can be offered directly to young people?”. Young people rely heavily on public transport which is expensive. Unless you are a student or of an age to use Young Scot National Entitlement Card, and location dependant you need to pay a full bus fare.
Those with more knowledge of renewable energy shared that Scotland mainly uses wind turbines and hydro, but felt we need to utilise more solar power as this costs less. They also raised concerns that there are not enough relevant spaces for wind turbines, so alternatives need to be considered.
Having more eco-friendly cities and towns was encouraged by the participants, including more low emission zones within those areas (for example in Glasgow).
Compliance and Accountability
The young people raised concerns about the lack of legal compliance, particularly with the big corporations. They also shared queries about governments accountability, businesses accountability and use of resources.
As an example, one participant shared Etsy, as to their knowledge they recently offset all their carbon emissions and invest in sustainable projects. The group thought this was one of the only major online retailers to do this. Given the increase in online sales in 2020, they asked what other big online companies should do. They felt this needs to trickle down with big companies taking action first and influencing smaller companies to follow their lead. This includes big corporations making adverts to talk about climate change but not addressing their own complicity in creating the issues.
The young people also queried regulation. They felt the laws do not go far enough to be effective and that there is too much wiggle room to avoid compliance.
The group also discussed the need for young people to be present at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow next year, to build knowledge and information, and to challenge decision makers.
Education
In-depth discussion took place on education, with the young people expressing that we need to normalise and encourage climate change conversations across all aspects of education in schools. This is particularly important as this is a key place where adults can influence and role model with young people. The group queried how much is in the curriculum and one shared the “Teach the Future” programme – to require climate change and issues surrounding this to be mandatory in schools. The young people expressed the need for young people to be carbon literate as a core skill and queried the role of Eco Schools. One volunteer shared they are the only one doing it in their school, and unfortunately the school always focuses on litter rather than broader issues.
They also felt that in further and higher education, more courses and modules are needed to address the education gap. One young person shared their experience and recognised the constant changes make it hard to create new courses to study, before going out of date.
One of the participants shared they are currently studying law and social policy. They noticed there isn’t educational provision to cover environmental issues. They also shared their wish for there to be more alliances between institutions, companies and researchers to upskill students to deal with the challenges.
In terms of informal education, many felt that it was important to have more information on social media, where many young people get most of their information. However, they did raise concerns about how people can understand real versus fake news.
Influencers like David Attenborough were mentioned as being accessible to people from all walks of life, and participants questioned who else could be encouraged to do this to reach even more people.
Careers and Employment
As young people, the group shared their concerns around their anticipated career paths. Upskilling is an extensive need and people need to be able to deal with challenges of climate change. They questioned which industries will be affected, both in expected and unexpected ways. Many expressed concern that there may also be less funding going towards public sector and other government funded initiatives.
Career paths and courses (for example traditional engineering, car mechanics) might experience great uncertainty as its unsure what jobs in this field will look like in the future. Interestingly, new fields of employment may emerge, but the group were keen that jobs are not removed without options for re-skilling and career pathways.
They asked, “What vocational options might be considered to influence companies?”. The participants flagged the opportunity to consider subsidised green apprenticeships to reduce the divide.
The group also discussed how everyone will have some level of influence on how the organisation/company they work for reacts to climate change, and in doing so could reimagine job potential to impact climate change.
Sustainable Food
Sustainable farming was raised as an important approach to tackle climate change, also balancing equity and access in how we feed people across the world. Although they did not share their dietary preferences, participants recognised that diet has a massive impact on climate but felt pushing blame on individuals will not help as they will disengage. The group expressed their concern that food is connected to economic and social needs, so if food poverty is not addressed then, “…this problem will be exacerbated. It’s all connected.”
They shared that agricultural industry plays an important role. The felt that a lot of feed for animals is imported from abroad using lots of air miles, and they asked, “How many metric tonnes of carbon does this use a year?”. Many participants had also not heard of Aquaculture before when it was briefly discussed.
Futureproofing Ideas
After the broad topical discussion, the young people moved into smaller groups to discuss ideas for futureproofing a just transition. They then selected ideas to develop further in two groups.
From their point of view, the Commission should consider longer term goals that are bold but realistic as, “we don’t want to be talking about the same issues in 10, 20 years’ time”. They felt it was all too easy to shift responsibility to their generation.
The young people also felt that fairness is vitally important. Using COVID-19 as example, they shared their concern that marginalised groups have been at the hard end of decisions and have less security around jobs, food, services etc. They asked, “What is the Commission going to do to address the climate change and poverty divide? Do not tear ahead and leave communities stranded with no options.” For example, the needs of disabled people and making sure there is an appropriate replacement product, as demonstrated on the plastic straw ban.
The group also shared that young people shouldn’t have all the sacrifice reducing their future opportunities, for example preventing them from travelling and seeing the world and asked, “How can this be offset?”
Mental health was also raised as an intersectional issue for the Commission to consider, which will also influence climate change through habits, behaviours, service access etc.
Other ideas for the Commission included:
Take a disciplinary approach to this issue to tackle the social and economic needs.
Review the circular economy and consider microfinance to help rural communities and create new jobs.
Explore options for aquaponics and aquaculture as approaches to diet and food.
Ensure food security by creating sustainable income generation projects.
People should be supported when transitioning with changes. For example, help with electric cars/ subsidies.
Provide financial incentives/savings to use public transport for younger people.
More electric buses as they are cheaper to run (consideration that they need to be charged).
Use regulation and economic nudging to change companies.
Provide support for implementation. For example takeback schemes, subsidies for bioplastics and redistribution of packaging.
Promote pupil leadership and empower them in schools.
Provide support to those who will be most affected by the transition such as areas like Aberdeen which is heavily reliant on things like the oil industry.
Involve people so they don’t feel hard done by (if not this could cause bad feeling towards the transition).
Encourage everyone to play a part – young people, others, companies, Governments – we all need to combat this issue.
Put pressure on big companies who can afford this. We need to ask more of large companies to tackle this. Don’t always hit the “little guy”. We all need to play our part.
Don’t use the phrase, “it has to start with the people”.Not everyone is well placed to do this. It needs countries, Governments, businesses to do something.
Teach climate change across the school curriculum across all subjects, not just in some subjects.
Climate ambassadors should be within schools and in the local authority/council and other areas. Create a bigger impact and allow young people to have a bigger say on what decisions are being made in their area.
Share opportunities about future industries and career paths. For example the glass industry, plant-based plastic etc.
Take into account human and children rights and inequality when making climate action decisions.
Youth engagement and action in climate change!
Idea in Focus 1 – Aquaculture
Build Scotland’s capabilities around Aquaculture as a growing industry. Aquaculture matters as it builds coral reef habitats, improves public health and has less impact on natural resources. The focus of this will create jobs for coastal communities, provide environmental offsets, and demonstrate economic potential of exports.
To build aquaculture as a viable career path for young people, upskilling people needs to be prioritised by providing places for knowledge transfer to happen. Providing internships, work experience and volunteering opportunities for young people will give them an idea of what working in aquaculture could be like.
The industry needs funding to develop and encourage people to move coastal community areas (or young people to stay in the rural areas they have grown up in).
As a result, if the products were accessible and fairly priced it may contribute towards food security to rural and vulnerable communities. In turn, this may shift diet and culture, ensure jobs and income for coastal communities. Ultimately this will provide an environmental offset by making use of natural resources in a responsible way.
Idea in Focus 2 – Campaigns
Develop a campaign to empower young people to lead issues in schools, and support industry to change the way they do business to support climate action and support people.
There needs to be the initiative to lead information about just transition in schools, including support for viable careers options to tackle climate change involving organisations and companies across different sectors.
Young people need to see what their role could be now and in the future. Involve young people to be engaged influencers to lead, support and encourage behaviour change.
This will help provide secure, sustainable future careers for young people and help the young people most impacted by the transition, especially those who currently aren’t engaged in climate change.
Feedback and Evaluation
Following the two digital sessions, the young people were asked to complete an evaluation to capture what worked in this style of engagement, what could be improved and their aspirations for next steps.
Eight participants answered the evaluation questions. When asked if they had enjoyed the session on a scale of zero to ten, with ten being absolutely yes and zero representing definitely not, they responded with an average of 9.6 out of 10. They were then asked if they felt the session was useful on the same scale with an average of 9.4 out of 10. When asked if they felt the session was relevant to them, there was an average of 9.6 out of 10.
The young people enjoyed the collaboration with each other, the just transition Commissioner and staff. They also enjoyed building their knowledge and developing ideas together. Many shared their learning of aquaculture, just transition, wider climate change and divergence.
All the young people felt that taking part in opportunities like this allows their voice and the voices of young people to be heard. As a result of the workshop, their knowledge and ability to have power over the impact of a Just Transition increased slightly from the original results.
Most of the young people highlighted that they would like to see the positive action and were keen to see Scotland taking more radical steps around a just transition and climate challenges. They want their input to be taken seriously, and are keen to help make the change, “not just talk about it”.
The volunteers shared this was just the start of the conversation and look forward to receiving feedback on how their insights and ideas will be taken into consideration and implemented.
Appendix 1 - About the Participants
Participants were asked to take part in an optional Menti survey to help to capture equality and diversity information for the participants. Responses were anonymous. A total of 11 young people engaged in the workshops. Four young people attended the first session, and nine attended the second session, two of which had also attended the first session. We have kept the demographic information separate across the two sessions, as the responses were anonymised, we would not be able to identify duplication.
Workshop Session 1 – three participated in the demographic survey.
Workshop Session 2 – seven participated in the demographic survey.
Age and Gender Identity
Workshop 1
The age ranged spanned from 15 to 22 years old.
Two identified as male (67%), one as female (33%).
Workshop 2
The age ranged spanned from 15 to 25 years old.
Three identified as male (43%) four as female (57%).
Health Conditions
Declared they had health conditions which have lasted, or are expected to last, at least 12 months, including:
visual impairment.
learning, understanding or concentrating.
mental health conditions.
stamina, breathing or fatigue.
social or behavioural impairment and others.
Workshop 1
One response (33% of the participant group).
Workshop 2
Three responses (43% of the participant group).
Ethnic Group
Workshop 1
The majority of participants at 67% identified as White Scottish/White British/White other.
One participant (33%) identifying as BAME.
Workshop 2
The majority of participants at 88% identified as White Scottish/White British/White other.
One participant (14%) identifying as Irish.
One participant (14%) identifying as BAME.
Location, Caring Experience and LGBT
Workshop 1:
All reside in quintiles 3 and 4 (SIMD) locations.
One participant (33%) identified as a young carer.
Workshop 2:
All reside in quintiles 3 and 4 (SIMD) locations.
One participant (33%) identified as a young carer.
Four participants (57%) identified as LGBT.
One participant (33%) had experience of the care system.
Current Status
When asked what activity best describes their current education or employment status:
Workshop 1:
2 respondents (75%) were currently in school.
1 respondent (33%) was attending university.
Workshop 2:
2 respondents (28%) were currently in school.
1 respondent (14%) was volunteering or taking part in an internship.
2 respondents (28%) were at university.
1 respondent (14%) was in full time employment.
Appendix 2 - Participant Awareness
At the start of both digital workshops, the young people also shared their levels of awareness and information about other issues that currently matter to them.
We first explored how much knowledge the participants felt they had on the workshop topics. Most felt they had a decent level of knowledge, averaging at 4/5 in workshop 1, slightly slower at 3.4/5 in workshop 2. The lowest score given was 3, and the highest was 5.
Workshop 1
Workshop 2
The next question asked, focused on how much power they felt they had to impact climate change opportunities for change, skills, education and careers. Both averages around 3/5, with the lowest score at 2 and the highest at 4. This demonstrates they feel they have some power and influence to drive change in this area.
Workshop 1
Workshop 2
We also asked participants ‘What issues matter to them?’. Menti created a word cloud of their responses. This included the obvious statements around climate change, but other issues related to equity and rights also came up.
Workshop 1
Workshop 2
Contact
For more information about any aspect of the work detailed in the report, please contact:
Allan Lindsay
Participation and Co-design Director
E: allanl@young.scot | T: 0131 313 2488
Lisa Murphy
Service Design Quality Assurance Manager
E: lisam@young.scot | T: 0131 313 2488
Get in touch
youngscot.net
0131 313 2488
YSHive@young.scot