Scotland’s Climate Week 2024 runs from 23 until 29 September.
This annual event encourages individuals, communities and businesses to come together to celebrate and encourage climate action. This year, it’s also a chance to learn more about tackling climate change by sharing ‘stories for change’.
Professor Sir Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, shares his reflections during Climate Week.
He said: “The climate and ecological emergency is a health emergency. So by taking action to help tackle climate change, we can also help to improve people’s health and wellbeing.
“Environmental sustainability is central to reforming the NHS in Scotland.
“Becoming more sustainable means we can improve health outcomes for the people that we care for, deliver better value care, and adapt to future challenges we’ve yet to face.
“I’m in a privileged position when I get to see, up close, the actions that you’ve already taking, individually and collectively, to make a difference.
“Thank you for everything that you’re doing, whether it be examining the way that you deliver care to reduce the waste that’s contained within that, whether it be participating in more active travel journeys or changing your diet to reduce your carbon footprint.
“Each one of these things, individually and collectively, adds up to contribute to our response to improving the planetary health.
“We’re 180,000 strong – by acting together, no matter what your role is within the NHS in Scotland, we can make a difference.”
Get involved
Share your story using #ScotClimateWeek to help spark new ideas and inspire others to act.
Visit the Climate Week website if you’d like to find out more about Scotland’s Climate Week – and how you can take action and get involved.