The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has said that 2020 will mark a step change in the organisation's focus on how it will help to contribute to the Scottish Government's 2045 net zero greenhouse gas emissions target.

As the CNPA implements its New Year 'green' resolutions, it is encouraging everyone else to consider what changes they can make to help tackle the climate emergency.

CNPA Chief Executive Grant Moir said: "We are taking our corporate responsibilities very seriously with various changes to how we operate, such as switching to more environmentally friendly vehicles and other changes to internal policies which will promote a reduction in emissions.

"We can all do our bit and on a personal level – I was lucky enough to get a hot composter for Christmas so I'll be composting all our waste food at home – it's a great invention with only six weeks to compost useable in the garden!"

The Park Authority has been monitoring its carbon footprint since 2007/08 and in a decade it has managed to reduce it from 150 tCO2e to 90 tCO2e in 2017/18.


Measures include a reduction in vehicle use and switching to more environmentally friendly pool cars, a reduction in electricity usage, cutting down on paper use, the installation of a biomass boiler, buying only eco-friendly cleaning products and making recycling easier around the office.

Convener of the CNPA Board, Xander McDade commented: "Looking forward to 2020 the biggest challenge for all of us is undoubtedly the continuing climate emergency. Looking at ways of reducing carbon emissions and repairing the damage already done to the environment and biodiversity will be top of the CNPA's agenda. It is something that cannot be ignored and we will be looking at ways in which we can work together with the communities in the National Park to reduce our impact and ensure that we leave a healthy and enriched environment for future generations. Personally, my resolution for 2020 is to use public transport more, particularly the train."

Reducing the CNPA's impact on the environment is a continuing process according to the Park Authority's Head of Organisational Development, Kate Christie.

She added: "We consider carefully the need to travel to meetings and how we will get there and we encourage staff – where possible – to consider their own commute. For example, we have the Bike to Work Scheme, which is open to all and has been extended to include e-bikes. We are continually increasing the amount of recycled products that we use and have drastically cut the use of paper – and we do other simple things like ensuring all lights and computer monitors are switched off when not in use.

"My personal 'green' resolution is to bring a packed lunch to work every day rather than buying a pre-packed supermarket sandwich, which should minimise my use of waste packaging."

(MH/JG)