Sustainable economic growth & the agenda for Scottish authorities

The SSN Annual Conference 2009

29th October, Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh

The eighth annual Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) Conference took place on 29 October 2009 at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. The event attracted more than 250 delegates, bringing together leading politicians, academics and representatives from public, private and voluntary sectors to debate the concept of sustainable economic growth and the practicalities of a transition to a low carbon economy.

Key Speakers
John Swinney MSP John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
Tim Jackson Professor Tim Jackson, Sustainable Development Commission & University of Surrey
David Kennedy David Kennedy, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change
Peter Vadasz Peter Vadasz, Mayor of Gussing, Austria
Panelists
Ian Marchant Ian Marchant, Chief Executive of Scottish and Southern Energy / Chair of the Climate Change Business Delivery Group
Stephen Boyd Stephen Boyd, Assistant Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress
Colin Mair Colin Mair, Chief Executive, Improvement Service
Afternoon Speakers
Councillor Derek MacKay Councillor Derek MacKay, Leader of Renfrewshire Council
Robin Presswood Robin Presswood, Business and Strategy Manager, Fife Council / Chair of SLAED
John Barrett John Barrett, Programme Leader, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
Adrian Gillespie Adrian Gillespie, Director for Energy and Low Carbon Technologies, Scottish Enterprise
Chairperson
Ian Marchant Jan Bebbington, Professor of Accounting and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews

In particular, the conference focussed on the period of change from now to 2020, as we attempt to navigate a smooth and just transition to a lower-carbon, more sustainable economy. The Scottish Government's purpose is "to focus government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth". Scotland's Climate Change Act has commited Scotland to a transition to a low carbon economy, with a 2020 target for substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The SSN Conference 2009 explored the implications and opportunities of these policy and legislative drivers for Scottish local authorities.

Listen to the SSN Conference 2009

  • You can download audio recordings of the Conference's speakers on the Programme page.
  • Speakers' PowerPoint presentations are also available on the Programme page.
  • Listen to interviews with delegates and speakers on the Podcast page.

View the SSN Conference Poster Display

The conference poster exhibition captured examples of the work currently being undertaken across Scotland's 32 local authority areas to progress sustainable economic development. You can download the posters via the Poster Display page.

About Sustainable Scotland Network

The Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) is the network of sustainable development officers and advocates from Scotland's 32 local authorities. Core funded by the Scottish Government, SSN supports information sharing, training and communication within and between local authorities, towards the aim of mainstreaming sustainable development. Our work focuses on four main themes: Best Value; Climate Change; Local Ecological and Carbon Footprinting; and Sustainable Procurement.