Aberdeen’s south side is accommodated by exposed cliffs, though moving northwards the coast makes way for a long sandy beach which turns into high sand dunes which stretch as far north as Fraserburgh. The General Register for Scotland indicates that the city extends nearly 200 km2 including the former burghs of Old Aberdeen, New Aberdeen, Woodside and Torry. The traditional industries of fishing, paper-making, shipbuilding, and textiles were overtaken by the oil industry and Aberdeen's seaport during the 1970’s.
Efforts are being made to rebrand Aberdeen as the “Energy Capital of Europe” as opposed to the “Oil Capital of Europe” in light of the decreasing oil reserves in the North Sea and the interest in developing alternative energy supplies. This has recently been supported by the Energetica initiative led by Scottish Enterprise and the collaborative project to developing a hydrogen economy in Aberdeen. Utilisation of the engineering skills gained as part of the oil industry boom are readily transferable to diversifying the economy of Aberdeen to one focused upon emissions reduction and alternative energy supplies.
The Aberdeen City and Shire Economics Future (ACSEF) vision is to create an inclusive, energised and sustainable future for Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
Currently, Aberdeen, like many other cities faces social, economic and environmental issues that are challenging. Our economic model of growth is in flux, our expectations as citizens is rising, our population is growing and yet our impact on our environment continues to cause detrimental damage. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment, continued emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of our climate, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and the environment. Limiting such change will require substantial and sustained reductions in GHG emissions which, together with adaptation, can limit climate change risks.
By signing up to the Covenant of Mayors (CoM), a European movement involving local and regional authorities voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, Aberdeen City is taking these impacts seriously. The SEAP identifies measures to reduce GHG emissions and develop alternative energy supply. Such solutions have arisen from a wide level of stakeholder engagement and consultation resulting in hardware, infrastructure, behavioural and collaborative projects to be taken forward now and over the coming years.
Contact
Miss Amy Gray - Senior Sustainable Development Officer
amgray@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Miss Amye Robinson - External Funding and Policy Executive
arobinson@aberdeencity.gov.uk