SSN Conference

This year's Conference will address the key challenges and opportunities facing the public sector as we move from ambition into action on climate change, resilience and sustainability.

Taking place online on Wednesday 22nd May 2024, the Conference will welcome public sector colleagues, SSN members, and industry professionals to one of Scotland’s major public sector climate change events.

The Conference will present insights and initiatives designed to shift the dial on climate and sustainability action. It will draw on the work of SSN members and bring together leading advocates for transformational change within and across the public sector.

The event will focus on progressing integrated approaches designed to deliver multiple national performance outcomes across climate, wellbeing, nature, health, sustainability and prosperity.

Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, Scottish Government will open the event, alongside Cllr Gail Macgregor, Environment and Economy Spokesperson, COSLA. Speakers also include:

• Craig Hatton, Chief Executive, North Ayrshire Council & SOLACE Lead on Climate Change
• Rebecca Seidel, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland
• Stephen Smellie, Just Transition Commission
• Phil Raines, Director of Domestic Climate Change, Scottish Government

Hear from SSN members from Aberdeenshire Council and Shetland Islands Council, as well as Scottish Government health facilities experts, as they share their lived experience of putting ambition into practice. 

Afternoon sessions welcome a range of speakers, who will address the public sector challenges around the economy, leadership and collaboration: 

• Professor Graeme Roy, Scottish Fiscal Commission
• Richard Miller, Head of Adaptation, Climate Change Committee
• Mark Williams, SSN Vice Chair and the SSN Sub-Committee

Full programme can be accesed here.

This is a key event for anyone working on climate change and sustainability in, or with, the public sector. The conference audience will include leaders, policy makers and practitioners from across the Scottish public sector, including local authorities, NHS Boards, universities and colleges and the wide array of national and regional public bodies that are all actively involved in SSN.