Our work to combat the Climate Emergency
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Healthy, biodiverse ecosystems are essential to regulate the Earth’s climate and help prevent catastrophic climate change, while in urban settings, biodiversity provides physical and social resilience to climate change.
RBGE delivers vital ‘nature-based solutions’ to the climate emergency, based around the principles of monitoring, minimising, and mitigating the impacts of global climate change.
The climate emergency is now being felt across the world. According to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, human activities are estimated to have already caused approximately 1°C of global warming, and this is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052.
“As a world-leading botanic garden responding to the climate emergency and the associated alarming loss of biodiversity … the need for our pioneering work has never been greater, be it through cutting-edge science, impactful education or inspiring people with the beauty and value of natural capital.” – Simon Milne, Regius Keeper.
As Scotland’s plant biodiversity institute, RBGE promotes a biodiversity-rich environment crucial to carbon sequestration and ecosystem and human resilience.
As a major centre of public engagement we lead the way in supporting businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon emissions.
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Read our Strategies for responding to the Biodiversity Crisis and Climate Emergency
Read more:
Our other Conservation activities
How the changing climate is affecting our gardens
RBGE is a member of SEFARI
Our three-pronged approach to the climate emergency
What next?
- The Future
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Our imminent Edinburgh Biomes programme will protect and dramatically enhance our scientific and engagement activities, while also reducing our own direct carbon emissions: carbon losses from our glasshouses will be cut by 12%, and energy use by up to 50%, through sustainable energy generation, increased efficiencies and reduced heat losses.
- Join us!
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Join RBGE in combatting the climate emergency. Come and see us at one of our four gardens across Scotland. Immerse yourself in the beauty of plants from around the world and learn about our work to protect them from the worst effects of the climate emergency.
Make changes in your own life. Could you switch to a renewable energy supplier? Use public transport more? Eat less meat and dairy? Or holiday by train, boat or bicycle – make the journey part of the adventure!
Get the attention of those in power – both business and government – by spending wisely, joining campaigns, and using your vote.
Support our work to monitor, minimise and mitigate the climate emergency around the world. If you are able, you can support us financially here.