What are Young People's priorities for the 2022 Scottish Local Council Elections?

Scottish Local Councils have a number of responsibilities and powers which can help to tackle the Climate Crisis, and it’s important to have a look at your local candidates’ priorities - and get out and vote!

Key results from our survey of young people and their priorities for the Local Council Elections

Our survey of 85 young people and leaders from our network found that 94% of those responding aged 18-35 selected Climate Change and the Environment as being one of the top 3 issues facing politicians in Scotland today.

(Overall, what are the top 3 issues facing Scottish politicians today?

Scottish councils have different powers and responsibilities compared to other levels of government in Scotland, so when it came to what our respondents wanted Scottish Councils to prioritise, top choices which were mentioned by over 40% of respondents aged 18-35 were Environmental Protection, Education, Housing and Planning, and Social Care.

(What should Scottish Councils’ top priorities be?)

When we specifically asked for respondents’ priorities in terms of the climate and environmental aspects of their Councils’ work, the top priority was Energy (80%) followed closely by Transport (68%) and Waste (63%).

(Which aspects of climate and environmental work should Councils prioritize?)

We also asked for suggestions of specific ways in which Scottish local councils could tackle the Climate Crisis - and there were plenty of ideas! Some of the common themes are reflected in the word cloud below; and included transport infrastructure (prioritising public transport and active travel, leading to a reduction in car dependency) together with improvements to building infrastructure to make it more energy efficient.

Cloud reflecting the ideas that young people have about how Scottish Councils can tackle the climate crisis

With so many competing priorities and challenges facing us collectively and individually, this survey and this election are a timely reminder of the need to continually bear in mind the climate crisis and move towards a just and better Scotland - and world! 

To ensure that your local council is acting with these priorities in mind, make sure your voice is heard at the polls, and speak to friends, family, and colleagues to encourage them to do the same. Do cast your vote tomorrow!