Scotland is at a critical moment in shaping its response to the climate crisis and the transition to a circular economy. As Scotland’s Fair Trade organisation, we’ve submitted responses to two key government consultations: the Climate Change Plan (2026–2040) and the Circular Economy Strategy.

Our responses highlight the connections between Fair Trade, ethical consumption, and climate action. They key points that we’ve made are:

• Fair Trade as climate justice As our recent report revealed, Fair Trade supports producers in climate-vulnerable regions to adapt to environmental change, secure fair incomes, and strengthen community resilience. We’ve called for explicit recognition of Fair Trade in Scotland’s Climate Change Plan, particularly in the international section.
• Global impact matters Scotland’s policies and consumption affect communities overseas. Both consultations show a need for better indicators to measure these impacts and ensure policy decisions truly support fairness and sustainability globally.
• Procurement as a lever Public sector procurement is a powerful tool to drive ethical, low-carbon, and Fair Trade supply chains. We highlighted this in our Climate Change Plan response as a missed opportunity that should be strengthened.
• Fair and sustainable supply chains As a Fair Trade Nation, Scotland has both a responsibility and an opportunity to ensure that circular economy policies contribute to fair, rights-respecting and sustainable supply chains, particularly for producers and workers in the Global South.

These consultations are still open, and your voice matters. We encourage you to make your own submission to help ensure Scotland’s climate and circular economy policies support fairness, global justice, and sustainable trade. By participating, you’re helping Scotland move towards a climate and economy that works for everyone locally and globally.

Get involved:

• Climate Change Plan consultation Closes 29 January
• Circular Economy Strategy consultation Closes 13 January

We are happy to share our full responses with members in order to support your submission.