SSAC Quarterly Update – July 2021
The SSAC provides independent advice, through its Chair, to the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for Scotland, to inform policy development and delivery across all areas of the Scottish Government’s (SG) work. It typically develops advice on a medium to long term basis, advising on developments in science and technology and their implications for policy and identifying potential future opportunities and threats.
Chaired by Professor Maggie Gill from 1 February 2020, the SSAC has 11 other members, in addition to the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientific Advisers, all of whom are ex-officio members: Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for Scotland Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Chief Scientist (Health) Professor David Crossman, CSA Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Professor Andrew Millar and Chief Social Policy Adviser, Professor Carol Tannahill.
The SSAC issues a short report following each quarterly meeting to provide an update on its latest work streams and areas of interest. The SSAC held its last meeting on 15 July 2021 by video conference. The next SSAC meeting is scheduled for September 2021.
1. SSAC CURRENT WORKSTREAMS
Geospatial Knowledge – effective use of geospatial data in Scotland. The report is at the printing and publishing stage and is expected to be available in September 2021.
SSAC Hydrogen sub-group continues to engage with Scottish Government (SG) who are preparing a commissioning note for SSAC advice.
SSAC is undertaking work on Quantum Technologies which is expected to be finalised by March 2022
2. SSAC FUTURE WORKSTREAMS
The SSAC Climate Change sub-group has been expanded to address suitable work to take forward in light of the UK Climate Change Committee report published in December 2020.
3. COP26 – Opportunities for SSAC
Joint activities by SSAC council members, RSE and SAGES in the lead up to COP26 in November 2021 include producing two short interview videos per month, published on the RSE YouTube channel and SSAC website in the run up to the event, to help highlight Scottish research and science and its contribution to understanding/tackling climate change and its effects.
4. Membership news
The new CSA Scotland, Professor Julie Fitzpatrick was appointed on 14 June 2021. The CSA attended her first SSAC meeting in July 2021.
For further information, please contact the SSAC Secretariat team at: Scottishscience@gov.scot