Resources
Here you can find a growing collection of resources to support learning, research, and engagement around critical approaches to sustainability.
- Edward Christie et al., ‘State of the World: Inclusive and Sustainable Futures,’ Scottish Council on Global Affairs, 13 August 2026, https://scga.scot/2026/08/13/inclusive-sustainable-futures/
- Edward Christie, ‘What is Worth More: Art or Life?’: Rethinking Art History with and Against Just Stop Oil,’ Visual Culture in Britain 23, no. 2–3 (23 February 2026): 208–217, https://doi.org/10.1080/14714787.2025.2604482.
- Cornelia Helmcke et al., ‘Inclusive and Sustainable Futures for Scotland: Project Report,’ 2 April 2026, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19387553.
- Inclusive and Sustainable Futures for Scotland
Our nation has a track record of global impact in addressing social and environmental problems, being one of the first countries to implement legally binding climate targets (Climate Change Act, 2009) and support those experiencing the negative impacts of climate change (Climate Justice Fund, 2022). Building on these achievements, the government recently published their Climate Change Plan which aims to deliver their commitment to ending Scotland’s contribution to global emissions by 2045. However, as climate advocates often remind us, these ambitions will fall flat if we do not embrace new ways of thinking – we need ‘system change, not climate change’. While the current agenda focuses on financial growth and technological solutions, this podcast, co-led by StACCS with the Centre for Energy Ethics, spotlights cutting-edge ideas to invite the public to imagine new ways to form a more flourishing society and planet.
Check out our first two episodes (available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music):
‘Place-based’ solutions are often called for in public debate, but what are they? What do we mean when we talk about ‘place’ and how do ‘place based’ solutions contrast with ‘top-down’ solutions. In this podcast, Dr Cornelia Helmcke and Dr Lydia Cole will tackle this question, They will discuss what an ideal place-based approach would look like, discuss the idea of ‘growth’ in a place-based approach to the green transition and talk about barriers to place-based approaches to the just transition.
Art and culture are often valued for how they can inspire critical ways of thinking and help us imagine alternative ways of addressing social and environmental challenges. But how can these ideas be translated into tangible and widespread change? Join our host, Joyce MicMillan, and expert panel – Dr Edward Christie from the St Andrews Centre for Critical Sustainabilities (StACCS) and Ben Twist from Culture for Climate Scotland – as they discuss the role of art and culture in leading meaningful solutions to the climate crisis.
- Ideas for Change, Inclusive and Sustainable Futures for Scotland, 2025–26, https://futuresforscotland.com/questions/.
This resource was developed as part of a wider initiative which explores alternative ways of addressing climate change, developed in the context of the 2026 Scottish parliamentary elections. The Ideas for Change structured a community panel discussion featuring sustainability groups from across Fife; you can read more about it on our blog post.
- Rewrite the Future, Wardlaw Museum, University of St Andrews, May–September 2025.
