STV launch ‘Sustainable Scotland Week’

STV has announced its first ever ‘Sustainable Scotland Week’ – a seven-day, cross-platform mission to raise awareness of how climate change is impacting Scotland’s communities and inspire viewers to live more sustainably.

The broadcaster – which operates two Channel 3 franchises that cover Scotland – is launching the integrated campaign as a new ScotPulse survey* shows seven in 10 Scots look to the TV for information about climate change and sustainability – more than any other source. The research also highlights that 68% of Scots are anxious about climate change, with three in five (61%) more anxious than they were five years ago.

Sustainable Scotland Week – set to launch on Monday 21 August – will see more of STV’s programming featuring a sustainability focus, with new hour-long special, Sean’s Scotland SOS, leading the schedule.

The programme follows STV star Sean Batty as he travels across the country exploring how climate change and pollution are taking their toll on Scotland’s environment. While hit series Sean’s Scotland showcased the country in all its picturesque beauty, this standalone programme focuses more closely on the environmental threats facing Sean’s beloved homeland.

Sean’s Scotland SOS will see the weather presenter explore dramatic coastal erosion in Montrose; visit the world’s largest colony of northern gannets on Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth to unpick the challenges facing the seabird population; and join a boat crew on the River Clyde to help remove pollution and debris from one of Scotland’s most famous waterways.

Sean Batty – STV

Sean Batty:

“Viewers are used to seeing me bring them the weather every evening with a smile on my face, but the truth is, the extreme weather events we’ve witnessed more frequently in recent years – both around the world and here in Scotland too – have been a cause of concern for me and everyone who cares deeply about our natural environment.

 “For STV’s Sustainable Scotland Week, I wanted to get back out on the road and give viewers another tour of Scotland’s world-renowned beauty, but this time I’m also on a mission to delve deeper into the serious environmental issues facing our country.”

Across the week…

Sean Batty will also appear on the panel of a special Scotland Tonight debate programme focused on the sustainability issues facing Scotland, due to air at 7pm on Monday 21 August. The nightly current affairs series will look at how the country is meeting commitments to fight the climate emergency and whether bigger changes to the way we live our lives are needed.

STV News at Six – which was earlier in August revealed as the most-used source for news about Scotland** – will feature a series of special reports throughout the week on both its Central and North editions, focusing on how climate change is impacting key sectors and industries in viewers’ local areas.

Sean Batty – STV

A dedicated ‘Green Hub’ will appear on streaming service STV Player, featuring a range of insightful, sustainability-focused documentaries produced by filmmakers from around the world. Plus, STV viewers will spot a series of special clips scattered throughout the channel’s schedule, offering practical and actionable tips to make small, green lifestyle changes.

STV’s Sustainable Scotland Week will run as part of the broadcaster’s STV Zero sustainability strategy, launched in 2021 to encourage viewers, colleagues and partners to join in creating a more sustainable society. STV has itself committed to be a net-zero carbon business by 2030. STV is sponsored by SSE Energy Solutions – which supplies energy to 420,000 business sites across Great Britain – this Sustainable Scotland Week.

Bobby Hain, Managing Director of Broadcast at STV:

“This summer has put the ongoing effects of global climate change into sharp focus, and the recent research showing Scots use the TV for news about environmental issues more than any other source highlights the importance of STV using its position to convey accurate information to our viewers in an accessible way.”

** Source: Ofcom Media Nations – Scotland 2023 report, published 3 August 2023.