John has a passion for sustainability and a wealth of experience in the public sector, including local government and further education.
Until recently, John’s role was as Environmental Services Coordinator at Fife College, where he led the college in tackling the challenges around sustainability and climate change, especially involving the students in as many projects as possible. Prior to his role at Fife College, John was Executive Spokesperson for Environment and Transport for Fife Council, where he was engaged in a variety of activities from energy strategy to recycling.
John is undertaking PhD research in the use of Judicial Review in Climate Change litigation and decided last year to take a break from Fife College to concentrate on his research.
John has also served on the Office Bearers’ Group of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges, and is the current Chair of Fife Environment Partnership.
Having joined the SSN Steering Group in 2018, John became Vice Chair in 2019 and Chair in 2021, and he has a strong commitment to the aims and goals of SSN: “I believe that SSN is critical to the success of the Scottish Government Climate Change Plan, which is an ambitious undertaking that will require considerable commitment from public, private, and third sector partners. With increasingly demanding climate change targets, the role of SSN in providing strategic leadership and influence is even more vital than before.”