Scotland's net zero journey is resonating as far afield as Oman with educational charity Outward Bound helping the country map out its own transition to a greener future, writes Executive Director Mark Evans

The Herald:

TRAVEL seven hours from central London and you will find yourself in a land of bagpipes, tartan, ospreys, oil and beautiful mountain and coastal scenery, but you won’t be in Scotland, you’ll be in the Sultanate of Oman. 

Both countries share similar sized populations, but that is perhaps where the similarities end.

60% of Oman’s population is under 30 years old, and the five million people are dispersed amongst a land that is four times larger than Scotland, giving rise to areas of true wilderness where journeys can be a serious undertaking, and satellite phones are an essential tool. 
Oman has always been a land that has inspired and involved adventure.

By 1930, the North and South Poles had both been claimed, and mountaineers at the time were probing away at Everest. Yet, the last great prize that remained was the Empty Quarter of Arabia, eventually claimed in 1931 by Englishman Bertram Thomas who crossed from Salalah in Oman, to Doha in Qatar in 
57 days. 

Before spending time with the Marsh Arabs in Iraq, many years after Thomas, the much better-known explorer Wilfred Thesiger undertook his two great journeys in southern Arabia in the Empty Quarter, journeys captured evocatively both by black and white photographs and by beautifully written books. 

Thesiger’s book Arabian Sands remains the bible of desert travel writing, and there are still people alive in Oman today who accompanied him as young men on his journeys in the 1940’s.          
Today, the desert and mountains connect Scotland and Oman through Outward Bound, the outdoor movement inspired by Kurt Hahn whilst he was headmaster of Gordonstoun. Whilst 2021 sees Outward Bound celebrating 80 years of valuable work in the UK, in Oman it was established more recently, in 2009.

Anyone who has been on a course with Outward Bound in Scotland will know that the biggest challenge can be the dreaded midges, which always seem to appear at that time of the day when you want to sit down with your group and discuss how the day has gone, and what we can take away from it in terms of learning. 

Thankfully midges are rare in Oman, where our greatest enemy, other than occasional flash floods, is the relentless sun, and our friend is the shade of a tree. 

Up until the 1980’s, many schools in rural areas took place in the shade of trees, which still act as focal points for community gatherings and desert navigation. 

Sunset can bring blessed relief from the heat, and those of you reading this who have spent any time in Arabia will know just how magical the night sky can be in the desert, where light pollution is almost zero. 

In his book, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) described the desert fireplace as ‘the oldest university on earth, where people have gathered, stories have been told, news exchanged and disputes resolved for thousands of years’.

Today, that ancient fireplace performs a new role with Outward Bound, serving as the ideal location for the next generation to gather at the end of a hard and intense day of learning, and reflect on what comes next, and what matters.

Whilst the sun may be an enemy of Outward Bound in Oman, it has the potential to play a key part in the future energy budget as Oman maps out its own transition to a reduced carbon future.

With the support of the UK Government, Outward Bound Oman is partnering with The Royal Sottish Geographical Society, training 500 future leaders through 34 immersive courses that will see talented Omani young people being mentored by leaders in society committed to sustainable change and emerging green career pathways. 

As a core part of this training, all mentors and Outward Bound Oman staff will undertake the 90 minute RSGS Climate Accelerator course, and every participant will be introduced to the learning through a short video by RSGS CEO Mike Robinson, and also by watching the acclaimed 60 minute documentary, Scotland: Our Climate Journey.

Go online now at climatesolutionsnetwork.com or for more information on the courses contact Alex at 
info@Jump-digital.com