Adaptation to climate change

Climate change means that Scotland will be wetter in winters, drier in summers, sea level rise will continue, and our weather will become more variable and unpredictable. 

The effects of these changes are already being felt by people in Scotland. 

That is why we are taking steps to adapt to climate change, alongside work to reduce emissions (climate mitigation). 

Climate adaptation plan 

Our third National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2029 describes what we and our partners are doing to respond to the impacts of climate change.  

It shows how we will support communities, public services, businesses, and nature to adapt to the changing climate in a way that is fair and inclusive. 

You can also read: 

Measuring progress 

We have published a monitoring and evaluation framework to help measure progress towards meeting the aims in our adaptation plan. 

We publish annual progress reports on climate change adaptation. Read: Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme: progress report 2023 to 2024 

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) are required to also undertake two independent assessments of progress on adaptation for each 5 year adaptation plan. Read: Adapting to climate change: progress in Scotland - Climate Change Committee  

How we developed our adaptation plan 

Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, we must publish an adaptation plan every 5 years in response to the CCC’s independent assessment of climate risks in the UK .  

We developed the 2024 to 2029 climate adaptation plan for Scotland following a public consultation in early 2024. Read the climate change adaptation consultation and findings report

Climate projection data 

The UK Climate Projections (UKCP) is a set of tools and data from the Met Office that shows you how the UK climate may change in the future. This includes summary information for Scotland. 

Find out more about climate adaptation 

We fund the Adaptation Scotland programme to provide practical advice and support to help communities, public sector organisations and businesses to adapt and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. 

Find out more at the Adaptation Scotland website

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