Climate change - Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment

1. Brief Summary (Guidance Section 2.3.2, pages 10-11).

Type of proposal (Please choose from either Bill, SSI or Decision of a strategic nature relating to the rights and wellbeing of children)

Applicable answer: Decision of a strategic nature relating to the rights and wellbeing of children

Name the proposal, and describe its overall aims and intended purpose.

Name: Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires the preparation of a strategic programme for climate adaptation, as soon as reasonably practicable after each round of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (UK CCRA), the evidence for which is prepared by the independent UK Climate Change Committee (CCC). The Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029 (referred to as the Adaptation Plan) responds to the risks set out in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2022. The plan consists of 5 high-level outcomes which contain 23 objectives made up of policies and plans intended to build Scotland’s resilience to climate change.

Outcomes:

1. Nature connects across our land, settlements, coasts and seas.

2. Communities are creating climate-resilient, healthy and equitable places.

3. Public services are collaborating in effective and inclusive adaptation action.

4. Economies and industries are adapting and realising opportunities in Scotland’s Just Transition.

5. Scotland’s international role supports climate justice and enhanced global action on climate adaptation.

Start date of proposal’s development: 17/01/2022

Start date of CRWIA process: 17/07/2023

2. With reference given to the requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, which aspects of the proposal are relevant to children’s rights? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, pages 11-13).

The Adaptation Plan is split into 23 objectives, these objectives (aspects of the proposal) are matched to the relevant requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 below. The articles listed below the objectives are linked to the UNCRC articles through the analysis of evidence gathered in Annex 1 and Annex 2. For example, objective NC1 includes policies for Nature Networks which will provide enhanced greenspace access in our communities. The importance of greenspace access for children's health is explored in Annex 1. As a result, this objective is noted to have implications on Article 24 (health and health services).

(NC1) Nature-based solutions (NBS) are protected, enhanced and connected to enable healthier, cooler, water resilient and nature-rich places.

• Article 24 (health and health services)
• Article 31 (leisure, play and culture)

(NC3) Development planning (including Local Development Plans and associated delivery programmes) takes current and future climate risks into account and is a key lever in enabling places to adapt.

• Article 4 (implementation of the Convention)
• Article 24 (health and health services)
• Article 31 (leisure, play and culture)

(C2) Communities and individuals are supported, informed, and able to take locally led adaptation action, supporting local priorities and resilient, healthy, and equitable places.

• Article 3 (best interests of the child)
• Article 6 (life, survival and development)
• Article 24 (health and health services)
• Article 30 (children from minority and indigenous groups)

(C4) New buildings are designed for a future climate, and opportunities for adaptation in existing buildings are taken during maintenance or retrofit.

• Article 27 (adequate standard of living)
• Article 30 (children from minority and indigenous groups)

(PS2) People can access the public services they need; and critical assets, systems and networks are resilient to the impacts of the changing climate.

• Article 6 (life, survival and development)
• Article 24 (health and health services)
• Article 28 (right to education)
• Article 29 (goals of education)
• Article 31 (leisure, play and culture)
• Article 42 (knowledge of rights)

Cross-cutting

The creation of a Children’s version of the Plan contributes to meeting the requirements under the following articles:

• Article 2 (non-discrimination)
• Article 42 (knowledge of rights)

3. Please provide a summary of the evidence gathered which will be used to inform your decision-making and the content of the proposal. (Guidance Section 2.3.2, pages 13-16).

Existing research/reports/policy expertise:

• Global Climate Change and Children’s Health: Threats and Strategies for Prevention
• Child health inequalities and climate change in the UK - position statement from RCPCH
• Thirsting for a Future - UNICEF
• The health and well-being effects of drought: assessing multi-stakeholder perspectives through narratives from the UK
• Unless we act now: The impact of climate change on children - UNICEF
• Climate change and mental health: Report from a COP-26 public participation event
• BIG Survey – Young Scot
• Mapping flood disadvantage in Scotland 2015: report
• Vulnerability to Flooding: Health and Social Dimensions
• BBC Newsround – Climate Change Poll
• Clean the air for children – UNICEF
• Air Pollution and Noncommunicable Diseases: A Review by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies' Environmental Committee
• Urban Hazard Mitigation: Creating Resilient Cities
• Exploring minimum essentials for sustainable school disaster preparedness: A case of elementary schools in Banda Aceh City, Indonesia
• Are climate change policies child-sensitive? - UNICEF
• Heating Regulations and Ventilation - SSTA
• Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability – IPCC
• Learning for Sustainability
• Towards climate justice education: Views from activists and educators in Scotland
• Every child, every chance: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2018-2022
• Air Quality – Scotland’s Environment
• Scottish Household Survey 2021 – telephone survey: key findings
• Climate Change, fossil fuels, and UK food prices - ECIU
• Hunger in Scotland – The Trussell Trust
• A response framework for addressing the risks of climate change for homeless populations
• Homelessness in Scotland: 2022-23

Consultation/feedback from stakeholders:

• Citizen’s Space consultation questions
  • Question 29: What, if any, impact do you think the Adaptation Plan will have on children’s rights and wellbeing?
  • Question 30: What, if any, measures could be taken to strengthen any positive impacts or lessen any negative impacts of the draft Adaptation Plan on children's rights and wellbeing?
• Consultation workshops
• Consultation email response from the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (Annex 3) including direct quotes from young people

4. Further to the evidence described at ‘3’ have you identified any 'gaps' in evidence which may prevent determination of impact? If yes, please provide an explanation of how they will be addressed (Guidance Section 2.3.2, page 16).

Difficulties in predicting the full extent of the impacts of climate changes make it difficult to set targets for the exact extent of adaptation measures required to prevent interference with children’s rights and wellbeing. The multiple factors involved in tackling global warming mean it is incredibly difficult to predict whether warming will be limited to 2°C, 4°C or higher temperatures. Any additional adaptation-relevant plans or policies published during the Adaptation Plan’s lifespan to increase Scotland’s adaptive capacity should be subject to their own specific CRWIA.

5. Analysis of Evidence (Guidance Section 2.3.2, page 17).

A full analysis of the evidence gathered is given in Annex 1 and Annex 2.

6. What changes (if any) have been made to the proposal as a result of this assessment? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, page 17)

As a result of the initial draft CRWIA and consultation, we have decided to implement or strengthen certain areas of the Adaptation Plan that were found to be lacking in our response to the need to uphold the UNCRC:

• Children’s Version of the Adaptation Plan.
• Learning for Sustainability adaptation-specific education offering to be updated and improved.
• Scottish Government to promote YoungScot climate anxiety resources.
• Further exploration in the Adaptation Plan of the importance of access to greenspace for play

7. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all UNCRC requirements, what is the potential overall impact of this proposal on children’s rights? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, page 17):

Applicable answer(s): Positive impact.

8. If you have identified a positive impact on children’s rights, please describe below how the proposal will protect, respect, and fulfil children’s rights in Scotland. (Guidance Section 2.3.2, page 18).

The links between the provisions in the Adaptation Plan and their positive impacts on the articles of UNCRC as stated below are drawn from the analysis of evidence gathered in Annex 1 and Annex 2.

• The Adaptation Plan makes provision to promote Young Scot resources on climate anxiety. This provision will uphold Articles 6 and 24.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision to explore options for improving the evidence in Scotland about young people’s experience of poor mental health and wellbeing related to climate change. This provision will help the Scottish Government monitor the success of their climate anxiety response in young people long term and be able to enhance or correct course as needed. This provision will uphold Articles 3, 6 and 24.
• The Adaptation Plan will have a children’s version positioned alongside it. This provision will uphold Articles 2 and 42.
• The Adaptation Plan sets out a plan to ensure the climate resilience embedded in the Learning for Sustainability part of the curriculum for excellence is reviewed, updated and strengthened where possible over the duration of the plan’s lifespan. This provision will help children understand the impacts of climate change and be able to prepare, respond and advocate for increased climate resilience in their household, schools and communities. This provision will uphold Articles 29 and 42.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision to improve the resilience of registered care providers through delivering guidance via the Care Inspectorate in partnership with Public Health Scotland. This provision will help reduce disruption to childcare during extreme weather events. This provision will uphold Articles 28 and 31.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision for the requirements of the Leaning Estate Investment Programme to include criteria for indoor temperature and air quality, including overheating assessments at design stages. Individual projects are required to be approved by the Local Authority Flood Officers with input from SEPA and objectives for future projects include improving access to outdoor spaces through the provision of covered areas. This provision will help reduce disruption to the education of children and young people during extreme weather events and enhance the wellbeing of children and young people. This provision will uphold Articles 24, 28, 29 and 31.
• The Adaptation Plan’s focus on blue-green infrastructure is inclusive of play spaces as green features, recognizing the benefits to children of access to safe outdoor play spaces. This provision will uphold Articles 24 and 31.
• The Adaptation Plan highlights the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019’s new duty on planning authorities to prepare and publish an open space strategy. This makes provision for assessments to set out areas for play. This provision will uphold Articles 4, 24 and 31.
• The Adaptation Plan highlights NPF4 Policy 21: Green Infrastructure for play provision. This provision will help uphold Articles 24 and 31.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision to deliver a wide range of resilience building actions for Scotland’s Islands including housing, transport, digital connectivity, education, access to health and social care, childcare and more through the Addressing Depopulation Plan. This provision will help uphold Articles 3, 6, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision for increased resilience of healthcare services through all NHS Health Boards being required to prepare and implement climate change adaptation plans. This provision will help uphold Articles 6 and 24.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision to increase understanding of the connections between climate change and mental wellbeing through ClimateXChange research. This provision will help uphold Articles 6 and 24.
• The Adaptation Plan makes provision for an evidence based public mental health approach to climate related impacts and risks to mental health and wellbeing, aligned with Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This provision will help uphold Articles 6 and 24.
• The Plan makes provision to ensure Scottish Government’s public communications promotion adaptation behaviours will be framed in a way that addresses and mitigates climate anxiety while recognizing it as a motivating factor in behaviour change. This provision will help uphold Articles 6 and 24.
• The Plan makes provision for an increased focus on mental health assessments and interventions and other forms of psychosocial support during emergency response and recovery events through updating the Preparing Scotland Guidance. This provision will help uphold Articles 6 and 24.

9. If a negative impact has been identified please describe below. Is there a risk this could potentially amount to an incompatibility? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, pages 18-19).

No negative impacts have been identified.

10. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators, will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, pages 20-22).

Applicable answer: Yes

There is some evidence to suggest that the actions and policies contained within the Adaptation Plan are advantageous to children and young people’s wellbeing. This applies to the following wellbeing indicators: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, and Responsible.

11. How will you communicate to children and young people the impact that the proposal will have on their rights? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, page 22)

We are not publishing a child-friendly CRWIA however we will be publishing a child-friendly version of the Adaptation Plan itself which will include reference to children’s rights.