Funding local climate action

Local communities across Scotland will be supported to take climate action in their areas through a new nationwide network of Climate Action Hubs.

This follows the success of two pathfinder hubs in the North East and the Highlands, which helped to widen participation in climate action and have supported a range of projects, including on local energy and flood mitigation.

A total of £4.3 million will be allocated to expand the Scottish Government’s Climate Action Hub programme to around 20 communities across the country.

Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson said:

“Our national climate change targets, as passed almost unanimously by the Scottish Parliament, are our collective responsibility and meeting them will require action at all levels. Local communities have a major role to play in delivering our shared net zero agenda and I want to make sure that we support and enable that action.

“That is why we are expanding our successful climate action programme to create a national network of hubs. This place-based approach will put communities at the heart of the transition to net zero and help ensure that everyone has a say in how Scotland responds to the climate crisis.”

Background

The funding will be delivered in 2023/24. Application and eligibility guidance will be published later this month. Network coordinators employed by the Scottish Climate Communities Action Network will work with communities to understand the needs of their area and support them with the application process.

The two pathfinder hubs are community-led organisations, launched in September 2021, covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Orkney and Shetland. They have focused on building awareness of the climate emergency and community capacity through training and events and have widened participation.

They have supported community organisations in developing projects, including on community energy, retrofitting, reducing flooding risks and green skills and have helped to secure funding from public and private investment.