Highland climate change survey underway

Communities and businesses in the Highlands are being asked to share their experiences about how severe weather and climate change has affected them over the past few years.

The Highland Council, in partnership with Adaptation Scotland, are carrying out an online survey to help guide climate change adaptation planning for the Scottish Highlands. 

While the impacts of climate change and extreme weather are already being felt across the Highlands, from damage to infrastructure, to disruption of vital services and a shift in growing seasons, more information is needed about how local communities and businesses are being affected.

The Council, along with Community Planning Partners, believe there could be significant benefits to establishing a Highland-wide climate change adaptation partnership to coordinate and deliver a joined-up approach to managing the impacts of the climate crisis in Highland. Adaptation Scotland, a programme funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by sustainability charity Sniffer, has already seen similar schemes set up in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and the Glasgow City Region. The schemes have shown adapting is easier, cheaper, and more effective through partnership working.

The results of the survey will help identify local priorities that could be tacked if a new climate change adaptation partnership is established.

Leader of The Highland Council, Cllr Margaret Davidson, said:

"The Council recently declared a climate and ecological emergency, and we are well aware of the extent of the challenge facing the region. To that end, taking a proactive, Highland-wide partnership approach to the risks that climate change is going to bring to Highland seems to be a sensible way forward. The views of Highland communities and businesses will help us better understand the challenges they are facing as well as shaping how we can best address this in a collaborative way."

Anna Beswick, Adaptation Scotland Programme Manager at Sniffer said:

"We want to find out more about how communities and businesses across the Highlands are being impacted by climate change. It is crucial that we listen and understand how people are being affected. Any new climate change adaptation partnership must respond to local concerns and priorities. The results of the survey will provide important information to help plan for the future."

The survey will be open until 6 September.

You can take the survey here: http://bit.ly/2OXpbG2