Scottish climate action hubs: models research

Research into existing models of community climate action hubs in the UK and internationally has been publised by Scottish Government. 

To achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, Scotland needs to support and encourage communities to make transformational change to deliver a just transition. In response to a review of the Climate Challenge Fund programme, Scottish Government launched the Climate Action Hub Programme. This programme aims to support the development of a network of regional hubs to support community climate action.

This research was commissioned by Scottish Government, and conducted by Changeworks, to identify similar climate hub models in the UK and internationally. It assesses whether learnings from these models can be applied to the development of the Climate Action Hub Programme in Scotland.

This report provides insight into four community climate action hubs in the UK, one in Canada and one in Germany.  The report summarises the experiences of the six case study hubs and provides learnings for the development of new hubs. 

At present, a total of £4.3 million has been allocated by Scottish Government to set up approximately 20 new hubs in Scotland. Two pathfinder hubs were set up in 2021; the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub based in the Northern Highlands, and North East Scotland Climate Action Network (NESCAN) Hub in Aberdeen.

The research reviews the progress of existing hubs outside Scotland, as well as similar models for community climate action, to ensure that future projects in this area are well informed for success. A case study approach was adopted to ensure that detail around the background, context and set up of each hub was captured. Lessons learned from existing examples will provide insights as to the most effective way to structure a network of hubs which can facilitate the sharing of knowledge, take advantage of regional expertise, and foster a culture of increased partnership working.

The research identified a number of factors that support the success of climate action hubs. Having a paid member of staff was found to be key for long term success, providing oversight and consistency that purely volunteer-led hubs did not have the resource to deliver. In the case of networked hubs, a core team of staff, who are in regular contact with each hub, supported development of the hubs by facilitating networking, knowledge sharing and effective use of resources. In addition to this, early engagement with the local community was found to help ensure the hubs initiatives aligned with local priorities.

The case studies also suggest hubs with a physical presence were more effective than purely digital ones. These spaces provide a local place to offer information and host events, whilst anecdotal evidence suggests that it increases engagement within local communities.

You can find the full report at: Scottish climate action hubs: models research - gov.scot