Climate Adaptation

Adapting to change

Climate adaptation is about taking action to increase our resilience to the impacts of climate change. The effects of flooding, coastal erosion, increased temperatures, drought and storms are putting pressure on our economy, society and environment which must be addressed. Regardless of our success at reducing new greenhouse gas emissions, the many impacts of past emissions are already locked-in and will lead to changes for decades to come.

The Scottish National Adaptation Plan (2024-2029) sets out the actions that the Scottish Government and partners will take to respond to these impacts. The plan envisions five long-term outcomes for our natural environment, communities, public services, economy, as well our international role. Throughout each outcome and supporting objectives there is a focus on place-based adaptation, recognising the importance of avoiding a ‘one size fits all’ approach in tackling the diverse impacts of climate change.

The embedding of the Place Principle in the Adaptation Plan’s Communities outcome strengthens the basis for place-based adaptation, including through the use of the Place Standard Tool with a climate lens. The impacts of climate change will not be equal and are likely to particularly affect communities who already face disadvantage. By taking a place-based approach, we can ensure that each place is planned, designed and managed not just to suit the needs and aspirations of the people who live there but to be resilient to the changing climate.

The National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out Scotland’s long-term spatial strategy for a net-zero Scotland by 2045. NPF4 is also central to the Adaptation Plan’s outcome Nature Connects. By recognising the twin crises of climate change and nature loss, NPF4 offers direction on ‘where’ and ‘what’ development should take place at a national level, and is combined with national planning policy on ‘how’ development planning should manage change such as climate change. Action on adaptation is supported through NPF4 policies on biodiversity, soils, nature networks, coastal change management, adapting to extreme temperatures, blue-green infrastructure, green infrastructure for play provision, and flood and water management.

This page provides more information on Scottish Government policies and background information on climate adaptation.