Organised by Scotland’s design agency, Architecture and Design Scotland, the event on Tuesday 27 September will share learning from the projects, which cover over 20 locations - from Alness in the north to Annan in the south, to help more communities take climate action across Scotland.

Community-led climate action

The three projects are examples of how communities and organisations in Scotland’s towns and rural areas are working together to make adaptations to respond to, and combat, the changing climate. The organisations presenting are Architecture and Design Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Improvement Service.

The Scottish Government’s Energy and Climate Change directorate will participate in the event to set the scene of how locally based projects are contributing to a wider strategy to tackle the climate emergency.

Critical time for collaboration

Jim MacDonald, chief executive at Architecture and Design Scotland, said: “At this critical time it is crucial that we work together to find place-based solutions to the climate emergency. We know that working on climate has so many co-benefits including tackling fuel poverty and making our town centres more liveable. By bringing together key projects we get to see the great work that is already happening across Scotland – and hopefully, inspire others to take climate action.”

Heather Ashworth, projects officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Keep Scotland Beautiful is delighted to be invited to share our experiences of supporting community action on climate change at this key event. It has been inspiring to support communities across Scotland to put plans in place to take real, meaningful climate action. A year on from COP26 it demonstrates an ongoing awareness of the need for urgent action on the climate crisis and the importance of the role we can all play.”

Susan Rintoul, place and wellbeing project officer at the Improvement Service, said “Our places can positively or negatively impact on our wellbeing. Negative impacts can happen as the result of unintended consequences of an intervention meant with good intentions. It is important to consider the impacts of our interventions to adapt and mitigate climate change can have on health and inequalities. The Shaping Places for Wellbeing Programme aims to support this.”

The event is free to attend and will be delivered online.