Adaptation Scotland – a new name to tackle the impacts of climate change

20/09/11

To mark a new phase in its work encouraging people to tackle the impacts resulting from our changing climate, Scotland’s leading climate change adaptation initiative has today [Tuesday 20 September 2011] changed its name to Adaptation Scotland.

Formerly known as the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SCCIP), the initiative has chosen a new title to ensure that organisations and communities across Scotland are fully aware of the work it is undertaking to encourage greater resilience to climate change-related issues.

Julian Holbrook, Programme Co-ordinator for Adaptation Scotland, said: “Our name change reflects the fact that the initiative’s focus is increasingly moving from identifying how climate change might impact Scotland, to building capacity within organisations and communities to better deal with these impacts.

“Over the next 18 months, Adaptation Scotland will be working with all sectors to address the risks and opportunities climate change presents.  We will provide advice and support aimed at developing knowledge and best practice to increase climate change resilience, ensuring people are better equipped to deal with issues such as more extreme weather and increased risk of flooding.

“For example, Adaptation Scotland will soon start a new area-based project in Greater Glasgow, which will provide an opportunity for organisations and communities to work together to learn more about how our changing climate might impact Glasgow and the Clyde Valley, and how best to respond to these impacts.  Adaptation Scotland  is also developing work to engage communities across Scotland to empower them in identifying which of their assets might be threatened by climate change and how they can best react to these threats, as well as possible climate-related opportunities ”, Julian Holbrook added.

Commenting on Adaption Scotland’s new identity and work programme, Professor James Curran, Director of Science and Strategy for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “Whilst Scotland has set bold targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, it is also vitally important that we take decisive action to deal with the impacts that climate change will produce both now and into the future.  This is why the work of Adaptation Scotland is crucial, and I am sure its new identity will help reinforce awareness of its role in supporting organisations across Scotland to become more resilient to climate change”.