Tag: climate change

Wetter autumn outlook puts Scotland’s flood risk in focus

People across Scotland are being encouraged to prepare and be aware by understanding the information available to them as the latest seasonal outlook points to an increased likelihood of wetter and more unsettled conditions later this autumn and into early winter. 

The current El Niño is now the strongest in the observational record and increases the chances of wetter and stormier conditions across north-west Europe, including the UK. But El Niño is only one influence on our weather and cannot tell us exactly when or where severe weather or flooding will happen. 

That uncertainty makes it important to understand flood risk before severe weather arrives, know where to look for information and think about how flooding could affect the places that matter to you. 

As Scotland’s flood warning authority, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is highlighting the practical steps people can take to prepare and be aware, alongside the network of monitoring, science and specialist expertise behind Scotland’s flood information. 

Across Scotland, SEPA monitors water levels at 392 locations and operates more than 280 automated rain gauges. Many are small pieces of infrastructure people may pass without ever knowing what they are, but the information they collect helps specialists understand changing conditions and contributes to Scotland’s flood forecasting services. 

Eleanore Cooper, SEPA’s Head of Environmental Forecasting, Warning and Informing, said: “Being prepared means knowing your flood risk and looking ahead. Being aware means understanding what information is available, what different flood messages mean and where to find the latest information when conditions change. 

“Flooding doesn’t have to come through your own front door to affect you. That’s why we encourage people to think about the places that matter. It could disrupt the road you use to get to work, your workplace, local services you rely on or somewhere friends or family live.” 

Prepare: know your risk and look ahead 

When unsettled weather is approaching, the Scottish Flood Forecast provides a three-day outlook showing where flooding from rivers, surface water and the sea may occur and the potential impacts. 

Produced by the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service, a partnership between SEPA and the Met Office, the forecast is updated every day. 

Be aware: know what information is available 

Different sources of flood information are designed to do different jobs. 

Regional Flood Alerts provide early information when flooding is possible across a wider area and can cover flooding from rivers, the coast or surface water. 

Local Flood Warnings provide more targeted information when flooding is expected in defined communities where SEPA has the monitoring and forecasting capability to provide them. 

People can register with Floodline to receive Flood Alert and Warning messages for the areas that matter to them and get information sent directly to them. That can include where they live, work or regularly travel through, as well as areas where friends or family live. 

Eleanore added: “No single source tells you everything about flood risk because they are designed to do different things. 

“The Scottish Flood Forecast helps you look ahead to what is expected over the next few days. Flood Alerts give early information across a wider area, while local Flood Warnings provide more targeted information where that service is available. 

Knowing what’s available and how those different sources work together means you are better prepared when conditions change. 

“And Floodline isn’t just about your home address. You can keep an eye on the places that matter to you, whether that’s your workplace, somewhere you regularly travel through or where someone you care about lives.” 

People should also continue to follow weather forecasts and warnings issued by the Met Office, particularly during periods of heavy or persistent rain. 

The science behind the information 

Behind Scotland’s flood information is a network of monitoring, forecasting and specialist expertise that most people never see. 

At river gauging stations across the country, equipment continually monitors changing water levels. SEPA teams also make physical measurements to understand the relationship between the level of a river and the amount of water flowing through it. 

Because rivers and channels change over time, equipment and measurements are regularly checked to make sure the information remains reliable. 

That information is brought together with data from SEPA’s rain gauge network, weather forecasts, computer modelling and specialist judgement to help flood forecasters understand how conditions are developing. 

Bruce Campbell, SEPA Hydrometry National Team Manager, said: “People can pass one of our gauging stations without ever knowing what it is or what it is doing. But sites like these across Scotland are essential so we can continually monitor what our rivers are doing.  

“The equipment is one part of a much bigger system. Our teams maintain the monitoring network, take measurements and check the data, which is then used alongside rainfall information, weather forecasts, modelling and the expertise of our flood forecasting colleagues. 

“All of that work happening behind the scenes helps us build the best possible picture of developing flood risk and provides useful information to communities and first responders across Scotland.” 

The same forecasting expertise also supports Scotland’s emergency preparedness. The Scottish Flood Forecasting Service produces a daily Flood Guidance Statement for Category 1 and Category 2 responders, helping local authorities, emergency services and other organisations prepare for and respond to potential flooding. 

People can view the Scottish Flood Forecast, current Flood Alerts and Warnings and register for Floodline through SEPA’s website at sepa.org.uk/flooding 

PICTURES: River Tweed monitoring at Peebles

SEPA: Autumn rain fails to reverse impact of dry spring and summer

The effects of Scotland’s dry spring and summer are continuing to impact eastern Scotland, with four further areas days away from reaching the highest water scarcity level, potentially bringing the total at Significant Scarcity to eight. 

The latest weekly Water Scarcity Report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows North Fife, Fife (East Neuk), Stonehaven and North Esk remain at Significant Scarcity. 

Tay Estuary (North), Whiteadder Water, Berwickshire Coastal and the Lower Dee and Water of Feugh areas are now approaching the same level. 

Six of these eight areas have already experienced Significant Scarcity this year. 

Rainfall allowed river levels in the six previously affected areas to recover temporarily but did not reverse the underlying deficit which has built up over months of dry weather.  

Recent rain has not brought lasting recovery 

Further showery rain is forecast over the coming days. This may bring localised and short-term improvements, but sustained and widespread rainfall will be needed for a lasting recovery, particularly across eastern Scotland. 

River flows remain low to very low across much of the east, with many catchments continuing to experience prolonged low flows. Ground conditions remain dry despite some recent improvement, while groundwater levels are also low to very low across much of the region. 

Eilidh Johnston, SEPA Senior Leader in Compliance, said: “Looking out of the window, it may feel as though Scotland has had plenty of rain. But our monitoring shows that showers passing through have not reversed the effects of the prolonged dry weather. 

“Think of exceptionally low river flows as the red zone on a car’s fuel gauge. Recent rain put some fuel back in the tank and helped these rivers move out of that red zone for a time, but it did not refill the tank. River levels have fallen again and the warning light is coming back on. 

“That is why our decisions are based on environmental monitoring and long-term scientific evidence, not simply the weather we have experienced over the past few days. Our monitoring network allows us to see what is happening in rivers across Scotland and compare current conditions with records collected over many years. 

“The question is not simply whether it rains, but how much rain falls, where it falls and whether it is sustained for long enough to replenish rivers, soils and groundwater.” 

Compliance and resilience 

SEPA carry out compliance inspections when areas reach Significant Scarcity to ensure temporary restrictions on licensed water abstraction are being followed. Inspections carried out in the Fife area have found 100% compliance. 

Officers have also seen investment in off-line water storage, allowing water collected when it is available to be used later without adding pressure to rivers when flows are critically low. 

While most seasonal irrigation has now ended, some farmers still require water for later crops, including brassicas. Investment in storage means those businesses are more resilient and better able to continue operating towards the end of the growing season. 

Eilidh added: “Our inspections in Fife have found excellent compliance with the restrictions that are in place. We have also seen the benefit of businesses planning ahead and investing in resilience, including off-line storage which reduces their reliance on rivers when water levels are critically low. 

“Businesses which abstract water should continue to check the latest information, follow their water scarcity plans and use water as efficiently as possible.” 

What does significant scarcity mean 

Significant Scarcity is reached when river flows at a representative monitoring station remain below Q95 for 30 consecutive days. Q95 is an exceptionally low flow which, based on long-term records, would on average only occur 18 days per year.  

If low flows continue and the four approaching areas reach the threshold, affected licence holders will be required to stop abstracting water. Most seasonal irrigation in those areas has already ended, but formal restrictions will still be issued where applicable to protect rivers and the wildlife that depend on them. 

Restrictions are targeted and temporary. They are kept under regular review and lifted when conditions improve sufficiently. 

SEPA publish weekly Water Scarcity Reports throughout the summer, using information from Scotland’s environmental monitoring network to provide advance warning of changing conditions and help water users plan ahead. 

Anyone can monitor local conditions using SEPA’s online Drought Risk Assessment Tool, which shows how close monitoring stations are to reaching Significant Scarcity.

Third Just Transition Commission established

Fairness at the heart of how Scotland adapts to a changing climate

Communities hit hardest by wildfires, flooding and drought will have a stronger voice in shaping Scotland’s climate resilience with the establishment of the third Just Transition Commission.

The Commission brings together 15 experts in public health, economics and community engagement to advise Ministers and ensure resilience measures reach those who need them most. It will engage directly with workers, rural communities and vulnerable groups to shape costed recommendations for government.

Running until 2031, the Commission will focus on adaptation, reflecting the increasing toll extreme weather is taking on people’s daily lives, while working to ensure the costs and benefits of adaptation measures are shared fairly.

The Commission will also support a just transition to net zero. It will advise on the impact of decarbonisation on jobs and industry, including in Scotland’s offshore energy sector, and work with businesses, unions and communities to help shape a fairer, greener economy.

Minister for Business Tom Arthur said: “The invaluable advice that previous commissions have provided have helped shape policy on areas including on Grangemouth and informed the creation of just transition indicators within Scotland’s Climate Change Plan.

“Communities hit hardest by climate change are often the ones least equipped to deal with its effects. This Commission will make sure that the people facing the greatest risks are at the heart of how we build resilience.

“Solutions to adapting to and tackling climate change must be proportionate, appropriate and effective as we work together across all sectors of society to build a greener and fairer economy.”

Co-chair Professor Dave Reay said: “Climate change is the biggest risk multiplier for inequality this century.

“Our role as a Commission is to show how, with a bold and innovative approach, we can still succeed in reducing our emissions and adapting to climate impacts in a way that builds a Scotland that is truly resilient in terms of our society, our economy, and the infrastructure we all rely on.”

Co-chair Satwat Rehman said: “Since 2019 the Just Transition Commission has worked hard to put a strong focus on how different communities are experiencing Scotland’s climate transition, and how we can do better.

“We need to address existing inequalities and proactively tackle the risk of new forms of injustice being created as our climate and our economy are reshaped.

“We will build on those insights and keep pushing our government to act with the urgency this moment requires.”

£15 million fund to strengthen flood resilience

Funding to support most vulnerable communities

A new £15 million fund has been launched to improve the resilience of communities across Scotland most at risk from flooding.

Funding will be provided to local groups, communities and local authorities to help them improve their flood resilience and preparedness.

The funding will support sustainable drainage, including natural features like green spaces and planting, to reduce flood risk and future proof existing flooding infrastructure. Coastal communities will benefit, with support available for innovative coastal resilience projects to replenish sand dunes and reduce flood risk in towns like Montrose.

Additional support will be available for communities recovering from the impact of recent flooding, while Public Health Scotland will develop a new interactive tool combining flood risk data with population and demographic data to help identify communities and groups most at risk in the future.

A new Flood Advisory Service will support local authorities in delivering major flood protection schemes more efficiently, reducing delays and improving value for public money.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action Gillian Martin said: “Climate change means, globally, we are facing an increasing flood risk, and Scotland is not immune to that. We are determined to take action now to protect people, homes and livelihoods.

“This £15 million package delivers on our 100 days commitment to invest in flood mitigation and prevention, with support targeted where it is needed most. By working closely with communities, local authorities and expert partners, we are investing in practical measures that will strengthen resilience and adapt to the challenges of the future.

“From community-led projects and nature-based solutions to better data, improved infrastructure and more effective flood protection schemes, this investment complements our wider Flood Resilience Strategy to help build a safer, more resilient Scotland.”

Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP: Wildfires across Europe show climate emergency can no longer be ignored

Following the recent wildfire in Holyrood Park, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP has warned that the growing numbers of major wildfires seen across Scotland and Europe highlights the urgent need to recognise the scale of the climate emergency and strengthen efforts to tackle its causes.

Recent weeks have seen devastating wildfires spread across parts of Spain and France, while Scotland has also experienced significant blazes, including within the Cairngorms National Park.

These incidents are evidence of a new and worrying trend of hotter, drier conditions resulting in an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires.

We are also seeing an increase in fires in habitats that used to be much more resilient to such events.

Wildfires have a long-lasting impact on the affected areas causing lasting damage to natural habitats, threatening wildlife and releases large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere. They also pose a significant risk to the safety of the communities who live in their vicinity of such fires.

France is currently seeing the largest peacetime evacuation in its history and Bordeaux, a city with a million people living in its urban area, is threatened with destruction.

Commenting, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP said: “The fire that occurred in Holyrood Park was not an isolated incident. Across Europe we can witness the growing consequences of a changing climate. These events serve as a stark warning that the climate emergency is not a future problem, it is happening right now.

“Climate change is creating the conditions for longer periods of hot, dry weather, making destructive wildfires more common and more severe.

“We must respond with the urgency this crisis demands by accelerating our actions to reduce emissions, protect and restore our natural environment and invest in climate adaptation measures that make our communities more resilient.”

Local MSP reflects on Holyrood Park wildfire

Following the fire which began in Holyrood Park on Sunday evening, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie has called for recognition of the impact that climate change is already having on our city while highlighting the need for better wildfire awareness.

While wildfires can be an important part of the ecological cycle, the rate and intensity that we are seeing them occur with is a clear indication of climate change and its impact on our day-to-day lives.

Longer, hotter and drier summers are becoming the norm within Scotland and now areas that previously rarely saw such fires are affected more often. Given the number of visitors and the variety of purposes it serves, Holyrood Park is particularly susceptible to fires that are started by human activity.

Holyrood Park is a uniquely important ecological site with a wide range of trees, plants and animals, including several rare and endangered species.  The effects of climate change threaten the destruction of these species within our city, reshaping how the park will look, sound and feel for the future.

Commenting Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP said: – “I am deeply concerned by yet another fire in Holyrood Park and want to thank the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and all emergency responders for their swift and professional efforts to tackle the blaze.

“Holyrood Park is one of Edinburgh’s most striking natural landscapes which provides a vital habitat for wildlife and a valuable green space for residents and visitors alike. Fires of this nature can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems, destroying vegetation, disrupting breeding habitats and leaving long-lasting damage.

“The effects of climate change are not a distant threat and we are already seeing its impact across our city. As climate change contributes to more frequent periods of hot, dry weather we need investment in wildfire prevention. We also need better education about wildfire risks due to human activity such as campfires and discarded cigarettes.

“Above all, we must increase our efforts to reduce emissions, support renewable energy and step up adaptation measures in these ecologically important areas so that they can be safeguarded for future generations.”

£1 million for ‘Climate Forests’

Trees to transform landscapes in Central Scotland

Plans to plant more trees and increase woodlands across an area home to around half of Scotland’s population has received almost £1 million in new funding.

The Clyde, Fife, Lothians and Forth ‘Climate Forests’ target investment in communities with the fewest trees and greatest climate vulnerability across central Scotland – expanding tree canopy cover by protecting existing woods and planting more.

Established in 2021, Climate Forests are working with local councils, community groups and landowners on projects to plant 35 million trees by 2035.

Backed so far with almost £13 million in Scottish Government funding, around 5 million trees have been planted in this area to capture carbon, protect the environment, increase biodiversity, improve access to nature, and support local communities to become more climate resilient.

Speaking ahead of a parliamentary debate this week on Climate Change, Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “This latest investment builds on and expands the benefits of Climate Forests to help increase canopy cover in urban and rural areas.

“We want to create greener, healthier, more resilient places where people can live well and connect with nature – offering spaces for people to rest, exercise, and improve their physical and mental health.

“Trees and woodlands do so much for us – from absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and providing habitats for wildlife to helping protect communities from flooding and extreme heat. Increasing tree canopy cover across Scotland’s towns, cities and rural communities will deliver all of these benefits for generations to come.

“This programme will help contribute towards our national woodland creation targets and, indeed, is central to Scotland meeting its climate targets.

2It is also about fairness and we are targeting investment in the communities with the fewest trees and the greatest vulnerability to a changing climate, because everyone deserves to live in a place that is greener, healthier, and more resilient.”

Douglas Worrall, Director Forth Climate Forest said: “The Climate Forests are delighted to receive this Scottish Government funding. As well as creating healthy, liveable communities, both urban and rural, trees are essential in helping to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change.

“Over the coming year we will use the Scottish Government funding to deliver projects across Central Scotland with local people. We will be planting trees in areas where the need is greatest, connecting habitats, and providing multiple benefits for people and wildlife.”

Martin Willcocks, Calais Woods Community Group, Dunfermline said: “Duloch Park was just a blank lifeless canvas of grass sitting there for 20 years whilst development was hurriedly increasing all around. Our community group formed to bring life into the park and support the well-loved ancient woodland next to it. 

“The tree planting we have done has been extensive and rewarding, bringing important habitat for nature and biodiversity and creating an attractive and natural setting which will now develop into a prime space where nature and human recreation will coexist in harmony.”

Positive progress on actions needed to adapt to climate change

Edinburgh is better prepared to cope with the effects of climate change thanks to progress made against a citywide action plan.

The first annual update on the Council’s Climate Ready Edinburgh Implementation Plan was presented to councillors yesterday (26 May).

Developed with partners, including Scottish Water, Edinburgh World Heritage and NatureScot, the two-year plan was agreed last March. It includes 125 actions required to deliver on the overarching Climate Ready Edinburgh Plan, which sets out the strategic approach needed to make sure that Edinburgh can adapt and respond locally to the risks and impact of climate change.

Tuesday’s update shows the positive progress made in the 12 months to March 2026, with 15 of the actions complete and 83 in progress and on track. These include:

  • Three new parks – Mill Lane Park, North Junction Street Park and Dalmeny Street Park – established in Leith as part of Edinburgh’s Nature Network – as part of a more strategic approach to manage, restore and enhance Edinburgh’s urban landscape. The new parks are vibrant community spaces, where both wildlife and people can thrive.
  • Delivery of a Climate Ready Craigleith project at Orchard Park to tackle frequent flooding of properties and streets. The project includes new sustainable drainage systems to help reduce flooding issues and increase biodiversity, alongside changes to the wider environment creating a pleasant place for people and wildlife.
  • A new cross-boundary river partnership for the Gogarburn area and progress of the Restore the Burn project. Addressing the impact that pollution, flooding and erosion have had on local communities, as well as the wildlife that lives along the burn, including an improved Active Travel Network and better-connected habitats with improved wildlife and biodiversity along the river corridor.
  • Production of new Edinburgh Design Guidance embedding climate adaptation, green-blue infrastructure and the nature crisis into how new development is shaped across the city. The guidance includes a focus on making sure that planning focuses on net zero, nature-positive places designed to limit greenhouse emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “We’re already seeing the impacts of a changing climate in Edinburgh, with more frequent severe storms causing flooding, damage to buildings and disruption to travel.

“We knew when we declared a climate emergency that we had to act quickly, both in terms of tackling the causes but also taking steps to prepare for the inevitable changes to the weather.

“We also knew we couldn’t do it alone and we needed the help of other city organisations – and our residents – to make a meaningful difference.

“I’m pleased, then, that we set the ambitious goals that we did, and that we’re now making good progress on delivering against our plans.

“As set out in this first annual update, we’ve completed a range of projects and initiatives that will make a real difference to communities in Edinburgh, while ensuring we’re better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.”

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