Improving outcomes for neurodivergent and autistic people, and people with learning disabilities
Autistic adults are to benefit from more than £600,000 of new funding to improve access to advice, support and assessment, including support while waiting for assessment.
The funding will ensure more people can access help at the right time, in the right place, based on their individual needs.
It is part of wider work by the Scottish Government to improve neurodevelopmental support for adults and children and comes ahead of the publication of a draft route map for adult neurodevelopmental support in the autumn.
The route map will set out a four-tier approach, based on recommendations from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, comprising public health, universal, targeted and intensive support based on individual need.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd, said: “I know that too many neurodivergent people, including those with autism, are waiting too long for the support they need.
“This funding will help improve people’s access to support based on their individual needs, and supports our aim for people to be able to access support as soon as needs are identified regardless of diagnostic status.
“Specialist secondary services have been overwhelmed in recent years with increased demand for assessments and support.
“Tackling that is key so we can ensure neurodivergent people, and people with learning disabilities are understood, supported, and empowered.”
Scottish Government action to improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities, autistic people and neurodivergent people includes:
supporting over 2,800 people with Learning Disabilities through the Learning Disability Support Fund in its first 6 months of implementation
£20 million of funding to implement the Coming Home Action Plan, which sets out measures to ensure people with learning disabilities and complex support needs benefit from tailored support and housing close to home, family and friends.
an additional £29 million of Additional Support Needs (ASN) in 2026/27 to support the ASN workforce
supporting children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs and their families with £7.6 million funding to local authorities, announced in September
taking forward reforms to improve neurodevelopmental support and ensure people can access support, including a draft route map for adult neurodevelopmental support which will set out a four-level approach to support based on recommendations from the Royal College of Psychiatrists
‘WE’LL TRANSFORM THIS FORMAL INDUSTRIAL SITE INTO A NEW COASTAL TOWN AND COMMUNITY’ – COUNCIL LEADER JANE MEAGHER
First Minister John Swinney has marked the start of construction on one of Scotland’s largest net zero housing developments as part of the latest chapter of Granton Waterfront regeneration,
The development will provide 847 net zero homes, including 387 affordable homes, 14 commercial units and a new primary school on former industrial land.
It is part of a wider £1.3 billion transformation of Edinburgh’s waterfront that will create 3,500 homes, new leisure facilities and Scotland’s largest coastal park.
The First Minister joined local school pupils at the site, including young people who have benefited from construction courses supported through Scottish Government investment in Granton’s regeneration.
John Swinney said: “This is one of the largest regeneration projects Scotland has seen in decades and a major vote of confidence in Edinburgh’s future.
“For years, people have looked across this waterfront and seen disused industrial land. Today, we are laying the foundations for a new community that will be home to thousands of people.
“Through our investment, hundreds of families will have affordable, energy-efficient homes as we transform Edinburgh’s waterfront into a thriving neighbourhood with new homes, schools and businesses.
“We are putting the people of Granton at the heart of this transformation, with better transport links, new green spaces, apprenticeships, skills training and investment in local organisations.”
Jane Meagher, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a big step forward for Granton and the whole city, as construction begins on the first phase of one of the largest public sector led regeneration projects of its time.
“Through our joint efforts we’ll transform this former industrial site into a new coastal town and community. It’s important that those living in neighbouring communities benefit from the investment we’re making in the area.
“Our Place Accelerator approach will ensure residents see the benefits, including more green spaces to enjoy and opportunities for local young people to gain hands on construction skills and qualifications through work on site.”
Telford College
Audrey Cumberford, Principal of Edinburgh College, which works with Cruden Homes to deliver Granton Waterfront Construction Pathway courses for school and college pupils, said: “Edinburgh College has been at the heart of the Granton community for many years and we’re delighted to be involved in the next stage of its regeneration.
“Not only will this project provide hundreds of new homes in the area, this is already providing hundreds of opportunities for students to get hands-on experience in the construction industry.
“These opportunities could be transformative for our learners – allowing them to gain vital skills and develop a career in the sector.”
The visit provided an opportunity to highlight the need for greater specialist expertise in education and more proactive, preventative healthcare for people with cerebral palsy.
Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, visited Cerebral Palsy Scotland’s specialist therapy centre in Glasgow on Wednesday 23 September, meeting children, young people and families with lived experience of cerebral palsy, alongside the charity’s multidisciplinary team of specialist therapists.
The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the experiences of children and young people with cerebral palsy in education, as well as the importance of ensuring people with the condition can access appropriate specialist support throughout their lives.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Every child and young person should be supported to participate fully in education, to be included in their school community and to achieve their potential.
“Cerebral palsy can affect learning, participation and wellbeing and it has been valuable to see the specialist expertise available through Cerebral Palsy Scotland and discuss the importance of ensuring support is responsive to individual needs.
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners to drive improvement in additional support for learning. That’s why we invest more than £11 million annually to directly fund services to children and families, including support for pupils with complex needs.”
During conversations with the Education Secretary, the charity raised concerns about the support available to children and young people with cerebral palsy within education.
Cerebral palsy can affect learning and participation in ways that extend beyond physical access to a classroom. Pain, fatigue, communication needs, processing speed, concentration, fine motor skills, energy levels, toileting and self-care can all affect a child or young person’s educational experience and wellbeing.
Yet these needs are not consistently being met, with many children and young people with cerebral palsy lacking access to the specialist support and adjustments they need to fully participate in education and reach their potential.
Cerebral Palsy Scotland is calling for greater access to specialist knowledge, expertise and advice across all educational settings, including early years, primary and secondary schools, schools supporting children and young people with additional support needs, and further education settings.
The charity also wants to see improved support for pupils who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and assessment based on individual need.
While discussions with the Education Secretary focused on education, Cerebral Palsy Scotland also highlighted the need for a more proactive approach to health and wellbeing across the lifespan of people with cerebral palsy.
The Scottish Government currently provides £2 million each year to NHS Boards to deliver annual health checks for people aged 16 and over with learning disabilities. The programme aims to address health inequalities and identify unmet health needs, with the Scottish Government describing annual health checks as an important part of preventing premature deaths and improving health outcomes.
There has also been investment of £3 million by the Scottish Government into heart and lung MOTs, to be delivered by Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. Cerebral Palsy Scotland believes there is an opportunity to build on this approach and develop a specialist annual health and wellbeing review for people with cerebral palsy.
Stephanie Fraser, Chief Executive of Cerebral Palsy Scotland, said:“We were delighted to welcome the Education Secretary and to share directly with her the experiences of children and young people with cerebral palsy and their families.
“We want to see greater access to specialist knowledge and support within education, so that people with cerebral palsy are able to successfully engage in learning and teachers, early years professionals and support staff better understand the diverse ways cerebral palsy can affect understanding, communication, physical health and wellbeing.
“This is particularly important for children and young people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and we want to see assessment and support arrangements that properly reflect individual need.
“We are calling for a more proactive approach to supporting people with cerebral palsy. The Scottish Government has recognised the value of annual health checks for people with learning disabilities and heart and lung checks for those more likely to experience poorer health outcomes. This approach helps to identify needs earlier and connect people with the right treatment and support.
“We believe people with cerebral palsy deserve the same opportunity to benefit from a proactive approach to preventative and specialist care. Cerebral Palsy Scotland has the specialist expertise to work alongside NHS, education and statutory services to help make this possible, and we are keen to work constructively with the Scottish Government to improve outcomes for people with cerebral palsy throughout their lives.”
Cerebral Palsy Scotland will continue to work with the Scottish Government to identify opportunities to improve outcomes for people with cerebral palsy across Scotland, from early years through to late adulthood.
More than 250 paid NHS placements will be made available to parents across Scotland as part of Scottish Government efforts to eradicate child poverty.
The paid placements, covering roles such as porters, caterers, healthcare support workers, administration assistants, and assistant technical officers, will be available across 18 health boards.
With paid placements typically lasting between 6-18 months, the project is targeted at those facing the greatest risk of poverty – helping more parents to access employment in Scotland’s NHS.
On a visit to Kirklands HQ, NHS Lanarkshire, to mark the start of Challenge Poverty Week, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville met Mairead Doyle, who joined a similar employability programme with NHS Lanarkshire in 2024.
Since then, Ms Doyle has been promoted twice and is now employed in the Band 4 position of Management Secretary.
Ms Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s top priority and we know that fair work in the NHS will offer a real route out of poverty for families.
“We are equipping parents with the skills and experience needed to have a long and successful career, with the opportunity for real progression, while strengthening the NHS workforce of the future.
“This project scales existing successful models already delivered by NHS boards and I’m pleased that we’re able to extend this opportunity to hundreds more families across the country.”
Commenting on the employability programme, past participant Ms Doyle said: “The Parental Employability Programme gave me the confidence and support I needed to return to work after several years away from employment.
“Through the programme I secured a role with NHS Lanarkshire and have since progressed to a Band 4 position. It has had a positive impact on both my career and my family, and I’m grateful for the opportunity it provided.’’
Since launching the NHS Lanarkshire Demonstrator Programme has supported 136 parents and people experiencing long-term unemployment, with more than 77% progressing into positive destinations, including directly into NHS employment. Outcomes have improved year on year, with their most recent programme achieving almost 88% positive destinations.
Jacqui Jones, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of HR at NHS Lanarkshire said: “The NHS is one of the largest employers in Scotland and employment is one of the strongest drivers of good health by creating opportunities for local parents and families to gain skills, experience and jobs.
“We are helping people thrive, building a workforce that reflects our communities, and making a positive difference to the health of Lanarkshire.”
Improving care for women and babies across Scotland
A nationwide review of Scotland’s maternity services begins today, examining how care can be improved for women, babies and families.
Chaired by maternal and child health expert Professor Christine McCourt, the independent review will take a whole-system approach, drawing on data, evidence and the direct experiences of women, families and staff at every level of care.
The review will pay particular attention to how care is provided in rural and island communities, with specific focus on services in Caithness, Elgin and Wigtownshire. It will also examine disparities in maternal outcomes, including higher rates of maternal mortality by Black and Asian women.
The review will run for nine months and will also take account of the unannounced inspections of all 18 of Scotland’s acute maternity units currently being carried out by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
Prof McCourt is due to submit her findings and recommendations in July 2027.
Health Secretary Angela Constance said: “I want every woman and baby to receive the high-quality care they deserve.
“That is why I announced this independent review, which will sit alongside the inspections already underway of every acute maternity unit in Scotland, to identify the systemic changes needed to strengthen services and improve outcomes.
“While the vast majority of mothers receive good care, I have heard from families who were let down, and from those who have bravely shared their experiences of loss – these are powerful stories. Their experiences must shape improvement.
“While the vital work of the review is underway, we will continue to take action to improve services, through implementation of the Miscarriage Framework and HIS Maternity Standards, the Scottish Patient Safety Perinatal Programme, improved bereavement care through the National Bereavement Care Pathway, and new work to improve triage services.
“HIS will also continue its programme of maternity inspections, driving improvement locally in every acute maternity unit in Scotland, and informing the review.”
Professor Christine McCourt said: “The review team is committed to engaging with women, families, healthcare staff and organisations across Scotland to understand both the challenges facing maternity services and the examples of excellent care that can inform future improvements.
“We want to hear from people with a wide range of experiences and perspectives. We encourage anyone with relevant insights to visit the website, learn more about the review and engage with the process as our work progresses.”
We are publishing this report at a critical crossroads in Scotland’s journey to a possible future, one free from poverty.
In this year’s election campaign and programme for government, we have consistently heard the First Minister describe eradicating poverty as his defining mission (Scottish Government, 2026a). This commitment is welcome, but there is an increasing disconnect between the Scottish Government’s rhetoric and the reality of life for families in poverty across Scotland.
New data for 2022–25 shows that:
17% of people in Scotland were in poverty, 11% in deep poverty and 7% in very deep poverty. Around 2 in 5 people in poverty in Scotland are in very deep poverty
relative child poverty sits at 21%
over 9 in 10 children in poverty are in one or more of the Scottish Government’s priority families.
Despite some progress, the legal target to reduce relative child poverty to 10% by 2030/31 is set to be missed by a wide margin. Interim targets have been missed, and the Scottish Government’s current plans will not deliver the scale of change needed to shift the dial.
We want a better start for all children in Scotland, and there is clear evidence of overwhelming public support for more, and more effective, action on child poverty.
The Scottish Government’s plan to review Scotland’s landmark statutory child poverty targets risks delaying action and lowering ambitions. New targets need to be genuinely stretching, grounded in income as a central measure of poverty, and have teeth to hold the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament to account for meeting them.
In parallel, the Scottish Government needs a new, much bolder and properly funded plan to reduce poverty in Scotland. Only 1 in 4 people (26%) somewhat or strongly agreed that the Scottish Government is doing enough to tackle child poverty in Scotland (Birt, 2026a).
This year, as well as assessing the national picture, we have focused on the vital role of local government in reducing poverty, backed by new public attitudes data and engagement with people with lived experience.
In findings that must shape live discussions about the future of local governance and public service reform in Scotland, we have heard that:
people think councils are too underfunded to provide the services needed in their area
there is significant public disaffection with councils, regardless of people’s backgrounds and across Scotland’s different communities
councils are not doing enough to tackle poverty, with people on low incomes and living in more deprived areas reporting worse experiences of services and higher levels of disaffection.
To fix this, the Scottish Government and local government will need to work more effectively – in their own right and in collaboration.
Every council needs to ask itself, just as the Scottish Government should do, whether they have genuinely prioritised child poverty reduction and if their services are best where they are needed the most.
Fundamentally, these should be the core questions of public service reform; otherwise it simply becomes a numbers game of reductions in the number of councils and/or budgets. It is also clear that public service reform needs to go hand in hand with a fundamental rethink of local government funding to rewire our services and tax system to radically reduce poverty.
It is also vital that national and local government’s bandwidth across this parliament is not consumed by bureaucratic strife; families in poverty need to see rapid progress in the immediate term.
We want the Scottish Government, as part of its renewed drive to reform local government in Scotland, to:
provide local government with a more stable platform for anti-poverty work — avoiding single-year funding settlements and allowing councils greater freedom to adapt to their communities’ needs
take steps to fundamentally reform local government finance in Scotland
ground public service reform in 2 key questions: would the changes reduce child poverty and will they make services best where they are needed the most?
We want all councils to:
prioritise preventing poverty in their communities, and make full use of their levers including economic development, childcare, employability, transport, housing and schools
provide better-quality and more joined-up local services to support families in or at risk of poverty, with genuine partnership with the third sector, co-location of services, a ‘no wrong door’ approach and better use of data
significantly improve day-to-day communication with the public, underpinned by deeper and more meaningful work to involve people with lived experience of poverty in local decision-making.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Poverty in Scotland 2026 report
Executive Summary
COSLA Resources Spokesperson Cllr Kelly Parry has responded to ‘Poverty in Scotland 2026′ by @jrf_uk :“This report is a stark reminder that far too many children and families in Scotland are still being denied the security and opportunities they deserve.”
The Scottish Government is investing nearly £3 million to help turn university research projects into commercial business propositions.
Seventeen projects from seven different universities will share £2.92 million of funding from the Proof of Concept fund, which was piloted last year to help researchers explore and realise the commercial potential of their research.
The funding will help accelerate various aspects of the spinout process, from developing prototype products to undertaken market analysis and pitching to investors.
Projects being funded this year include:
Kinera at Heriot Watt University, which is developing a wearable health monitoring device for people with Parkinson’s disease to help clinicians make more personalised treatment decisions
Merra-log at the University of St Andrews, which is developing a low-cost environmental monitoring system to collect and transmit high-quality marine and freshwater data in near real time
Scensai at the University of Aberdeen, which is developing an affordable handheld chemical sensing device for the drinks industry
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism & Transport Stephen Flynn said: “The Scottish Government has now invested nearly £6 million over the last two years to realise the economic potential of more Scottish spinout companies starting and succeeding.
“Scotland’s universities have been the birthplace of some of the world’s greatest ideas and inventions for centuries – ideas and inventions which have improved lives and solved problems across the world – and it is vital this innovation continues to be nurtured.”
“The support of the Scottish Government is helping us take an important step towards improving the diagnosis of chronic gastrointestinal disorders. This funding will enable us to advance a technology with the potential to provide earlier answers for patients and more targeted treatment pathways.”
Researchers at the University of Aberdeen have been awarded £124,000 to develop a simple lateral-flow test for chronic gastrointestinal disorders. The funding will develop and validate prototype tests for potential use in primary care settings.
The project’s lead Dr. Sergio Dall’Angelo said: “The support of the Scottish Government is helping us take an important step towards improving the diagnosis of chronic gastrointestinal disorders, which affect millions of people and place a substantial burden on patients and healthcare services.
“This funding will enable us to advance a promising technology, bringing us closer to a practical test that could be used in primary care. By supporting the development of this innovative diagnostic tool, the Scottish Government is helping to accelerate research with the potential to provide earlier answers for patients, reduce unnecessary investigations, improve disease stratification, and pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments.”
The Critical Technologies Accelerator at the University of Glasgow received £125,000 of funding in 2025-26 to develop a groundbreaking new coupler design for silicon-photonic microchips. Research Fellow Andrew Greer said:
“The Scottish Government Proof of Concept award was an excellent platform to enable impact from innovation by supporting a means to transition the ‘valley of death’ for scientific research that falls between raw academic science and industrial applications.
“It has been transformative for the science and the people involved by validating both the technology and the team credentials. Since receiving the award we have doubled our grant income, successfully developed a foundry scale-up process and the team are now delivering demonstrators and working with commercialisation partner STL Tech towards an invitational application to the Scottish Enterprise High Growth Spinout Programme.”
Final planting of endangered lion plant marks momentous completion of half decade renovation
TODAY (Friday 2 October 2026), the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is reopening its historic Palm Houses to visitors. This completes a landmark point in the most ambitious restoration project in the Garden’s 356-year history, ensuring the protection of a unique and globally important plant collection.
Amongst the top four botanic gardens in the world, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and its iconic Palm Houses have long been at the forefront of global science and conservation horticulture, working to save species at risk of extinction since the 19th century.
However, by 2021, substantial restoration was required to safeguard the buildings’ ironwork, stone and glass, along with the priceless plants housed within.
As part of the extensive restoration work, all 5,750 panes of glass were replaced, 600 m² of ironwork was fully restored or updated, and 500 m² of sandstone repairs were completed with replacement stones weighing up to a quarter of a tonne.
Featuring the tallest traditional stone-built Palm House in the world, on reopening the Palm Houses will be home to almost 600 of the more tender plant specimens in Scotland’s National Botanic Living Collection, spanning 13,500 species from 152 countries.
Stories of the plants will be shared through an engaging new visitor experience which will include innovative multimedia and multisensory digital tours.
The opening was marked by the planting of the endangered lion plant (Valdivia gayana) from Chile. The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action, Gillian Martin MSP, joined Professor Julia Knights, Regius Keeper of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to mark this important moment as the final specimen was planted in the restored Palm Houses.
Experts from the Garden are playing a leading role in the propagation and cultivation of this species to ensure its future survival, following collection of seeds from a cave in Chile in collaboration with local partners.
Known as planta del león in its native Chile, there are estimated to be fewer than five natural populations in the wild, with the specimens growing at the Botanics thought to be the only ones in cultivation.
The renovated Palm Houses are a vital refuge for a number of rare and endangered species of plants from across the globe. Examples include the Three Kings vine (Tecomanthe speciosa) from New Zealand, one of the rarest plants in the world, and the Catkin yew (Amentotaxus argotaenia), a critically endangered conifer.
The protection of these plants reflects the wider work of the Garden to preserve critical biodiversity for generations to come.
Professor Julia Knights, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said:“This is a truly historic moment for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as we welcome visitors to explore our magnificent Palm Houses once again. Over the last five years they have been painstakingly restored to protect our incredible Living Collection for future generations.
“Visitors now have the opportunity to see this unique collection of some of the world’s most fascinating plants, some endangered in the wild, underneath the breathtaking glass-domes of the Palm Houses.
“The reopening of the Palm Houses is a major milestone in the 356-year history of the Garden. As the guardians of one of the world’s most biodiverse Living Collections of plants on Earth, we are working at pace to tackle the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change, and to save species from extinction in partnership with institutions and scientists from across the globe.
“The next phase of this vital work will transform our Research Glasshouses to protect 3,000 more priceless plants, some of which are now extinct in the wild, and all of which are key in driving forward our globally leading work in scientific discovery, conservation, and horticultural innovation.”
This work was supported by investment from the Scottish Government and a significant fundraising campaign, with over £10.6m raised from major donors including The National Lottery Heritage Fund alongside generous donations from supporters, members and the public.
Gillian Martin MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs at the Scottish Government commented: “For generations the iconic Palm Houses at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh have inspired visitors from Scotland and around the world. The restoration of these heritage glasshouses helps to safeguard the globally important plant collections here for the future, ensuring vital work in conservation, education and scientific discovery can continue.
“At a time when the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change are being felt around the world, the work undertaken at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to save species from extinction is critical. The reopening of the Palm Houses is a powerful reminder of the value of investing in our natural and cultural heritage, and I congratulate everyone involved in this extraordinary restoration project.”
For more information and to book tickets please go to the RBGE website at rbge.org.uk/palm-houses. With high interest, RBGE recommends pre-booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
Members and Patrons of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh go free.
Scotland’s unique package of winter heating support will begin this month
An estimated 1.4 million payments will be made to people across Scotland to help with heating their homes this winter, with payments set to begin from October.
The Scottish Government’s unique package of winter heating benefits provides guaranteed support to pensioners, low-income households and families with disabled children and young people.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has replaced Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland, providing people of State Pension age with a payment between £105.55 and £316.70 depending on their age and household circumstances. Payments are issued to all eligible pensioners but are recovered from those with an individual income of over £35,000 by HMRC. Payments will begin from November and continue throughout the winter.
Child Winter Heating Payment supports households with disabled children and young people who have the highest care needs in the winter months. This type of assistance is not available anywhere else in the UK. This year payments will start from week commencing 5 October.
Winter Heating Payment is a guaranteed, annual payment for low-income households in receipt of certain benefits. This is paid irrespective of how cold the temperature gets outside, unlike the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment which is only paid if the average temperature reaches, or is forecast to reach, freezing or below for a full week. Payments will begin from December.
For the majority of eligible people, the winter heating benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland are paid automatically with no need to apply.
Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over a million people are set to benefit from the Scottish Government’s package of winter heating support – which is stronger than anywhere else in the UK.
“With energy costs predicted to rise again, this could be a valuable lifeline for older people, families on low incomes, disabled children and young people.
“We are committed to treating people with the dignity, fairness and respect they deserve. Our approach supports those most in need. The Scottish Government will continue to ensure vulnerable people get the financial help they need this winter.”
In winter 2025/26, over 1.57 million payments were issued for Child Winter Heating Payment, Winter Heating Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
More than 1.46 million clients received at least one of the three winter heating benefits.
A new blueprint sets out how people across Scotland can play a bigger part in the country’s response to the climate and nature crisis.
The Public Engagement Strategy for Climate and Nature aims to enable people to understand what climate change means for them, encourage local action and ensure people’s voices shape the decisions that affect them.
A separate Delivery Plan, due in spring 2027, will set out the specific activities, partnerships and commitments that will bring the strategy to life at a local and national level.
With 72% of people in Scotland agreeing climate change is an urgent problem, the strategy aims to turn that concern into meaningful participation, while stepping up work to prepare communities for impacts like flooding and extreme weather. The launch also continues the progress made on climate action, with greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland cut by 50% since 1990.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin launched the strategy ahead of a visit to Lapwing Lodge Outdoor Centre in Paisley to view Scottish Government-backed environmental improvements including solar panels, battery storage and an EV charging point. She said: “Everyone has a part to play in tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Everyone also stands to benefit from doing so. People and communities are central to this, not just by making their own lives more sustainable, but by helping shape the solutions that work best for their local areas.
“This strategy, published during Scotland’s Climate Week, is about turning that opportunity into action, and that means giving people a real say in the decisions that affect them.
“The last year has shown just how urgent and necessary climate action is. From wildfires to flooding, coastal erosion and even water scarcity, climate change is already affecting our communities, and these impacts will only become more frequent and severe. Climate Week is a chance to show what progress actually looks like, and to remind people that this is something positive we’re all part of, together.”
The new strategy recognises the value of different approaches to supporting people to meet the challenges of the changing climate – from grassroots initiatives to national awareness campaigns.
For local people, this means information on practical help with protecting their homes from flooding, restoring habitats such as rivers and peatland, and changing travel habits or how homes are heated, as well as more targeted support for those most at risk from extreme weather.
It also means having a say in how their area responds, and a stronger connection with nature closer to home.
