Chamber and committees

The next Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3) responds to the risks identified by the 2022 UK Climate Change Risk Assessment . This Assessment identified 61 risk and opportunities. The Scottish Government has assigned Director-level owners for all identified climate risks. The overall development of SNAP3 is overseen within Scottish Government by the Director-level Global Climate Emergency Programme Board.

In its November 2023 independent assessment of progress on climate adaptation, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended that the Scottish Government “should set specific and quantified targets for levels of resilience across Scottish society under each outcome” of the next Scottish National Adaptation Plan.

The Scottish Government is considering all recommendations from the CCC on the structure of the next adaptation plan. Public consultation on a draft of the next adaptation plan is anticipated in early-2024 and we have asked the CCC to provide further views at this stage.

In its November 2023 independent assessment of progress on climate adaptation, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended that the Scottish Government should include “a national assessment of the scale of current and future risks from weather-related cascading infrastructure failures” in the next Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3).

The Scottish Government is considering all recommendations from the CCC on the structure of the next adaptation plan. Public consultation on a draft of the next adaptation plan is anticipated in early-2024 and we have asked the CCC to provide further views at this stage.

The Scottish Government is committed to promoting and advancing Natural Flood Management (NFM) as one of a range of measures to adapt to current and future water-related environmental pressures.

The Scottish Government has provided funding over a number of years to both the Eddleston Water research catchment and Allan Water improvement project to help develop an evidence base to improve understanding of NFM. This evidence helps stakeholders understand its considerable value from a biodiversity perspective, and potential value as a complementary measure to improve flood resilience across catchments. Evidence already produced from these projects have indicated that NFM can help to delay flood peaks, deliver multiple environmental benefits and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Evidence also indicates that flood risk reduction is limited in more extreme events.

The Scottish Government funds the Centre of Expertise on Water (CREW), and the James Hutton Institute to conduct both short and long-term research projects assessing the effectiveness of nature-based flood management solutions.

Our five year Strategic Water Research Programme (2022-2027) is funding the “Achieving Multi-Purpose Nature-Based Solutions” research project which is currently working to explore how to work at scales and across sectors to deliver urban and rural nature-based solutions that make a significant contribution to meeting society’s needs.

As set out in the Climate Change Committee’s ‘ Adapting to Climate Change Progress in Scotland ’ November 2023 report, there is a need to develop our understanding of the effects of heat on population health and wellbeing in Scotland.

Public Health Scotland, an NHS National Board, and our national public health agency, committed in their 'Climate change and sustainability strategic approach 2023–2026: working together to build a greener, fairer, healthier future ', to carrying out a study to explore the feasibility of developing climate related health indicators for heat and cold for Scotland.

The work, which is underway, will examine the potential to use routine data to report excess heat related deaths and hospitalisations in Scotland. When available, the results of this study will be reviewed, and next steps agreed with Public Health Scotland.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) also publish an annual Winter Mortality report. The report and further background information is available here:

Winter Mortality | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

An analysis of the relationship between mean winter temperatures and mortality was last published by NRS in the 2020-21 report available here:

[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Winter Mortality in Scotland 2020/21 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

The Scottish Government microplastics monitoring programme began in 2013, and has undertaken annual surveys since that time. There have been nearly 400 locations sampled between 2013 and 2023. Microplastics are present in the surface waters of all Scottish Marine Regions, although have not been found to be present at all sample sites. Scottish Marine Regions next to the most urbanised and industrialised areas of the country have been shown to have higher concentrations of microplastics. Annual surveys continue to gather data, in order to work toward determining a baseline and / or trends.

Sea-floor litter data is collected during Scottish Government fish surveys which sample Scottish waters. There is now over 10 years of data, from 2012 onwards, which is used nationally and internationally as part of wider efforts to monitor changes in marine litter levels. There is evidence of an apparent decrease in litter density over time for some areas of Scotland’s seas.

The density and type of litter found on Scotland’s beaches has been recorded by the Marine Conservation Society since 1993. This data has been used by the Scottish Government to produce the Scottish Beach Litter Performance Indicators. Beach litter loadings have been calculated for five sub-regions around the Scottish coastline. The amounts of litter found in the five sub-regions show a variety of trends, dependent on the litter type and location.

Information on these monitoring programmes has been published in Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020 and can be found at https://marine.gov.scot/sma/assessment-theme/marine-litter

In its November 2023 independent assessment of progress on climate adaptation, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) outlined the need for private investment, alongside public funding, to support adaptation action. Barriers limiting private investment to date have been identified by the CCC in its report from February 2023, titled Investment for a well-adapted UK , and include:

In line with statutory duties, annual reports on climate adaptation are laid in Parliament every May setting out progress made towards implementing climate adaptation objectives, proposals and policies. Twice every 5 years, Ministers also commission the UK Climate Change Committee to provide an independent assessment of progress on adaptation in Scotland.

To strengthen the existing monitoring and evaluation framework for climate adaptation, the Scottish Government has committed to identifying indicators that can assist with more effective monitoring of progress to the outcomes of the next Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3).

The Scottish Government has identified, working with our Peatland ACTION delivery partners, multiple barriers that are preventing it from achieving its peatland restoration targets. These include a lack of skilled project designers, technical advisers and agents to support landowners and managers through restoration projects; operating restrictions during bird breeding seasons and inclement weather; the absence until 2020 of a multi-year funding package which undermined contractor confidence to invest; and a lack of private sector investment at sufficient scale in peatland restoration projects. Significant efforts are underway to address these issues, including substantial work to develop and expand the number of skilled and experienced contractors; developing provisions whereby operations can be carried out safely during bird breeding seasons etc.

Furthermore, the continued growth of Peatland Action since 2020 has increased confidence in multi year funding. This has allowed the wider industry to focus on developing the supporting infrastructure for peatland restoration, particularly with regards to training and developing applicable skills.

It is not the Scottish Government’s role to act as a broker or fundraiser. Instead the Scottish Government is seeking to create the conditions which promote the flow of responsible private investment into nature restoration. Our forthcoming Natural Capital Markets Framework will strengthen our existing Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital and set out our approach to using public spending more effectively to leverage in responsible private capital.

The following table shows private investment in nature restoration efforts in each of the past five years in woodland, peatland and marine and coastal restoration activity: