Question reference: S6W-05424
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 24 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role the Scottish National Resilience Centre in Dumfries will have in addressing climate change adaption and mitigation plans for communities.
Answer
The NCR is continuously learning across its network, and compiling a portfolio of evidence that can support climate change adaption work and mitigation plans for communities. It does this through the commissioning of research, delivery of practical projects, and knowledge exchange. The centre facilitates collaborative projects that contribute key evidence for policy decision making and consideration for national strategy. It commissions research and projects through grant awards, and works closely with its grant awardees. The centre also positions itself to be able to respond to demand-led research, and provides access to a network of academics and appropriate academic consideration that can support a range of activities such as the Scottish Risk Assessment, and the Scottish Government’s annual planning cycle. The NCR provides key support to academics, effectively helping to translate and disseminate project outputs, and maximise the impact of scientific research.
Its recent work on climate change and adaptation includes:
- Research into building resilience, to interacting extreme weather driven hazards and cascading impacts.
- Research into tools that assess the impact of rainfall on urban resilience and iconic cultural heritage.
- A variety of published papers including work on community resilience in response to extreme events, a digital flood evacuation modelling the role of local business in community resilience to natural hazards, and the transition from response to recovery.
A full portfolio of published material is on the NCR website.
It has also worked with key partners to deliver best practice, and has funded training modules for professionals and communities in areas such as:
Flooding good practice guidance
- Flooding Resilience training in collaboration with the Conservation Volunteers for schools and the voluntary sector.
- A property flood resilience action plan for communities and householders
Typical of its extensive work in the field of climate change, the NCR was heavily involved in the COP 26 Climate Action in South Scotland Conference, where it brought together senior leaders to explore a diverse range of issues.
In short, the NCR is ideally situated, with a growing portfolio of knowledge to inform policy and practice of evidence-based knowledge and solutions that can help address climate change adaption and mitigation plans for communities, through the ongoing delivery of its strategic objectives, building on its extensive networks and the body of work that it has already carried out, published and enabled.