Climate change poses increasing threats and challenges to communities around the world. Those most affected, however, are often those who are already most disadvantaged in society. In the UK, for example, many people affected by flooding live in social housing originally built on cheap land on the floodplain. While the need to enhance resilience is increasingly recognised, there has been limited on-ground action that specifically focuses on climate disadvantage. The Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities Project (SBCRC) used action research to improve understanding and approaches to building climate resilience in Scotland.
Who was involved?
The Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities (SBCRC) project was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, through their climate change and communities programme. It was primarily led by the Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience at the University of Dundee and the Scottish Borders Council, in collaboration with the Tweed Forum, Southern Uplands Partnership; International Futures Forum; Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS). The project worked with three communities in the Scottish Borders: Peebles, Hawick and Newcastleton through a participatory process.
Findings
The findings highlight the need for much greater holistic approaches to community resilience to both address the integrated challenges but also to identify key opportunities that emerge from a more integrated and synergistic approach to the challenges facing communities.
Full report
- Summary Report Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities Project
- Main Report Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities Project
Working papers
Two in-depth working papers provide additional details of the process and outcomes from the project:
- SBCRC Working Paper 1 Community resilience to climate change and disadvantage
- SBCRC Working Paper 2 Process and outcomes
Reports from community workshops
- SBCRC Hawick Workshop 1 Report
- SBCRC Hawick Workshop 2 Report
- SBCRC Newcastleton Workshop 1 Report
- SBCRC Newcastleton Workshop 2 Report
- SBCRC Newcastleton Workshop 3 Report
- SBCRC Peebles Workshop 1 Report
- SBCRC Peebles Workshop 2 Report
- SBCRC Peebles Workshop 3 Report
Key Contacts
Ioan Fazey, Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Email: i.fazey@dundee.ac.uk; Tel: +44 (0)1382 386651
Jim Fraser, Emergency Planning Officer, Scottish Borders Council, jim.fraser@scotborders.gcsx.gov.uk; Tel: 01835 825056
Jennifer Rao-Williams, Project Evaluator, Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Email j.s.williams@dundee.ac.uk
Esther Carmen, Project Officer, Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4HN. Email: e.z.carmen@dundee.ac.uk