8 Ways Edinburgh Is Responding to Climate Change

Local capacity building, where people are empowered to assist in the response, is also important. This involves informing locals about the effects of climate change on their local heritage and working with them to address how these sites can be best adapted to face increasing environmental challenges.

Scotland has one of the most ambitious climate change mitigation goals globally. The Climate Change Act 2009 set a goal of a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for Scotland by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050. A 47% reduction has already been achieved, and in 2019 new targets were set of 75% by 2030, 90% by 2040; and net zero by 2045. This plan includes a 15% reduction in domestic heat demand and a 20% reduction in non-domestic heat demand through the improvement of building fabrics. 

Adaptation Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland, in collaboration with 20 other organisations, including The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage, developed the Edinburgh Adapts Action Plan which specifies concrete goals for dealing with climate change and making the city more resilient. One of the actions is to provide guidelines for owners of historic buildings, and for businesses located in historic buildings, to better prepare their buildings for climate change. 

Historic Environment Scotland set out to identify key risks to their sites and which sites are in particular danger. In collaboration with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the British Geological Survey, all their properties were mapped using Geographical Information Systems (a mapping software tool which allows users to visualise site conditions).