Tackling climate change at a local level: £7 million funding package to empower communities and regions in Scotland

Communities are to benefit from over £7 million to support action to reduce emissions and improve resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The funding for 2026-27 comes ahead of Scotland's Climate Change Plan being presented to Parliament and highlights the wide range of targeted interventions being taken across Scotland to reach net zero. It includes:

• £6 million for Scotland's national network of Climate Action Hubs which encourage and support climate action unique to local authority areas
• £1.05 million to enable local authorities, health boards, community groups and businesses to work together to identify and plan how to mitigate climate risks such as increased flooding, coastal erosion, extreme heat and water scarcity
• £250,000 for schools across the country for climate education programmes, including Eco Schools and Climate Ready Classrooms

A total of eight projects will also benefit from a share of £275,000 of Climate Engagement Funding a project designed to enable people to increase their understanding of the impacts of a rapidly changing climate and explore how it relates to their lives and local climate action.

Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin announced the package of funding during a visit to Dronley Community Woods, which is managed by Angus Climate Hub. The project works with local schools and volunteers, planting over 4,500 new trees in 2025, and has supported five, local part-time jobs to maintain and restructure the 50 hectare site to ensure it has greater resilience to climate impacts such as flooding and drought.

She said: “For people to support climate action it is vital that they understand and see the benefits that reducing emissions and becoming resilient to the disruption climate change can bring can have on our everyday lives.

“From ensuring neighbourhoods can cope with events such as flooding and drought, to projects aimed at educating and empowering people of all ages on action to reduce emissions, this package of funding will provide even greater opportunity for communities to come together and engage in collective grassroots action.

“It will not only support them to develop projects in their local areas that's right for them but support Scotland in meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2045.”

Angus Climate Hub Manager, Kate Munro said: “I'm thrilled we've secured funding for another year. The Hubs are an indispensable source of understanding and action helping communities navigate the crisis we face.

“The people of Angus already know the deep and lasting impact of climate shocks on homes, families, jobs, food security, energy and infrastructure. The climate crisis is the cost of living crisis. The magnitude of what we are living through is immense.

“Yet in the multiple crisis is an opportunity. Change comes ready or not. The work of the hub is dedicated to help the people of Angus to navigate these difficult times with knowledge, skills and practices that support more of us to thrive. This way forward is not only possible but achievable when we all work together.”

Background

Contact information for climate action hubs. The Scottish Government is providing up to £6 million of funding in 2026-2027 for its network of Climate Action Hubs alongside a support package for delivery. This is broken down as follows – with some funding still to be allocated:

About Climate Ready Regions - Adaptation Scotland

Climate Engagement fund Climate Engagement Fund - gov.scot

Climate Action Schools delivers climate education in schools for children and young people from nursery age to adulthood. The funding is delivered through Keep Scotland Beautiful for the delivery of programmes including Eco-Schools, Climate Ready Classrooms, Climate Action Schools Week, Pocket Gardens Competition and Young Reporter for the Environment.  Climate Action Schools | Keep Scotland Beautiful