Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities Action Research Project

Scottish Borders Climate Resilient Communities Action Research Project Overall Aim: To facilitate conversations between, and actions by, local authorities and communities to enhance resilience to climate change • Esther Carmen - My role is project officer esther.carmen@scotborders.gov.uk • Funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation climate change and communities programme • Coordinated by the Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience (University of Dundee) • Scottish Borders Council is a partner • Working with three communities with a history of flooding

Focus 1.

2.

3.

4.

Linking flooding with other climate change and social justice issues Working collaboratively Supporting community action (policy links) Learning (apply process elsewhere)

Engagement University of Dundee

The council

Community Existing groups

Other organisations

Approach The project is arranged around a series of workshops and activities between the workshops

Prevalence 1st

HORIZON

1. Present concerns

Fuel choices and expense

Flooding – reduced access

Poor communication - mobile and broadband

Community cohesion and joined up decision making Flooding – physical losses and stress for Residents

2nd HORIZON

Rural businesses adapting to extreme weather

Lack of support for isolated properties and new comers o village

Pre 1919 houses more difficult to upgrade (energy efficiency)

3. Innovations in play

Flooding – high cost of insurance

Flooding Gravel build up in river

Ice and snow – keeping roads accessible Flooding – run off from land

Impact of flooding on older people

Tenants – limited power to upgrade and repair houses

2. Future aspirations

Extreme weather impacting on access to health services

Shop local

Village petrol pump

Vehicles using sustainable energy Use local contractors for work

Fuel (heating) coop Investment on roads and bridges Tourism – activities Community and events renewable energy Broadband and mobile phone mast

Community car, bus Community finance Apprenticeships for young

Use public transport Increase capacity of community development trust

Buoyant Community housing owned market services Renewable Health energy centre benefiting Thriving community Community economy – working jobs and Recreation activities together businesses and tourism Young infrastructure Good people and communication families in Community system – mobile village development and broadband trust - a self reliant community Thriving economy – tourism, land based industry

Good transport and access – rail way and petrol station

Remove conservation status and improve energy efficiency

3rd HORIZON

Present System

Transition Zone

Future System

Time