Narrating Change: Co-Producing Climate Adaptation Targets in Scotland

Emma Yule (Department of Political Economy), Francesca Pia Vantaggiato (Department of Political Economy), James Porter (Department of Geography), Pamela Candea (Board Member, Scottish Communities Climate Action Network), Joana Avi-Lorie (Researcher, SCCAN and PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh)

The Narrating Change project, led by Dr. Emma Yule, explores how communities and policymakers in Scotland can co-produce meaningful climate adaptation targets. The project brings together researchers from King’s College London and the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN) to promote inclusive and participatory decision-making in climate adaptation policy.

Through an online workshop, the project facilitated dialogue between community groups from across Scotland—ranging from the Highlands and the Isles to urban hubs in Glasgow and Edinburgh—and representatives from local and national government. Participants engaged in structured discussions about climate risks, adaptation strategies, and the role of measurable targets in shaping a resilient future. By integrating storytelling and co-production methodologies, Narrating Change offered a fresh perspective on how adaptation targets can reflect lived experiences while aligning with policy needs.

The project resulted in several impactful outputs, including a blog post, an academic case study, and a forthcoming podcast to further disseminate insights. Moving forward, Narrating Change aims to sustain these discussions by reconnecting with public sector participants and supporting community groups in replicating the workshop model within their local contexts. This initiative highlights the power of collaborative knowledge exchange, ensuring that adaptation policies in Scotland are shaped by those most affected by climate change.

For full details of the project, please see the PDF case study below.

Narrating Change: Co-Producing Climate Adaptation Targets in Scotland – PDF Case Study