Community climate action hubs theory of change
This is the theory of change (ToC) for the Climate Action Hub programme. The Climate Action Hubs (climatehubs.scot) support communities to take local action to tackle and adapt to the changing climate. The ToC brings together shared activities, outputs and outcomes that the hubs are working towards.
Introduction and Background
The transition to net zero will impact on people and communities. Encouraging transformational change across Scotland’s communities and supporting them to be climate ready is recognised as being vital in a just transition to net zero.
In response to this need for community focused action the Scottish Government supports a network of regional Community Climate Action Hubs. The network of Hubs provides a framework for communities to come together and engage in collective climate action, supporting the transition to low carbon and climate resilient living. The model is designed to be community led and flexible in its approach, taking local circumstances and needs into account.
The Hubs are run by local experts connected to community organisations and cross-sector partners, such as councils, health boards, and education providers. They vary in size and scale, and employ different models of working, including partnership models.
The Hubs work to:
- build awareness of the climate emergency and actions local groups can take
- support groups to develop climate action projects
- embed climate solutions into local plans
- support groups to influence and shape local and national policies
- ensure a joined-up approach to tackling climate change at a regional level
In 2023 the Scottish Government commissioned an independent evaluation of the two pathfinder climate Hubs. This included the development of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework. This framework provided a useful first step in setting up monitoring and evaluation for the Hubs at an early point in the programme delivery. It set out a theory of change (ToC) for the Hub programme.
The Hub programme has since expanded to cover the whole of Scotland. The work of the Hubs has evolved in response to better understanding of community need and the continued establishment of community partnerships. As a result the ToC has been revised, to accurately reflect the current ways of working for the Hub programme.
This document sets out the revised ToC for the Hub programme.