Our Scotland, Our Future: Public Engagement Strategy for Climate and Nature - CRWIA
Child rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA) for the Public Engagement Strategy for Climate and Nature
1. Brief Summary
Type of proposal:
- Decision of a strategic nature relating to the rights and wellbeing of children
Name the proposal, and describe its overall aims and intended purpose.
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 says that the Scottish Government must create a Public Engagement Strategy (PES) and update it every five years.
The last strategy ran from 2021 to 2026. The new strategy will cover the years 2026 to 2031.
Climate change and the nature loss are big challenges, and the Scottish Government cannot solve them on its own. The PES explains how the government and other organisations should help people:
1) Learn about climate change and nature and what Scotland is doing to help.
2) Feel inspired to take positive action for the climate and nature.
3) Share their views and feel listened to when decisions are made.
The strategy is a guide for the Scottish Government. It reminds us to listen to people before making decisions that affect them. It also helps us explain climate change and nature loss in a clear way and show how actions to tackle it can make people's lives better.
The strategy is not only for the government. It can also be used by organisations that people trust, such as councils, charities, community groups and schools, when they talk to people about climate change and nature loss.
There are four main changes in the new PES:
1. The strategy now covers both climate change and nature loss, because these issues are closely connected.
2. The strategy has clearer and stronger goals to help people understand, take action and get involved.
3. A separate Delivery Plan will be published in 2027. This will explain what actions will be taken and allow plans to be updated as we learn what works best over the five years.
4. The Scottish Government has improved the way it will measure progress and learn from the results to make sure the strategy is making a difference.
Start date of proposal’s development: 24 April 2025
Start date of CRWIA process: 25 June 2026