Our Scotland, Our Future: Public Engagement Strategy for Climate and Nature

3. Delivery

Delivery Plan Approach

While the objectives and outcomes set out our aims for engagement over the period of the Strategy, how these are delivered needs to be agile and collaborative to ensure activities and commitments are responsive to shifting social, economic and climate contexts.

The details on how the strategy will be implemented, and the activities that will contribute towards achieving the objectives of Understanding, Motivation and Voice, will be set out within a separate coordinated delivery plan published in line with budgetary processes. The published plan will set out clear commitments, timelines and delivery approaches, strengthening transparency and accountability.

The delivery plan will bring together engagement activity from across the Scottish Government, linked to Scotland’s policy priorities set out in the Programme for Government. This approach recognises that public engagement is integral to delivering policies and actions that rely on public participation, behaviour change and support. It will capture both existing and planned activity aligned to PES outcomes, helping ensure a more joined-up and targeted approach across climate and nature policy, with flexibility to respond to learning and adapt delivery over the PES period.

Trusted messengers and practitioners, including public bodies, third sector organisations, communities and businesses, will be able to contribute commitments that support the outcomes in this delivery plan alongside or in partnership with commitments from the Scottish Government. This will enable a collaborative approach to engagement that focuses on people and communities and the issues that matter to them.

This approach offers a dynamic method of delivering against the PES framework. It will align with policy and planning timetables and integrate engagement across climate and nature action. It will also enable flexibility to adapt to context and learning from delivery. It creates the opportunity to enhance and shift delivery year on year, whilst also exploring multi-year approaches, in response to feedback from partners and audiences, research and understanding of people’s needs, and demand for engagement.

Methods and Principles

Mixed methods approach

This Strategy supports an approach to engagement that centres on audiences. Engagement, whether delivered by government, public sector, institutions, or from third sector or between communities, needs to meet people where they are and focus on the issues that matter to them. In delivering against the PES, evidence demonstrates a need for a mixture of methods to be employed, enabling engagement at a national level to reach a mass audience with key messages and information on policy direction, decisions and actions we can all take, whilst also delivering targeted approaches tailored to specific audiences, and enabling grassroots and community led approaches.

Research has shown that there is no single best type of engagement on climate change. As such, the use of multiple methods and channels can be most effective and reflect that different types of engagement work for different people^[17]. Communication campaigns have also been shown to be most effective when based on multiple media and when they include a mix of both formal and informal grassroots and top-down methods.^[18]

‘Net Zero Nation’ adopted this approach to delivery by supporting a mix of complementary activities such as the Climate Engagement Fund, Community Climate Action Hubs, Climate Action Schools, Scotland’s Climate Week and Let’s Do Net Zero marketing campaign. Together, these activities worked to reach new audiences and people often excluded from climate discourse; supported collective grassroots climate action; enabled children and young people to access climate education and have their say on local action; and provided a national platform for showcasing existing climate action and stories of success, whilst supporting direct communications on the actions that individuals and households can take to reduce their climate impact.

Case Study: Let’s Do Net Zero Campaign

Scottish Government’s nationwide marketing campaign supporting understanding of climate change and motivating action – 2021-2026

Since 2021, the Scottish Government’s Let’s Do Net Zero campaign has used national marketing and communications to increase public understanding of the climate emergency and Scotland’s transition to net zero. Delivered in partnership with a range of organisations and trusted voices, the campaign has focused on practical, everyday actions that people can take in their own lives, while helping to explain how individuals, communities, businesses and government all contribute to reducing emissions. In doing so, it has supported improved understanding of the climate and nature crises and Scotland’s response to them. Independent evaluation of the 2024 campaign found that, among those who recognised the campaign when prompted, 78% reported understanding the actions they should take to tackle climate change, while 76% said the campaign had increased their motivation to reduce emissions. LDNZ demonstrates the important role that clear, accessible and action-focused communications can play in building public understanding and supporting participation in climate action.

Trusted messengers

A key aspect of using a mixed methods approach is acknowledging that government cannot be the only communicator on climate and nature issues and that there are other organisations better placed to reach different audiences. Evidence has highlighted the importance of trusted messengers and how they can best support the objectives of the PES^[19]. They have been shown to be key to translating national strategies into local action.^[20]

These ‘trusted messengers’ are individuals and organisations with existing audiences that are often well placed to integrate climate and nature engagement into their work, with overarching characteristics such as sincerity, kindness, honesty, empathy, passion and credibility. Trusted messengers can be groups of local people, representative bodies or networks, or public sector, business or sectoral organisations that engage with customers, employees or other stakeholders.

For example, they could be nature conservation charities, healthcare professionals, scientists or local business or community groups. Trusted messengers are not limited to those working specifically on climate and nature. The evidence shows that the type of organisation, and the principles they stand for, are both important in gaining people’s trust and encouraging engagement. For the messengers to engage with their audiences, it is paramount they are clear on the purpose of engagement and the needs of the audiences, before defining the most appropriate methods and activities. Activities need to be developed based on an understanding of what different audiences want and need from engagement when it comes to climate and nature issues, and making this relevant to everyday challenges such as the cost of living, health and wellbeing, and community life. The objectives and outcomes of this strategy define that purpose.

Case Study: Climate Engaged Park Home Communities – supported by CEF in 2025-26

This project engaged mainly older people living in park homes, support access to energy advice, tailored to local needs and using appropriately accessible materials.

It was delivered by Changeworks, with their expertise in energy, decarbonisation and community engagement, and the Scottish Confederation of Park Home Residents Associations (SCOPHRA), with their experience in engaging and representing park home residents as a trusted messenger.

The project supported eight park home communities across Scotland and engaged over 300 residents, with a volunteer Resident Champion recruited for each community. This audience has previously felt excluded from climate discourse, and through this successful approach the project partners secured a further two years’ independent investment to continue the work.

Place-based engagement

Engagement activity needs to meet people where they are and focus on the issues that matter to them and their communities. This is especially important in Scotland given the diversity, rich differences and lifestyles across our urban, rural and island communities. This strategy emphasises the importance of focusing on our places and localities, highlighting the connection people have to where they live, the role of locally framed messaging and networks, and how climate and nature engagement can be part of local place planning and action.

Community Action

Community-led energy, food, transport, climate resilience and nature projects and initiatives are already helping to cut emissions, restore nature and build local climate resilience, while creating jobs, skills and social value. Supporting and scaling this kind of place-based action will be essential to delivering climate action at pace, in ways that are fair and grounded in local priorities. Locally driven climate action allows communities to shape solutions that are relevant to their unique circumstances and empowers people to take meaningful steps that accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future in a manner which is fair, inclusive, and responsive to local needs. The Scottish Government is committed to helping communities across Scotland transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient, nature positive living.

Evidence from the past five years has consistently shown the importance of taking a place-based approach. For example, the evaluation of the Climate Action Hubs Programme found they have helped to embed climate awareness, skills and behaviors in communities by providing accessible opportunities for learning, participation and collective action. Key to this success has been the flexible, place-based model that has enabled Hubs to respond to local priorities and build strong relationships with communities and partners.^[21]

Case Study: Glasgow Climate Hub – Loco Home’s Retrofit Programme

As a Glasgow Climate Hub partner organisation, Loco Home Retrofit’s programme of promoting home retrofit and decarbonisation has continued to deliver. In 2025/26 10 community and 12 open home events were hosted.

The community events were an opportunity to offer deep-dive workshops on energy improvements whereas the open home events gave people the opportunity to see these improvements in action. The events found that many participants had done research on retrofitting and decarbonisation but doubted the advertised benefits. The open home events were an important step in the benefits with most participants keen to move onto implementation.

In addition, Loco Home Retrofits digital resources have increased in engagement from 2,096 in the 1^st quarter of 2025/26 to 21,625 by the 3^rd quarter, far exceeding their target for the year – which is in part due to their partnerships with Hub organisations like Awaz and Merry-go-round as well as their wider work attending community networks.

People Centred

Putting people first remains at the centre of effective engagement – tailoring the approach to audiences’ needs, and to ensuring it is inclusive and reaches beyond those traditionally involved in climate discourse.

Learning from ‘Net Zero Nation’, we know that, for some, it is important to focus on direct climate messaging, whereas, in other cases, the most effective method to engage with people is to focus not on climate change itself, but on issues specific to a local area or for the audience in question. This latter approach, of focusing on interrelated issues, can often lead to solutions that contribute to mitigation, adaptation and nature protection, without them being the primary topic of engagement. It can enable meaningful engagement with audiences who may have, in the past, found it difficult to engage with climate issues or for whom the topic is particularly distressing, politically charged, or inaccessible.

We therefore developed the PES framework in a way that enables engagement activity that seeks outcomes on climate and nature understanding, motivation and voice, but does not need to be overtly badged as climate- and nature-focused. Through such engagement, audiences will be able to make connections between the issues and solutions that matter to them and how they can also contribute to climate action. This is going beyond a rhetoric of co-benefits to climate action, and encouraging a focus on those economic, health and wellbeing outcomes that will enable people to take advantage of the opportunities of the transition to net zero, build their resilience to the impacts of climate change, and protect their local environment, in pursuit of their own quality of life and the betterment of communities, neighbourhoods and Scotland as a nation.

Effective engagement approaches will deliver nationally focused activity as well as local engagement, ensure that those audiences that have been less engaged or not included in climate and nature discourse, are included, following principles of inclusion and diversity, and recognising that different audiences have different barriers to taking action. This includes considering engagement approaches that take into account the barriers and needs of those in low income households, and people with disabilities or health concerns.

Children and young people (CYP) will be disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change and nature loss throughout their lifetimes. They have also played a significant role in keeping climate change at the top of the global agenda. In Scotland, the Scottish Children’s Parliament’s Child Human Rights Defenders group has highlighted that children want to learn more about climate change, and the action being taken, as well as to have meaningful opportunities to influence decision-making. Engagement must respect the rights of CYP and actively work to support climate literacy, critical thinking and participation, while enabling them to take action and have a voice in their communities. CYP bring creative ideas to climate engagement and their involvement in intergenerational and wider community engagement can add significant value to climate action delivery.

Case Study: Climate Action Schools

Over the last five years, the Scottish Government has funded Keep Scotland Beautiful to deliver Climate Action Schools (CAS). A national programme reaching approx. 1,000 schools a year, it includes Eco-Schools, Climate Ready Classrooms, Live Lessons and other activities designed to improve climate understanding and inspire action among children and young people.

Live Lessons provided interactive online sessions to classrooms across Scotland during key moments such as Scotland’s annual Climate Week, featuring expert speakers and creative educational activities that bring schools together, considering themes like climate justice, adaptation, energy efficiency and reducing waste. In 2025, 8,000 pupils participated in Climate Week Live Lessons.

“We had all heard about climate change, but did not all know about the effects of climate change, climate justice or about greenhouse gases, and now we do.” Primary pupil, East Renfrewshire

“Our class were inspired immediately. They set up our plan and have already researched energy waste, also putting up posters around the school promoting energy saving ideas.” Educator, West Dunbartonshire

Scottish Government Delivery

The Scottish Government will deliver directly where we are the best placed messenger. We are committed to being an open and transparent government. We will engage on our goals, ambitions and policy pathways, share reporting on progress towards our targets, engage on our delivery of policy and infrastructure, and support local and national engagement on climate action.

We will work in collaboration and partnership with trusted messengers, making funding available as appropriate and feasible to deliver targeted, inclusive engagement with diverse audiences and participants, and developing partnerships with institutions to enable them to work with their audiences. We recognise that budget challenges continue to hamper climate and nature action at a local level and we’re committed to supporting longer term approaches and exploring innovative ways of encouraging partnerships and investment.

We will work to deliver a local approach to engagement, connecting with local authorities and community networks to ensure climate and nature engagement can reach every part of Scotland and support people to navigate the challenges of adapting to and mitigating climate change and protecting nature on their doorsteps. We will improve our process for tracking and responding to public input to our policymaking, recognising that acknowledging views and setting out what can and cannot be taken forward is part of our role as an Open Government. We will encourage partners, public bodies and other decision makers to improve their processes for setting out how public input has influenced their approaches and providing adequate feedback and acknowledgement of the contributions from communities.