Scottish Climate Survey: main findings
Main findings from Scottish Climate Survey.
Part of
Experience of severe weather events
This chapter summarises survey findings regarding public experience of severe weather events. It explores the perceived likelihood of experiencing severe weather events within the next five years, and preparedness for these events. It also discusses the impact of having experienced a severe weather event in the last 12 months. The term ‘severe weather event’ was not explictly defined in the survey, therefore, the responses reflect respondents’ perceptions of the severity of a given weather event.
Key findings
- most households reported that they had experienced storms and strong winds (89%), extremely heavy rain (79%) or very low temperatures, snow and ice (56%) in the last 12 months
- fewer households reported that they had experienced flooding (22%), heatwaves (11%) or drought (2%), or thought they were likely to experience these weather events in the future
- while most households expected to experience storms and strong winds and extremely heavy rain in future, they were less likely to report that they felt prepared for these events: 94% of households thought they were likely to experience storms and strong winds compared to 59% of households who felt prepared for this; 92% of households thought they were likely to experience extremely heavy rain compared to 64% of households who felt prepared for this
- among households that had experienced a severe weather event in the last 12 months, the most commonly reported impacts were: property damage (21%), being unable to socialise with friends or family (21%), being unable to access local outdoor space (20%), and a negative impact on mental health (19%)
Experience of severe weather events
Most households reported that they had experienced storms and strong winds (89%), extremely heavy rain (79%), and very low temperatures, snow and ice (56%) in the last 12 months. Fewer reported that they had experienced flooding (22%), intense heat/heatwaves (11%) or water shortages and drought (2%) (Figure 3.1).
Figure 3.1: Experience of severe weather events
Q. Have you experienced any of these types of severe weather events in your local area over the last 12 months?
Base: All households; extremely heavy rain (3,418), flooding (3,359), storms (3,410), intense heat (3,342), water shortages (3,338), very low temperatures (3,361)
Likelihood of experiencing severe weather events
An overwhelming majority of households felt they were very or fairly likely to experience storms and strong winds (94%) or extremely heavy rain (92%) where they live within the next five years. Three quarters felt they were likely to experience very low temperatures, snow and ice (76%) and half thought they would experience flooding (50%).
While heatwaves and drought conditions are predicted to happen more frequently in Scotland in the future[1], fewer households thought they were likely to experience heatwaves (30%) or drought conditions (18%) than other severe weather events, as shown in Figure 3.2.
Figure 3.2: Likelihood of experiencing severe weather events
Q. Thinking about where you currently live, how likely, if at all, do you think you are to experience each of the following severe weather events in the next five years?
Base: All households; extremely heavy rain (3,405), flooding (3,340), storms (3,404), intense heat (3,329), water shortages (3,331), very low temperatures (3,363)
Preparedness for severe weather events
Around two-thirds of households said they were very or somewhat prepared for very low temperatures, snow and ice (66%) or for extremely heavy rain (64%), with more than half (59%) also reporting they were at least somewhat prepared for storms and strong winds. Fewer households said they were at least somewhat prepared for intense heat/heatwaves (33%), flooding (28%), or water shortages and drought (19%) (Figure 3.3).
Figure 3.3: Preparedness for severe weather events
Q. Currently how prepared, if at all, would you say you and your home are to cope with each of the following in the next five years?
Base: All households; extremely heavy rain (3,409), flooding (3,379), storms (3,393), intense heat (3,347), water shortages (3,371), very low temperatures (3,390)
For each weather event, households that thought they were likely to experience it were more likely to say they felt prepared compared to households that did not think they were likely to experience it (Table 3.1).
There was a gap between how likely households thought they were to experience storms and strong winds, extremely heavy rain, very low temperatures snow and ice, and flooding, and how prepared they felt for these events (Table 3.2). This gap between likelihood and preparedness was particularly large for storms and strong winds (a 35-point gap), extremely heavy rain (a 28-point gap) and flooding (a 21-point gap). Water shortages and drought was the only severe weather event that respondents were more likely to say they were prepared for than that they thought they were likely to experience it.
Table 3.1: Preparedness for severe weather events compared to perceived likelihood of experiencing these
| Weather event | Base* | Likely to experience | Not likely to experience |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Prepared for extremely heavy rain |
2,147 |
66% |
49% |
|
Prepared for flooding |
957 |
35% |
22% |
|
Prepared for storms and strong winds |
1,976 |
61% |
38% |
|
Prepared for intense heat/heatwaves |
1,097 |
44% |
29% |
|
Prepared for water shortages and drought |
639 |
27% |
18% |
|
Prepared for very low temperatures, snow and ice |
2,203 |
70% |
57% |
*Base: All households who felt prepared for each weather event
There was also a gap between whether households reported they had experienced extremely heavy rain, and storms and strong winds and how prepared they felt for these: extremely heavy rain (15-point gap) and storms and strong winds (30-point gap). For flooding, intense heat/heatwaves, water shortages and drought, and very low temperatures, snow and inc, more households felt they were prepared for these events than had experienced them (Table 3.2).
Table 3.2: Preparedness for severe weather events compared to experience and perceived likelihood of experiencing such events in future
| Weather event | Prepared for | Have experienced | Likely to experience |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Extremely heavy rain |
64% |
79% |
92% |
|
Flooding |
29% |
22% |
50% |
|
Storms and strong winds |
59% |
89% |
94% |
|
Intense heat/heatwaves |
33% |
11% |
30% |
|
Water shortages and drought |
19% |
2% |
18% |
|
Very low temperatures, snow and ice |
66% |
56% |
76% |
Base: All households who felt the were prepared for each weather event
Demographic differences relating to expectation of and preparedness for severe weather events
Differences were apparent between urban and rural households and between households with higher and lower incomes in regard to their expectation of and preparedness for severe weather events.
Households in urban areas were less likely to say they had experienced most types of severe weather event over the last 12 months than their rural counterparts were, although they were more likely to report having experienced intense heat and/or heatwaves (12%, compared to 6%). Urban households were more likely than rural households to expect they would experience intense heat and/or heat waves in the next five years (31%, compared to 26% of rural households), but also more likely to say that they and their home were not prepared for them (51%, compared to 46% of rural households).
Households in a flood risk area were no more likely to have reported that they had experienced flooding within the last 12 months than those who do not live in a flood risk area were. They were also just as likely to anticipate flooding in the next five years and to feel prepared for this.
Renters were less likely than owner occupiers to feel prepared for certain weather events: extremely heavy rain (33% felt they were not prepared, compared to 26% of owner occupiers), storms and strong winds (42% felt they were not prepared, compared to 31%), and very low temperatures, snow and ice (38% felt they were not prepared, compared to 24%). There were no significant differences in preparedness for flooding, intense heat/heatwaves or water shortages and drought.
Impact of severe weather events
Among households that reported that they had experienced a severe weather event in the last 12 months, around one in five reported experiencing damage to their property (21%). A similar number reported being unable to socialise with friends or family (21%), being unable to access local outdoor space (20%), experiencing a negative impact on their mental health (19%) or being unable to get to work or studies due to travel disruption (17%) (respondents could choose more than one answer option).
Few households reported that they had been unable to access leisure facilities (12%) or had experienced a negative impact on their physical health (10%). Only a small number had been unable to access food, medicine, childcare or other essential services due to travel disruption (5%), or had experienced a loss of power for more than 12 hours (6%). Two-fifths (41%) said they had experienced none of the above mentioned impacts (Figure 3.4).
Figure 3.4: Impact of severe weather events
Q. Which, if any, of the following have you experienced as a result of these severe weather events in the last 12 months?
Base: All households that experienced a severe weather event in the last 12 months (3,218)
Among those households that had experienced a severe weather event in the last 12 months, there were some variations in experiences by household income, by housing tenure and for rural and urban households.
Households with a lower income of under £26,000 were more likely to report a negative impact on mental health (25%, compared to 17% of households with an income of £52,000 or above), a negative impact on physical health (14%, compared to 7%), and being unable to access food, medicine, childcare or other essential services due to travel disruptions (8%, compared to 3%).
Rural households were more likely than urban households to report property damage (24%, compared to 20%), a loss of power for more than 12 hours (18%, compared to 3%), and being unable to access food, medicine, childcare or other essential services due to travel disruptions (9%, compared to 5%). Urban households were more likely than rural households to report experiencing a negative impact on mental health (20%, compared to 15%) and a negative impact on physical health (11%, compared to 7%).
Renters were more likely than owner occupiers to report being unable to socialise with friends or family (24%, compared to 18%), a negative impact on mental health (28%, compared to 15%), being unable to attend work or studies (19%, compared to 15%), a negative impact on physical health (17%, compared to 7%), and being unable to access essential services (9%, compared to 3%). Owner occupiers were more likely than renters to report property damage (24%, compared to 15% of renters).
Loss of power
Looking at support that had been accessed by households that had experienced a loss of power for more than 12 hours due to severe weather, more than half said they had received information or advice from their network operator (54%). More than a quarter said they had received help from friends or family (26%), while just over a fifth said they had received financial compensation from their network operator or energy supplier (19%) (respondents could choose more than one answer option).
Few households reported they had had help from a community or voluntary group (9%), their GP or other health services (4%), the emergency services (3%) or had accessed information from the ‘Ready Scotland’ website (4%). Just over a quarter of households (26%) said they had not accessed any support (Figure 3.5).
Figure 3.5: Support during a loss of power
Q. Which, if any, of the following forms of support did you or your household access when you most recently experienced a loss of power due to severe weather?
Base: All households that experienced a loss of power due to severe weather (240)
Among households that had experienced some form of support, almost two thirds (64%) felt they were able to access all the support they needed. Just over a fifth (23%) felt they had needed more support than they received.
Among households that had not received support, most (72%) felt they had not needed any support. One in eight (11%) said they had needed support but weren’t aware of any being available.
[1] As noted in the Evidence for the third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) Summary for Scotland, which assesses risks and opportunities from climate change to Scotland.
Contact
Email: emily.creamer@gov.scot