Carse of Gowrie Climate Change Project
What is the project about?
Climate change is widely considered to be one of the greatest
challenges for the 21st century. While government agencies and
local authorities are increasingly assessing the possible impacts
and opportunities that could result from a changing climate, there
has been relatively involvement of local communities. It is
therefore essential that the development of a planned response to
climate change adaptation includes in depth understanding and
analysis of the ways in which individual communities will be
impacted. As part of this process communities must be empowered to
influence the local planning and policy decisions that will affect
their ability adapt to climate change impacts.
Did anyone help with the project?
The work was supported by the Adaptation
Scotland - an initiative that brings together stakeholders in
Scotland to collectively address and prepare for the impacts of
climate change. As climate change will affect all areas of life in
Adaptation Scotland believes that communities have a vital role to
play in preparing for and responding to the challenges and
opportunities that will occur. The lessons learnt through
the Carse of Gowrie workshops will be used to help other
communities get involved with understanding what the impacts of
climate change might mean for them both in Perth &
Kinross and throughout Scotland.
How did the project involve a community?
This project sought to address this by setting up a Climate
Change Panel for the Carse of Gowrie to explore how climate change
could affect the area over the coming decades and, importantly,
choices and decisions about the ways in which communities are
helped to adapt and become better able to deal with change.
The Carse of Gowrie was identified as the location for this work
for a number of reasons including:
- Existing and potential flooding issues
- Productive agricultural land
- Distinctive landscapes, settlements and communities
- Important road, rail routes, pylon and pipeline routes
- Proximity to Perth and Dundee with pressure for
development
- Habitats and species of European importance
There were 3 Climate Change Panel meetings during the course of
February and March 2011 with around 30 local people attended each
of the meetings which were held in Inchture. The first meeting
definded the community and identified the place. The second meeting
looked at the impacts, vulnerabilites and opportunities brought
about by a changing climate. The third meeting looked at
the options for adapting to climate change and the actions
necessary to build on opportunites or address
vulnerabilities. A number of overarching themes emerge
from these discussions:
- Information and research - There was a common
view that much could be done to improve the information and
research base to make it 'Carse-specific'.
- Coordinated responses - There
was agreement that there is a need for coordinated, joined up
responses across the Carse of Gowrie from organisations.
- Dealing with flooding - Flooding is already a
key issue on the Carse of Gowrie, though there is some disagreement
about the causes and most appropriate solutions.
- Development - The key concerns about new
development focus on the relationship with existing and potential
flood risk.
- Tourism and recreation - There was common
agreement that the Carse could currently do much more to realise
its potential as a tourism destination given the wealth of historic
sites and landscapes, the presence of habitats such as the Firth of
Tay and the area's distinctive landscape character and sense of
identity.
- Identity and cultural heritage - There was a
strong view that the Carse of Gowrie has a very distinct and
special sense of place which could be lost as a consequence of
development, flooding and agricultural change.
- Coastal change - Interestingly, there was
relatively little comment on sea level rise and possible changes in
coastal erosion and deposition, despite this being noted in
presentations for all three meetings.
