News
21/05/2020

The Adaptation Capability Framework is 1!

Today marks one year since Adaptation Scotland launched the Adaptation Capability Framework!

Over that year, the Adaptation Capability Framework (ACF) has been changing the way that organisations adapt to climate change. The Framework, developed by Sniffer in collaboration with an expert working group of Scottish public bodies, represents a significant shift away from typical risk-based guidance. We identified that risk-based approaches to adaptation have failed to account for the complex processes required to bring about change within organisations and through working with Scottish public bodies we developed an innovative, holistic approach to adaptation that matures over time and is fit for the Scottish context. The Adaptation Capability Framework was launched May 21, 2019. Since then, we have hosted online webinars, training events and facilitated a year of the Benchmarking Working Group!

Now Scotland’s adaptation community is invited to join our special birthday celebration! Here’s some ways you can get involved:

  • Follow @AdaptationScot on Twitter and Social Media and keep a look out for lots of information and case study examples
  • Register to attend our first ever Adaptation Hour. This will be a digital event on Thursday May 28th 10-11am. It will be a social space to meet and chat with other adaptation practitioners. To celebrate the Framework turning one, the topic will be the Adaptation Capability Framework. Sign up here to meet others and learn from organisations who have used the Adaptation Capability Framework in practice!
  • Join our Benchmarking Working Group! The Working Group is comprised of public bodies who work together to benchmark their progress and identify and share learning on climate change adaptation. More information on how to apply here!

We would also like to thank the Expert Working Group who helped develop the Adaptation Capability Framework and the current members of the Benchmarking Working Group who have provided insight on how it is applied in practice. Forestry and Land Scotland, an active member of the Benchmarking Working Group state: "Within Forestry and Land Scotland's Adaptation and Resilience Programme group, we initially used the Adaptation Capability Framework to assess baseline level of adaptation maturity, and more recently it's insights have helped greatly in mapping out our ambition and associated adaptation actions and plans over the next few years."

Historic Environment Scotland is another organisation who has played a key role in the creation and implementation of the Framework to date - from being involved in the expert working group to develop the Framework, actively participating in the Benchmarking Working Group over the past year and committing to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan using the ‘Adaptation Capability Framework’. You can read their Climate Action Plan here and learn more about their experiences at our upcoming Planning & Implementation Webinar – register here.

We could not have imagined a year ago the situation we are now all in. Many of the Adaptation Capability Framework tasks can be undertaken in an altered digital form and we’ve been delighted to see so many organisations progressing adaptation during this time. We acknowledge this is a challenging time and we want to let you know that we are here to help. If you would like to discuss how your organisation could use the Adaptation Capability Framework or have resources or case studies that you would like featured – please let us know. Please get in touch with us via email at [email protected].