The University of Strathclyde is a founding member of a new national forum aimed at tackling shared risks from climate change and extreme weather events.
The Climate Ready Infrastructure Scotland Forum brings together 20 key organisations to protect Scotland’s critical infrastructure, and was co-founded by Network Rail, Scottish Water and SP Energy Networks. On Wednesday March 7 the group signed a historic memorandum of understanding, agreeing to work to build resilience against the growing impacts of climate change.
The unique collaboration is designed to share and address the members' common, interdependent risks and will support collaborative planning, funding and delivery of practical projects to improve resilience and help infrastructure owners and operators adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
Climate shifts
Scotland is experiencing sustained and significant climate shifts, including rising average temperatures and increased rainfall. The country’s ten warmest years on record have all occurred since 1997, while the average temperature from 2014 to 2023 was more than 1°C warmer than the 1961–1990 baseline. Over the same period, Scotland experienced 10% more annual rainfall, with winter months 29% wetter.
Dr Chris White, Reader in Engineering for Extremes and Head of Strathclyde’s Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health, is on the steering group of the Forum, and said: “The University of Strathclyde is proud to be a founding member of this vital initiative, bringing together infrastructure owners and operators with leading researchers to identify and address some of the most vital challenges to Scotland’s critical infrastructure posed by climate change.”
David Harkin, Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Manager for Network Rail Scotland, said: “The services provided by the organisations joining this partnership form the backbone of our daily lives in Scotland, and we share many of the same challenges that the changing climate brings. “
He added: "A united front is essential for driving the systemic changes needed to protect our infrastructure for the future. Together, we can achieve more than we ever could alone.”
Vital infrastructure
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “The challenge posed by climate change to our transport network is growing, with the threat of serious flooding and severe winds now an issue throughout the year. The impacts can range from landslides and damage to our roads and bridges, to causing challenging driving conditions for motorists on a more regular basis.
“The road and rail networks are vital parts of infrastructure that help keep Scotland moving, so it’s essential that we use all the tools and knowledge available to us to safeguard them as best we can in the face of our changing climate.”
Membership of the Forum is open to Scottish-based infrastructure operators and owners, as well as representatives from academia, infrastructure users and regional partnerships.