Highland Council is progressing the next phase of its climate adaptation work following the launch of a major regional assessment of climate change risks and opportunities.
Developed through the Highland Adapts partnership and launched on 4 March 2026, the Highland Climate Change Risk and Opportunity Assessment (HCCROA) provides a detailed picture of how climate change is already affecting communities, infrastructure, the economy and the natural environment across the Highlands, and how these impacts are expected to evolve into the 2050s and 2080s.
The assessment draws together scientific evidence, economic analysis, regional expertise and lived experience to create a shared evidence base for climate risk across the region. It identifies 50 risks and opportunities across five key themes: health and wellbeing; built environment; community and economy; infrastructure; and land, nature and food.
Chair of the Highland Council’s Climate Change Committee, Councillor Kate Willis, said: “The Highland Climate Change Risk and Opportunity Assessment provides clear evidence that climate change is already affecting our region and that these impacts will intensify in the years ahead. This work highlights the importance of coordinated action across organisations and sectors. No single organisation can address these challenges in isolation. Through partnership working, we will continue to strengthen resilience and support communities to adapt to future changes.”
Alongside the regional assessment, Highland Council has undertaken internal engagement to understand how these risks and opportunities affect Council services, assets and operational resilience.
Councillor Willis added: “For the Council, this is about applying regional evidence to our decision-making to ensure we are better prepared for climate impacts and strengthen how we plan, invest and deliver services.”
This work will inform the development of a Corporate Climate Change Risk and Opportunity Assessment and a Council Climate Adaptation Action Plan, helping embed climate adaptation into future planning and investment decisions.
At its meeting on 26 March 2026, Highland Council agreed the strategic direction for a coordinated approach to climate change, energy and community resilience, recognising climate change as a growing challenge for communities, infrastructure and service delivery across the Highlands.
This approach is informed by a range of evidence, including the Highland Climate Change Risk and Opportunity Assessment, and forms part of wider work to build long-term resilience across the region.