Our Story & Ethos

Highland Adapts Video

Guiding Principles

  • Transformational Action 
    through brave leadership, we embed hope and prioritise action.
  • Collaboration
    we facilitate working together and the sharing of knowledge, expertise and resources.
  • Place-based
    we are place-centred, with an approach that is bottom-up and fully inclusive.
  • Evidence-based
    all our action is supported by up to date qualitative and quantitative data.
  • Sustainable
    we only endorse robust, resilient and future-proof actions using the blueprint of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a flourishing, climate-ready future for all.
  • Influence
    we use our presence and connections to support cultural change
  • Climate and social justice
    our work is rooted in a deep understanding of the needs and priorities of communities.
  • Build capacity
    through education, knowledge sharing and facilitating connections we increase confidence and the ability to adapt in others
  • Celebrate
    we communicate and promote ongoing inspiring climate action and initiatives.
  • Empower
    we enable communities/places to increase control over their ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

Objectives

  • Develop a strong knowledge and evidence base, setting out the climate risks and opportunities that will affect the region
  • Facilitate information sharing through a range of resources
  • Identify opportunities to reduce and overcome these climate risks
  • Develop a shared adaptation strategy and suite of action plans
  • Support others to use plans to form the basis of projects and activities across the public sector, community, land management and business sector plans, strategies and investments
  • Support the public sector to embed climate change adaptation throughout their business
  • Support community climate change action.

The Highland Adapts governance approach is based on shared power with clear channels of communication and domains of accountability to support a collective journey towards meaningful transformation. It is dynamic, without rigidity, allowing space to grow, adapt and be responsive.

Core Group (CG)

The centre of the Partnership connecting all the thematic teams and is the delivery mechanism.

Programme Board

The strategic decision-making body that provides the general direction and support and ensures we remain true to our purpose and principles.

Climate Advocates

Supports and empowers a network of community climate action champions across the region, ensuring climate change adaptation is embedded in all community action in Highland in a consistent and integrated way.

Strategic Adaptation Team

Supports and guides public sector agencies to integrate/embed climate change adaptation.

Engagement Team

The listening and ‘challenging’ arm of the Partnership, rooted in the community and focussed on gathering data and building the big picture.

Data & Assessment Team

Through working with a broad spectrum of partners ensures the Partnership is using the most up to date climate, health, social, and environmental data, science and projections to inform all HA project work and communications. This team also leads on the assessment work of the Partnership.

Action Planning Team

A group of experts that work with specific communities/sectors to develop action plans and projects.

Communications Team

A vibrant and creative team that leads on developing, implementing and revising the HA communication strategy; supporting, informing, inspiring and celebrating climate action across the whole community