Climate change and child poverty are two of the most pressing challenges facing Scotland today.
These issues are deeply interconnected, with vulnerable communities—especially children—bearing the brunt of both environmental and economic hardships.
Local authorities have a unique opportunity to lead the way by integrating climate action with poverty reduction strategies, ensuring a just transition that leaves no one behind.
In support of this effort, we developed two briefings that explore the intersection of climate change and child poverty. The briefings identify key challenges and opportunities for addressing both issues concurrently.
- One briefing is for local authority officers, focusing on the critical need to align climate change and child poverty agendas.
- The second is specifically for elected members, offering practical steps to foster meaningful change within their communities.
Why this matters
- One in four children in Scotland lives in poverty, with rates as high as 32% in Glasgow.
- By 2080, flood risks could increase by 40% in Scotland, disproportionately affecting low-income families.
- 34% of households in Scotland face fuel poverty, and climate change is exacerbating this through rising energy and food costs.
Climate change intensifies child poverty by disrupting food supplies, increasing health risks, and displacing vulnerable households.
Conversely, well-designed climate actions can deliver co-benefits, such as warmer homes, cleaner air, and green job opportunities, while lifting families out of poverty.
Our briefings provide actionable strategies for aligning climate and poverty reduction goals, detailing how policy can drive change. Key approaches include:
- Retrofitting low-income homes in order to simultaneously reduce fuel poverty and emissions.
- Promoting intergenerational equity by involving young people directly in climate projects to empower them as future leaders.
- Developing green jobs and skills, specifically for low-income parents.
- Fostering community resilience through supporting urban gardens, tree planting, and active travel initiatives to enhance food security and air quality.
- Targeting climate adaptation projects in high-risk, high-poverty areas to safeguard vulnerable children and families.
Elected members play a critical role in scrutinising budgets to ensure climate investments also reduce poverty, advocating for equitable policies and collaborating with communities to co-design initiatives like energy efficiency programs or food security projects.
The briefings include case studies of successful local initiatives, relevant legislative frameworks to guide integrated planning, and key organisations for further support.
Local authorities are at the forefront of Scotland’s just transition. By addressing child poverty and climate change together, we can create healthier, fairer, and more resilient communities.
Download the briefings
We have also published a related briefing note for elected members on climate change. The briefing outlines their critical role and practical actions. It also updates on Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction and adaptation progress.
These briefings are part of the briefing series developed by the IS and its partners to help elected members and local authorities stay informed about key issues affecting local government.
The briefings cover key local authority service priorities including children and young people, economy and finance, equality and diversity, environment, governance and skills, health and social care, and place and community. Access a list of all published briefings here.
For further support, contact Rami Zaatari, Climate Change Transformation Project Manager, at Rami.Zaatari@improvementservice.org.uk