More than 20 key organisations responsible for Scotland's critical infrastructure have formally united to enhance protection against weather and climate-related impacts.

The 'Climate Ready Infrastructure Scotland Forum', co-founded by Network Rail, Scottish Water, and SP Energy Networks, solidified this collaboration by signing a historic memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, 7th May 2025.

The agreement commits members to work more closely together to build resilience against the escalating impacts of climate change on Scotland's infrastructure. This initiative responds to sustained and noticeable changes in the nation's climate, including rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events. Projections indicate these trends will continue and intensify, leading to hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters.

Climate data highlights the urgency: Scotland's ten warmest years on record have all occurred since 1997, with 2022 being the hottest. The country now experiences an average of 10% more rainfall than between the 1960s and 1990s, with winters being 29% wetter. Furthermore, the rate of sea-level rise has increased over the last three decades, with an approximate rise of 18.5cm since the beginning of the 20th century.

These climatic shifts pose significant risks to Scotland's infrastructure. More frequent and severe flooding, for example, can overwhelm drainage systems, damage essential transport links like roads, railways, and bridges, and compromise the integrity of buildings, leading to disruptions in critical services.

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Membership of the Forum is open to all infrastructure operators and owners in Scotland, both public and private. Current members include prominent bodies such as Transport Scotland, Network Rail, Scottish Water, Scottish and Southern Energy, Scottish Canals, and Sustrans. The Forum is also establishing connections with a broader range of influential organisations, including the Met Office, regional transport partnerships, and Scottish academic institutions, whose support will be vital.

The collaborative efforts will focus on sharing best practices and advice on climate risk assessments, improving understanding of climate-related risk interdependencies between different infrastructure systems, sharing essential data and insights for 'climate-ready' decision-making, and delivering interventions aligned with the Scottish Government's National Adaptation Plan. A longer-term goal for the Forum is the co-development of on-the-ground adaptation interventions in areas identified with shared climate risks.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, commented: “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." She added, "I very much welcome the efforts of all the organisations who've signed up to this agreement to help protect Scotland's vital infrastructure network."

David Harkin, Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Manager for Network Rail Scotland, stated: “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. That is why organising into coordinated action is an important step forward... 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."

Mark Williams, Head of Sustainability for Scottish Water, emphasised the need for collaboration: “Delivering effective climate change adaptation for Scotland's communities demands effective partnership working. We rely on a range of infrastructure – power, transport, communications and land – to deliver our services. It is important we have a shared view of the risks posed by future climates, explain what this means to customers, what we are doing about it, and where we can work together across our organisations to deliver cost-effective adaptation and support resilient services for Scotland."