A major new study will examine how climate change could trigger cascading disruption across Scotland's critical infrastructure, giving organisations a clearer view of risks to the services people rely on daily.

Commissioned by the Climate Ready Infrastructure Scotland Forum (CRIS) — a partnership of infrastructure operators, government bodies and academic institutions — the research will explore how issues in one network can set off wider impacts elsewhere.

Believed to be among the first global studies jointly commissioned by multiple infrastructure owners and operators, it will assess how climate-related disruption might spread across transport, energy, water supply and communications, helping to uncover vulnerabilities often missed when sectors are considered in isolation.

Gillian Martin MSP, cabinet secretary for climate action and rural affairs, said: "Our changing climate is placing increasing pressure on the infrastructure and services we rely on every day. As extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe, it is vital we understand not only the risks facing individual sectors, but also its knock-on effect.

"We're committed to strengthening Scotland's infrastructure in the face of a changing climate and this pioneering project helps demonstrate Scotland's leadership on climate adaptation and resilience. By building a shared understanding of climate risks across transport, energy, water, communications and other critical networks, we will be in a better position to help identify interdependencies and ensure investment is targeted to maximise improvements to system-wide resilience."

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The project will establish the first shared register detailing how Scotland's infrastructure systems depend on one another, identify vulnerable points where climate-related failures could have the greatest consequences, and analyse how disruption can propagate through interconnected networks.

CRIS will bring the findings to life through place-based case studies across Scotland, simulating what potential climate risks could mean for communities, businesses and essential services.

David Harkin, Network Rail Scotland’s weather resilience and climate change adaptation strategy manager and co-chair of the CRIS forum said: "We have a growing understanding of the climate risks facing individual sectors, including within the railway. What's much less clear is how disruption can spread between them. A power outage can affect communications, transport disruption can delay recovery efforts, and the impacts can quickly reach far beyond the point where the original damage occurred.

"Much of our infrastructure was built for a climate that no longer exists. That’s why the Climate Ready Infrastructure Scotland Forum was created, and for the first time, organisations that own and operate our critical infrastructure are working together to build a shared understanding of these risks. The research will underpin everything we do next together to help build Scotland’s resilience to the changing climate."

The study is being funded by a coalition of infrastructure owners, operators and public bodies from across Scotland, with support from the Scottish Government. Partners include Network Rail, Scottish Water, ScotRail, Openreach, SSEN Distribution and Transmission, Transport Scotland and the Met Office.

The National Centre for Resilience, hosted by the University of Glasgow, will manage the process and coordinate delivery on behalf of the funding partners.