Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on Arts and Culture: Insights from the Europe and External Affairs Committee

In Scotland, public bodies play a vital role in meeting the country’s emissions targets. They must produce annual climate change reports and set timelines for achieving net zero emissions. Bodies like Creative Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland are crucial to this effort.

This article will explore how Creative Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland influence arts, culture, and climate responsibility.

Arts and Culture’s Role in Climate Action

Arts and culture contribute to climate action in two main ways. First, they can reduce emissions in their sectors. Second, they can inspire broader societal changes in attitudes and behaviors toward climate issues.

Creative Scotland supports the arts and creative industries and released its Climate Emergency and Sustainability Plan in April 2022. This plan emphasizes the importance of culture in preparing for a climate-altered future. It highlights the need for the arts to help reach audiences and instigate change in ways that other sectors might not be able to.

“We will work to help cultural organisations, artists, and individual creative practitioners, with their wide audiences and unique insights and skills, to reach and influence parts of society that others cannot.”

Environmental sustainability is among the key funding criteria for Creative Scotland. Organizations seeking funding must show awareness of their environmental impact and how their projects address themes of the climate emergency and climate justice.

“We want to see the organisations and individuals we fund become agents of change in the fair and equitable transformation of Scotland to a thriving, net-zero, climate-ready nation.”

Emissions in the Cultural Sector

Creative Scotland’s Environmental Sustainability Review 2023/24 highlighted work by Culture for Climate Scotland, which tracks emissions from publicly funded cultural organizations. The latest report, published in January 2025, found that 99% of emissions came from travel and energy use, revealing the significant environmental toll of these sectors.

• Energy emissions are gradually decreasing, largely due to the growing use of renewable energy.
• Travel emissions rebounded by 22% in 2022-23 compared to the previous year, reflecting a return to activity post-pandemic.

Interestingly, emissions from audience travel exceeded those from core organizational activities, emphasizing a larger trend that remains underreported. The tension between wanting to reach audiences and minimizing emissions poses a real challenge for arts organizations.

Art and Social Change

Art can be a powerful tool for social change. For instance, the documentary Mr Bates vs The Post Office spurred political reforms in response to injustices faced by postmasters. Although the topic differs from climate change, it demonstrates how creative works can influence public perception and action.

The 2020 Culture Strategy for Scotland indicated that cultural heritage could transform public thinking about achieving a net-zero society. Creative Scotland stated, “tackling the climate emergency can only be achieved through transformational, rather than incremental, change.”

“We recognize the powerful role that the sectors we support have in influencing society through their programming focus.”

Creative Scotland acknowledges various funded projects aimed at tackling climate issues through art. For example, organizations like Atlas Arts and The Stove Network run community initiatives focused on climate awareness and sustainability.

Recent research suggests that creative initiatives can deepen community engagement and encourage collective action against climate change. A study conducted in Ireland concluded that “targeted creative participatory interventions can foster high-quality engagement in climate action.”

Historic Environment Scotland’s Efforts

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) manages and preserves Scotland’s historic sites. Their work includes the care of properties like Edinburgh Castle and offering strategic guidance on traditional buildings built before 1919.

HES’s Guide to Climate Change Impacts outlines various threats posed by climate change, from increased rainfall and severe weather to shifting visitor habits. HES highlights that the historic environment is part of daily life for many, meaning its preservation is crucial.

“It is important not only to address the impact of climate change on the historic environment but also to develop our understanding of its benefits for society.”

In recent years, HES has been repairing sites impacted by climate change, addressing damages caused by extreme weather. Their Climate Action Plan aims to tackle these evolving threats while promoting sustainability.

Path to Transformation: Our Past, Our Future

HES’s strategy, Our Past, Our Future, outlines three key outcomes aimed at achieving net-zero by 2028:

1. Reducing emissions from historic properties
2. Enhancing climate resilience of these sites
3. Improving skills for conserving historic environments

In the 2022-23 period, HES reported emissions totaling 3,866 tonnes of CO2e from its operations, a 28% decrease since 2018-19. While recent data indicated a slight increase in emissions, HES remains committed to its reduction targets.

HES’s focus on skills development identifies key gaps within the heritage sector, particularly in traditional trades crucial for maintaining historic buildings. Their collaboration with Skills Development Scotland aims to improve training and increase the workforce in these areas.

In conclusion, as climate challenges escalate, organizations like Creative Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland are stepping up to promote sustainability and inspire change within their communities. They demonstrate that arts and culture can play a meaningful role in addressing the climate crisis while preserving Scotland’s heritage.

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