Health impact assessment scoping exercise of Scottish National Adaptation Plan 3 (2024–2029)

The Scottish Government held a public consultation on the draft Scottish National Adaptation Plan 3 (SNAP 3) over a 12-week period from 31 January 2024. The draft SNAP 3 set out the actions that Scottish Government and key partners would take to adapt to our current and future climate in response to the risks and opportunities from climate change outlined in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 3 (UKCCRA 3).

The plan was structured around five outcomes:

1. Nature Connects across land, settlements, coasts and seas.
2. Communities are creating climate-resilient, healthy and equitable places.
3. Public services and our infrastructure are collaborating in effective, inclusive adaptation action.
4. Economies, businesses and industries are adapting and realising opportunities in Scotland’s Just Transition.
5. Scotland’s international role supports climate justice and enhanced global action on climate adaptation.

Public Health Scotland carried out a health impacts scoping exercise on the draft SNAP, hosting a participatory workshop for each of the outcomes (1 to 4 above) linked to domestic climate policy to explore potential positive, negative and uncertain health impacts of the proposed policies and actions.

These reports summarise:

• the potential health and health inequalities impacts
• initial recommendations to improve policy by maximising health and equity benefits and minimising harms
• feedback from the workshop discussion.