ACT Now The ACT Now Project began in April 2020 with the purpose of supporting Mid-Argyll communities to adopt strategies to tackle climate change by reducing their impact on the environment. The initial stage of this project was supported by the Scottish Governments Climate Challenge Fund and the full report of this phase of the project, from April 2022, can be found here. Working closely with the community has always enabled The ACT Now Project to build networks and schemes that target the needs of Argyll and Bute residents, businesses, organisations, and the climate. Introducing the Argyll & Bute Climate Action Network - ABCAN - Hub The aim of the ABCAN Hub is to support every Argyll and Bute resident and community face the challenge of climate change. It will identify, facilitate, and give a voice to localised community led climate action, to raise awareness of our carbon impact, and mitigate key climate themes that will work towards a net zero Argyll & Bute. With Scottish Government funding, and overseen by a collaboration between ACT, Argyll & Bute Third Sector Interface and Time for Change Argyll & Bute, the ABCAN Hub has established resources to coordinate and build on current climate activities, deliver carbon literacy training, facilitate climate conversations, provide seed funding for climate mitigation, engage with hard-to-reach groups and identify opportunities for partnership working across the region to ensure that Argyll & Bute has a cohesive approach to tackling climate change in our communities. Update March 2024: The ABCAN hub is now up and running with a delivery team made up from locally-based community organisations, freelancers and ACT employees delivering on community climate engagement right across Argyll & Bute. The project is supporting Argyll and Bute to face the challenge of climate change through seed funding. Currently closed to applications, around £48,000 so far has been awarded to 39 community groups to support community led action on climate change. More details and case studies coming soon. We have created an Argyll & Bute Specific Carbon Literacy Training Course. This certified training is available to all local residents and incorporates locally relevant themes. This training package can also be taken in part to create less formal, though equally important, ‘climate conversations’ within communities. The new ABCAN Website is here! This is the platform to highlight local climate action, access network membership, find training opportunities and seek climate action support, and this will also host a community led Green Map. We have scheduled 3 regional climate forums - taking the form of virtual assemblies - focussing on Energy, 19th March; Food, 21st March and Housing, 26th March, to reflect Argyll & Bute priorities and capture community voices which will help to inform the wider Community Planning Partnership Climate Change Strategy for Argyll & Bute We are also looking to create a ABCAN Steering group representing Mid Argyll, Kintyre & Islands, Oban, Lorne & Isles, Helensburgh & Lomond and Bute & Cowal. ABCAN is keen to hear from any interested individuals, groups, and organisations in Argyll and Bute who want to know more details about the Hub, how to access support, training and resources, get the link for the online forums and/or get involved in climate action. We are keen to grow and build the network so please get in touch with [email protected] Why this is important: Argyll & Bute is the second largest LA by land-area, divided by its geography, including 23 inhabited islands. Travel routes are long, weak infrastructure is subject to weather disruption, public transport is poor and climate change awareness is a lived experience. 23 islands inhabited by 17% of the population 20% of Scotland’s coastline (4000 miles) of which 84% will be eroding by 2040 43% live remote rural 27% over 65 45% in fuel poverty In order to meet the current net zero targets, we need to focus at a grass-roots level, where numerous unsupported groups are busy in green and blue spaces, lacking a supportive network, and ubiquitous short-term small funding streams come and go; projects flounder, residents disengage and valuable learning is lost. Activity is variously mapped and lacks a coordinated approach, with no current repository or touchstone as a conduit to harness peer-to-peer learning which could be facilitated by a Climate Hub, plugging-in to existing networks and partnerships through the project partners, leading on climate-action, community-learning and supporting citizen-led projects. . Additional ACT Now climate change-related projects Click on the logo to find out more! ACT Now project contact If you would like to get involved or would like more information please contact the ACT Now Project Manager, Jamie Joyce: [email protected]; 07943020241. ACT Now previous project funding The project was initially funded through the Scottish Government's Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) and was awarded £106,967 for two years. The CCF is a Scottish Government grant programme providing funding and support for community groups to help tackle climate change by running projects that reduce local carbon emissions. ACT Now previous project themes also included ACT Now and Eat. ACT Now and Eat