Culture in climate action: Integrating culture into 20-minute neighbourhoods

‘Culture in climate action: Integrating culture into 20-minute neighbourhoods’ toolkit draws on three years of cohort work by placemaking practitioners, cultural partners and policy specialists.

Culture is social infrastructure – it sustains wellbeing, shapes identity, and strengthens communities’ capacity to respond to climate and social challenges.

Despite the crucial role of culture in Scottish policy, it is often underrepresented in placemaking and planning frameworks. By failing to integrate culture, we miss out on enhancing community identity and cohesion, which can help create resilient and sustainable places.

The toolkit aims to broaden definitions to include everyday cultural life, develop tools and governance to support cultural practice in planning, and remove the barriers that limit community‑led work. These actions will strengthen community wellbeing and ensure that climate and infrastructure policies achieve lasting social outcomes.

Download Culture in climate action: Integrating culture into 20-minute neighbourhoods (PDF 3.83 MB)

‘Culture in climate action: Integrating culture into 20-minute neighbourhoods’ was co-authored by:

• Eleanor White, Senior culture/SHIFT Officer at Culture for Climate Scotland
• Rebecca Dillon-Robinson, Principal Urban Planner at Ramboll
• Pippa Cook, Architectural Assistant at Collective Architecture
• Lesley Anne Rose, Co-founder and Creative Director of Open Road
• Kate Wimpress, Director of North Edinburgh Arts