Oban harbour, Scotland, July 2004. Attribution: Hartmut Josi Bennöhr
  • 'This could be the holy grail to replace palm oil' - research team, BBC News (Sep 18, 2023)
  • Orkney islands to trial electric ferries to cut carbon emissions, theguardian.com (Sep 11, 2023)
  • The world’s first rewilding centre has opened in Scotland, positive.news (Apr 17, 2023)
  • Edinburgh is a hotbed of community self-empowerment - with the Edinburgh Tool Library showing the way, The Daily Alternative (Mar 14, 2023)

Read more

Scotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba [ˈal̪ˠapə] ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland is the second-largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8% of the population in 2019. Scotland's only land border is a 96-mile (154-kilometre) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to the south. Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions and contains more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Most of the population, including the capital Edinburgh, is concentrated in the Central Belt—the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands—in the Scottish Lowlands.

The Kingdom of Scotland emerged in the 9th century, from the merging of the Gaelic Kingdom of Dál Riata and the Kingdom of the Picts, and continued to exist as an independent sovereign state until 1707. In 1603, James VI inherited England and Ireland, forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain, with the Parliament of Scotland subsumed into the Parliament of Great Britain. In 1999, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister. Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 members of parliament (MPs). Scotland is a member of the British–Irish Council, the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Heads of Government Council.

This page is the beginnings of a portal for Scotland community action. It focuses mainly on Scotland community action topics. Separate pages cover Resources Scotland, and Scotland news

Scotland topic articles[edit | edit source]

Networks and sustainability initiatives[edit | edit source]

Ecovillages[edit | edit source]

Findhorn Ecovillage is an experimental architectural community project based at The Park, in Moray, Scotland, near the village of Findhorn. The project's main aim is to demonstrate a sustainable development in environmental, social, and economic terms. Work began in the early 1980s under the auspices of the Findhorn Foundation but now includes a wide diversity of organisations and activities. Numerous different ecological techniques are in use, and the project has won a variety of awards, including the UN-Habitat Best Practice Designation in 1998.

An independent study concludes that the residents have the lowest ecological footprint of any community measured so far in the industrialised world and is also half of the UK average. Although the project has attracted some controversy, the growing profile of environmental issues such as climate change has led to a degree of mainstream acceptance of its ecological ethos.

Community resources[edit | edit source]

Community land stories - Sally Reynolds
Authors: Community Land Scotland, September 21, 2016

Climate action[edit | edit source]

see also: List of climate assemblies, Scotland

Community involvement[edit | edit source]

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Community Power and Me: Katie Kelly, East Ayrshire Council
Authors: New Local, Dec 7, 2020
  • Generations Working Together, "nationally recognised centre of excellence supporting the development and integration of intergenerational work across Scotland." added 15:44, 4 March 2021 (UTC)
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Community currencies activism[edit | edit source]

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ScotPound, neweconomics.org

Community energy[edit | edit source]

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Aberdeen Community Energy - Callander Community Hydro Project - Community Energy Scotland - Diturbinengwall Wind Co-op - Microgen Scotland - Spirit of Lanarkshire, wind energy co-operative.

Wikipedia: Renewable energy in Scotland, Wind power in Scotland, Gigha, Wind turbines

Cycling activism[edit | edit source]

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Black Isle Bicycles - Cycling Scotland - The Bike Station, bicycle recycling and cycling promotion charity for Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth - Stirling Cycle Hub

Education for sustainability[edit | edit source]

Earthship Fife: Sustainable Communities Initiatives - Eco-Schools Scotland

Food activism[edit | edit source]

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  • GetGrowing Scotland, "brought to you by the Community Growing Forum Scotland, a group of grassroots projects and support organisations sharing information, inspiration, and expertise from communities and partners across Scotland." added 17:34, 22 November 2021 (UTC)

Dundee Urban Orchard - Nourish Scotland - Slow Food Perth - Scottish Crofting Federation - Soil Association Scotland

Ethical consumerism[edit | edit source]

Plastic Bag Free Selkirk

Land reform[edit | edit source]

Community land stories - Sally Reynolds
Authors: Community Land Scotland, Sep 21, 2016

In the 21st century, land reform in Scotland has focused on the abolition and modernisation of Scotland's antiquated feudal land tenure system, security of tenure for crofters and decentralisation of Scotland's highly concentrated private land ownership. Scotland's land reform is distinct from other contemporary land reforms in its focus on community land ownership, with the Land Reform (Scotland) Acts of 2003 and 2016 establishing the Community Right to Buy, allowing rural and urban communities first right of refusal to purchase local land when it comes up for sale. Crofting communities are granted a similar Right to Buy though they do not require a willing seller to buy out local crofting land. Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016, Scottish ministers can grant a compulsory sale order for vacant or derelict private land or land which, if owned by the local community, could further sustainable development.

Social inclusion[edit | edit source]

Fairer Scotland Scottish Government Blog - Fairer Fife

Scotland's Outlook Scottish charities campaign to "shine a light on the scale and impact of the poverty crisis in our communities."

Sustainable transport activism[edit | edit source]

Paths for All - Transform Scotland, registered charity based in Edinburgh (charity number 041516). They campaign on issues regarding sustainable transport, encouraging improved transport policies and practice. The organisation is made up of 63 member groups, including those from the private, public and voluntary sectors. Transform Scotland works closely with their sister organisation in England and Wales, Campaign for Better Transport (CBT). - Traveline Scotland, plan any public transport journey within Scotland

Towards sustainable economies[edit | edit source]

  • Community Wealth Building, north-ayrshire.gov.uk, "the first Community Wealth Building Council in Scotland", added 16:00, 13 October 2021 (UTC)
  • Enough! added 13:17, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
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Proposals to test basic income at the municipal level have lately (Oct 2017) gained considerable political support in Scotland.[1]

Basic Income Scotland - Citizen's Basic Income Network Scotland, charity campaigning for a Basic Income in Scotland

Urban sustainability[edit | edit source]

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Midsteeple Quarter
Authors: Midsteeple Quarter, Jan 12, 2018

Near you[edit | edit source]

Edinburgh - Glasgow - Eigg

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External links[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Discussion[View | Edit]

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