Roles and Responsibilities

Coastal Flooding

SEPA is Scotland’s national flood forecasting, flood warning authority and strategic flood risk management authority.

SEPA’s activities include the mapping and updating of present and future coastal flooding. SEPA:

• works in partnership with the Met Office to forecast for flooding and operate Floodline in Scotland to warn the public and emergency responders when flooding is likely;
• produces Scotland's Flood Risk Management Strategies;
• works closely with other organisations responsible for managing flood risk to ensure that a nationally consistent approach to flood risk management is adopted;
• provides flood risk advice to land use planning in Scotland when requested;
• raises awareness of flooding at a national level through education initiatives, community engagement and campaigns.

Coastal Erosion

SEPA  plays an important but mostly strategic and advisory role in relation to coastal erosion in Scotland including assessing and mapping erosion risk and  linking coastal erosion with flood risk management.

Visit: www.sepa.org.uk

Coastal Flooding

• Scotland’s 32 Local authorities are responsible for producing Local Flood Risk Management Plans and work in partnership with SEPA, Scottish Water and other responsible authorities to develop these.
• It is the responsibility of local authorities to implement and maintain flood protection actions. Local authorities also inspect, clear and repair watercourses to reduce flood risk and routinely maintain road gullies on public roads and highways.
• During severe flooding, local authorities work with the emergency services and co-ordinate shelter for people evacuated from their homes.
• Flood risk in Scotland’s planning system is governed primarily by the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which is part of the statutory development plan and applies across all local authorities. Policy 22 of NPF4 (Flood Risk and Water Management) directs planning authorities to:
  – Avoid development in areas of flood risk, taking account of climate change.
  – Ensure development does not increase flood risk elsewhere.
  – Use a risk-based and plan-led approach to site allocation and decision-making.

Coastal Erosion

• Local authorities use the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) to guide development decisions that consider flood risk and water management. This framework supports local decision-making and provides clarity on how planning can address coastal risks.
• Local authorities (LAs) are tasked with developing Coastal Change Adaptation Plans (CCAP) to mitigate the impacts of coastal erosion and flooding.
• Local authorities have powers (but not obligations) under the Coast Protection Act 1949 to protect land from the sea and can fund coast protection work from their general capital grant from the Scottish Government.
• Note that Scotland does not have a statutory consultee for coastal erosion.

Coastal Flooding

• Scottish Water is a responsible authority for flood risk management and is working closely with SEPA, local authorities and other responsible authorities to manage flood risk in Scotland.
• Scottish Water has a public drainage duty and are responsible for the drainage of rainwater run-off (surface water) from roofs, and any paved ground surface within the property boundary. Additionally, they help protect homes from flooding caused by sewers either overflowing or becoming blocked.
• Private pipe work or guttering within a property boundary is the responsibility of the homeowner.

Coastal Erosion

• Scottish Water’s assets are often located at the coast (outfalls, wastewater pipes etc). As such, they have an interest in managing the associated risks and adaptation opportunities.

Visit: www.scottishwater.co.uk

Coastal Flooding

• Scottish Ministers are responsible for setting the policy framework for implementing how we manage flooding in Scotland and are ultimately  responsible for approving the objectives and actions set out in the Flood Risk Management Strategies. Scottish Government is  responsible for making national policy on planning, flood prevention and flood warning. It oversees the implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 which established the requirement for Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans to be produced.
• The Scottish Government is responsible for drainage of motorway and major trunk roads, through its agency Transport Scotland.

Coastal Erosion

• Scottish Government produces National policies such as the Scottish Planning Policy, National Planning Framework 3, and the National Marine Plan acknowledge the importance of coastal erosion and the need to incorporate these aspects into regional and local planning decisions.
• The Scottish Government's Coastal Change Adaptation Plan guidance and resources supports Local Authorities in managing their shorelines in the face of climate change.
• Scottish Government funds the Dynamic Coast project which aims to provide the strategic evidence base on the extent of coastal erosion in Scotland by improving the evidence on coastal chang; improving the awareness of coastal change; supporting decision-makers to ensure Scotland’s coast and assets can adapt to our future climate.

Coastal Flooding

Dynamic Coast undertook research in 2021 to explore the coastal erosion enhanced flood risks.

Coastal Erosion

Dynamic Coast is a Scottish Government funded project which provides the strategic evidence base on the extent of coastal erosion in Scotland by improving the evidence on coastal change; improving the awareness of coastal change; supporting decision-makers to ensure Scotland’s coast and assets can adapt to our future climate.

Dynamic Coast provides maps of past and anticipated coastal change for Scotland; research reports, coastal erosion reporter tool and a wide range of resources relating to coastal erosion and coastal change adaptation, including the Scottish Government’s guidance on CCAPs.

Visit: www.dynamiccoast.com

Coastal Flooding

The Met Office provides a wide range of forecasts and weather warnings. SEPA and the Met Office work together through the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service, combining SEPA's hydrological expertise and the Met Office's meteorological data to predict the likelihood and timing of river, coastal and surface water flooding.

Coastal Erosion

The Met Office monitors sea level rise, and models future sea level positions. Their Sea Level Dashboard contains information on sources of sea level rise (e.g. ice sheet and glacier melt, land water storage, ocean temperatures etc): https://climate.metoffice.cloud/sea-level/dashboard.html

Lead on the UK National Climate Science partnership Sea Level working group who evaluate the cases, projections and consequences of sea level rise in the UK and how to communicate it: https://ukncsp.org/working-groups/sea-level-rise/

Visit: www.metoffice.gov.uk

Coastal Flooding

Forestry and Land Scotland (formerly Forestry Commission Scotland) supports the development of the Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans.

Visit: forestryandland.gov.scot

Coastal Flooding

Under the Flood Risk Management Act, NatureScot is consulted by SEPA and local authorities on flood protection schemes and flood risk management plans. It provides advice to national and local advisory groups on the impact of flood protection schemes on designated sites and species of national and international importance, and promotes working with nature to manage flood risk.

Coastal Erosion

NatureScot is often required to consent proposed coast protection works that may influence statutory nature conservation sites or asked for guidance on how to manage erosion. This is particularly the case in the context of sites designated for nature or geodiversity conservation (e.g. SSSIs, SPAs, SACs).

Visit: www.nature.scot

Coastal Flooding

Historic Environment Scotland plays a crucial role in managing the impact of coastal flooding on Scotland's heritage sites. It seeks public input on plans for the long-term management of historic places, objects and archival records. HES is proposing to strengthen its response to climate change by implementing management approaches to mitigate its effects, including testing innovative solutions and adjusting conservation principles to build resilience.

Coastal Erosion

NatureScot is often required to consent proposed coast protection works that may influence statutory nature conservation sites or asked for guidance on how to manage erosion. This is particularly the case in the context of sites designated for nature or geodiversity conservation (e.g. SSSIs, SPAs, SACs).

Visit: www.historicenvironment.scot

Coastal Flooding

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) plays a crucial role in managing flooding incidents in Scotland. Their responsibilities include rescue and protection and prevention and preparedness to flooding as well as public advice.

Visit: www.firescotland.gov.uk

Ready Scotland is a program initiated by the Scottish Government aimed at enhancing community resilience to emergencies. It provides practical steps and resources to help individuals and communities prepare for and respond to emergencies such as severe weather, floods, and loss of power. The initiative includes guidelines for emergency planning, community engagement, and support for local groups to ensure they are equipped to handle crises effectively.

Visit: ready.campaign.gov.scot

There are three Regional Resilience Partnerships in Scotland, based in the North, East and West.. These groups serve to bring together all the relevant organisations in an area to develop an effective approach in dealing with emergencies.

Coastal Flooding

It is the responsibility of individuals to manage their own flood risk and protect themselves, their family, property or business. There are steps that individuals  can take to be flood prepared and reduce the damage and disruption flooding including viewing SEPA  flood maps to check if their area is affected by flooding; Sign up to Floodline to receive messages when flooding is forecast; know who to contact if flooding happens. Think about buildings insurance contacts, neighbours, family.

Coastal Erosion

Communities in Scotland play a crucial role in managing coastal erosion:

• Communities are encouraged to be aware of the risks associated with coastal erosion and flooding. This includes understanding the potential impacts on their properties and the need for adaptation plans.
• Community engagement in the land use Planning process as well as Coastal Adaptation Plans is a vital part of the process. This includes contributing to Local Place Plans.
• There is a growing interest in using nature based solutions, such as marine and coastal habitat creation and restoration, to protect against coastal erosion and flooding. Community involvement in monitoring and restoration efforts is encouraged.

Individuals and communities can contribute to Local Place Plans (LPPs) which are community-led plans that allow Scottish communities to propose how land and buildings should be developed and used in their area. Resources - Planning Aid Scotland.

Land managers play a crucial role in protecting their properties from coastal erosion and flooding, which are interlinked processes. Land managers are actively involved, by making voluntary changes in land management in response to advice; applying for relevant Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) funding and negotiating changes in land management with local authorities, to allow them to work with natural habitats to manage flood risk.

• Scottish Flood Forum is a Scottish Charity whose aim is to reduce the impacts of flooding on individuals and communities, through providing immediate support and by establishing a network of community resilience groupsin flood risk areas to equip communities to cope with the impacts and threat of flooding.
• Scottish Flood Forum provides advice and information to individuals to help protect their home from flooding or, if the worst has happened, to recover from flooding. We do this via our publications and website, via our enquiry line or where necessary, face to face.
• Scottish Flood Forum helps to raise awareness and provide education and training to communities and community groups worried about flood risk and can support and advise on the set up and development of a Community Resilience Group in your area.
• Scottish Flood Forum works  with local authorities and their partners in raising community awareness, promoting self help and developing community groups. We also work with local authorities to establish a recovery support programme after a flood to ensure support is in place for the affected communities for the long term.

Visit: scottishfloodforum.org

• Verture is a Scottish charity who specialise in climate adaptation and resilience. We work at national, regional and local levels to support people, organisations and communities to become more resilient in the face of a changing climate.
• At the national level, we run programmes such as Adaptation Scotland and the Scottish Flood Resilience Knowledge Exchange Programme, which share learning and best practice, bring together practitioners, policy makers and communities, and produce guidance and resources for climate adaptation.
• At the regional level, we work with Climate Ready Regions across Scotland on regional adaptation priorities and plans, supporting place-based adaptation action on the ground
• At the local level, we work with communities, and neighbourhoods on supporting local resilience to issues of importance to them, focusing our efforts in places of most need, with the highest vulnerability to climate risk.

Visit: verture.org.uk

Planning Aid Scotland is a charity and social enterprise that believes that people should be at the heart of planning. Their purpose is to create an inclusive society where communities are empowered to shape decisions about the places in which they live, work, and play.

Visit: www.pas.org.uk

Culture for Climate Scotland  connect culture & climate change

We encourage and equip individuals, organisations and strategic bodies to harness the role of culture in achieving the transformational change to an environmentally sustainable Scotland. For example Sea Change is a multi-year project working with artists in two coastal towns (Montrose and Buckie) to develop plans for how communities need to transform in response to climate change.

Visit: cultureforclimate.scot

SCDC plays a significant role in relation to coastal flooding and erosion by promoting community development approaches that improve people's health and address health inequalities.

Visit: www.scdc.org.uk

Scotland's coastal  partnerships are crucial for the preservation and safeguarding of its marine environments. Scotland has several Local Coastal Partnerships - East Grampian Coastal Partnership;; Moray Firth Coastal Partnership; Solway Firth Partnership; Tay Estuary Forum. The Scottish Coastal Forum, formed in 1996, encourages debate at national level on coastal issues.

Coastal Flooding

There are currently 8 regional adaptation partnerships in Scotland, with another 4 in early stages of development.

These ”Climate Ready Regions” identify actions to address the most pressing climate risks and impacts in their area, bringing together stakeholders to collaborate on place-based adaptation action.  

Coastal Erosion

The partnerships cover the Clyde region, South-East Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Forth Valley, Tayside, Argyll and Bute, Highland, the Outer Hebrides and Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire.

Shetland, Orkney, Ayrshire and Grampian regions are starting to establish in 2026.

Visit: adaptation.scot/our-work/regional-partnerships/

Community councils are responsible for various aspects of flood risk management, including:

collaborating with Local Authorities to reduce flood risk, engaging with the public to raise awareness about flood risks and encourage preparedness. They also provide information on how to reduce flood risk at the property level. They help communities and businesses return to normal or adapt to a more sustainable arrangement following a flooding event and support local authorities.

Community Resilience Groups are increasing across Scotland. They are formed by local residents, in order to prepare and support their community with challenges such as extreme weather, flooding and other disruptions.

Many groups collaborate with their local authority such as the local authority passing on important information or advice from public agencies, or the community group reporting damage and impacts back to the local authority after an extreme weather event.

Information about wildfire preparedness (thinking about sand dunes)

Visit: www.redcross.org.uk