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Take Action
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Updates and news

Sheep among solar panels. Antalexion, CC

What is CommonWatt? The plan to make community energy work for all

9 July, 2026

Dr Stan da Prato with the East Lothian Food Growers Collective at Muirpark allotments. Photo / ELCAN

A potted guide to growing in small spaces with Dr Stan da Prato

23 June, 2026

Attendees of the Sough to Sea women's surf and river stewardship programme. Photo / Supplied

East Lothian’s ‘surfing sisterhood’ turn citizen scientists

22 June, 2026

Conservation via competition: East Linton's Now Mow May Gardens. Photo / Sarah Shuttleworth, Plantlife.org.uk

Scotland’s rarest plants found in East Linton competition lawns for No Mow May

19 June, 2026

Can the renewable energy change fund community climate action?

Can the renewable energy change fund climate action? Invitation to Tender

18 June, 2026

A 2% stake in an offshore wind project could be worth £45million to communities over its lifetime. Photo / Anna Jimenez, Unsplash

Scotland’s promise of shared renewables wealth at risk

9 June, 2026

How is ELCAN membership changing for groups and individuals?

2 June, 2026

Hub Update: Another year of Climate and Nature action in East Lothian

27 May, 2026

Now Hiring: East Lammermuir Community Development Officer

14 May, 2026

ELCAN Policy Circle: Shape decision making on climate and nature

6 May, 2026

Ocean with David Attenborough. Handout. Photo: Conor McDonnell / Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios, Revive Our Ocean

David Attenborough at 100: East Lothian’s place naturalist’s list of wildlife wonders

5 May, 2026

‘What do the area partnership level support organisations of East Lothian Climate Action need’ Ingredients Clear collective vision Like minded people Friendship / trust Keeping people motivated Spreading the load Recruitment People with expertise and commitment Knowledge and understanding of the issues Good facilitation Convening expertise One or more key people who will commit to make it happen and drive it A space Energetic, enthusiastic founder volunteers Quick win project / campaign A understanding with and connection to the local area Learning People need to be continuously motivated An action plan is good as it allows you to achieve and celebrate little steps Celebration of accomplishments is important Networking with other groups in other sectors is important and you learn a lot from getting in a speaker from another group It is important to match the right people to the right projects, including a good leader for projects Organic growth by personal contacts is most effective long term Professional expertise in a project area is helpful You have to be careful of a small number of the same people doing too much Getting the word out for projects is important, and can create positive feedback loops It is important to go to where people are. If someone is enthusiastic and skilled, but doesn’t get matched to the right project, they may lose enthusiasm Communities are the experts on what is needed and going on in their own places Once an idea is started an early communication and scene setting message is important to encourage and maintain momentum Future Need Ways to learn from other groups In the future we should be focused on legacy, ensuring that groups don’t fold as their core members age We need funding to cover the core costs of running the organisation We need to be well organised Funding may come to communities via East Lothian Community Benefits from renewables and this needs strong links to grassroots projects Each area needs its own physical, visible Hub that the community can see and interact with to get involved with community climate action This physical hub should be accessible to a wide range of people and receive ongoing and regular funding We should be better about tapping into expertise and networking with orgs like DTAS CES CWA CLS etc We should have our climate action cafes We must keep people motivated in these hard times Evolution should be organic The Climate Hub and the groups it supports need long term funding Our conversations should move on to community resilience for the climate changes to come We could provide something like a funding application mentoring service We should budget in for volunteers time Community climate action including community resilience and adaptation simply needs more funding

What are the ingredients for a successful community climate action ‘umbrella’ organisation, and what’s next?

5 May, 2026

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ELCAN interviews

Ken Ilgunas in his East Linton wildflower lawn.

How No Mow May came to East Linton with Ken Ilgunas

2 June, 2026

Forest Community Gardens, Tranent. Photo / East Lothian Climate Hub

Henry Mathias of the Tranent Wombles on East Coast FM

26 February, 2026

East Lothian Climate Hub

The East Lothian Climate Hub is hosted by the East Lothian Climate Action Network (SCIO #SC055099) with support from Lower Impact Living (CIC #SC595686).

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If you have any questions or stories you’d like to share with our communities, please reach out to us: hello@eastlothianclimatehub.org

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