Scotland's Climate Week 2026 will be encouraging climate action and heightened awareness with InnoScot Health supporting innovation-led ambitions for a healthier population

This year’s Climate Week takes place from Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October, with a network of 24 regional Climate Action Hubs, organisations, and communities hosting events right across the country.

A Scottish Government initiative, Climate Week “celebrates progress — and shows us all how to go further,” say organisers.

At the heart of ambitions for a healthier population remains the NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy which is expected to be renewed next year, setting out how the health service will:

• Accelerate progress towards net zero and climate resilience
• Highlight important areas of progress since the last strategy document
• Strengthen alignment across national and local delivery
• Enable focused, outcomes‑driven action

Climate Week organisers insist: “Now is the time to step up our fight for the protection of our planet and to create a cleaner, healthier, safer and fairer Scotland for us all and for generations to come.”

NHS Scotland aims to become a net zero organisation by 2040 through the control of its direct greenhouse gas emissions, while targeting a net zero supply chain by 2045.

The country’s regional Climate Action Hubs and NHS Scotland Climate Action initiative are working to address the health impacts of climate change, reduce emissions, and build sustainable local health services.

Supporting that drive, InnoScot Health believes sustainable, forward-thinking ideas from health and social care professionals can help support NHS Scotland, in tandem with industry and academia, to adapt, develop, and strengthen in response to climate change.

InnoScot Health launched a sustainability innovation call in 2022 and states that the behaviours of the knowledgeable Scottish health service workforce influence how the country mitigates and adapts to climate change impacts – and so, encouraging its diversely skilled staff to come up with new ways of working is vital.

Head of Innovation at InnoScot Health, Robert Rea said: “Climate Week celebrates and showcases climate action, inspiring support across Scotland’s communities and organisations. It will raise awareness of how all can adapt to a low carbon lifestyle.

“It is also a chance to come together, learn something new, and take action, big or small, for our environment and a healthier population.

“While the climate crisis is already significantly impacting Scotland, collectively more can be done to reduce our emissions to net zero and limit any further health and environmental impacts which of course go hand in hand.

“NHS Scotland currently accounts for up to 5% of Scotland’s total public sector greenhouse gas emissions, and with its commitment to becoming a net zero greenhouse gas emissions organisation by 2040 at the latest, significant work is undoubtedly required to get there.

“Excellent progress has been made, but Climate Week is a great way of underlining the need to keep encouraging that vital ongoing NHS focus.

“Innovation that achieves sustainable outcomes can, and should be, entirely complementary to the enduring everyday drive for healthcare excellence — and Climate Week could be the inspiration for some very special ideas.”

Climate Action Hubs across Scotland will be hosting a range of events during the week, offering opportunities for people to learn more, connect with others, and take part in local climate action.

Highlights include:

• East Lothian Climate Action Network Climate Week featuring a National Emergency Briefing screening and community climate strategy event in East Lothian
• Climate Week North East 2026 with more than 90 events taking place across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
• Outer Hebrides Climate Week running in tandem with Scotland's Climate Week
• A range of additional events will be hosted by Climate Action Hubs across the Highlands & Islands, Edinburgh, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, West Lothian and East Dunbartonshire