Find Climate Help and Support Through Green Networks

Museums who are working to become more sustainable have lots to learn from other organisations. Sharing examples is a strong way to build momentum and take action. Knowing where to start,next steps to take, or being able to help those just starting out can help spread progress.

Below are some examples of networks that may be useful to museums, or their staff looking to take and support climate action.

Hosted by Museums Galleries Scotland, the Scottish Museums Climate Network is a space where museum staff and volunteers can discuss all things climate and biodiversity. Designed to encourage conversation, it is a space to share ideas, challenges, events and support.

The network is on Microsoft Teams with channels dedicated to specific themes. To join please email our Climate Officer at Climate@museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk.

The Green Arts Initiative is a network of arts-based communities within Scotland which includes museums.  It aims to build and maintain a Scottish green arts community. There are currently over 300 members. The network is run by Creative Carbon Scotland (CCS) with oversight and support from a steering group of members. It states it operational priorities as:

• Supporting the sharing of relevant knowledge, ideas, and experiences
• Enhancing the sustainability competencies of arts organisations across the country

Members are expected to nominate a member of staff as their “Green Champion” who is the main point of contact within the GAI. They are also expected to make the following commitments in their operations:

• We will strive to improve our environmental efforts each year
• We will complete the annual feedback form on the environmental action we’ve taken each year

Organisations can access:

• Member event invitations
• Tailored advice on organisational environmental action
• Digital branding of the GIA
• Online forums with other members
• Quarterly newsletter
• Downloaded guides and resources
• Contact time via phone and email

Further information can be found on the Creative Carbon Scotland website

Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN) are a volunteer-led network with membership open to any community group across Scotland that is taking action on the climate crisis and to any organisation, including museums, that is involved with or supports such community-led action. The aims of this network focus on connecting people, groups, and building relationships to take community-based climate action. They achieve this by: 

• Enabling mutual support between members 
• Developing and delivering training 
• Spotlight and increase visibility of community-led action 
• Link with wider partners and other networks and act as a channel to communicate with policymakers 

SCCAN are also part of other networks themselves and would be a useful connection for further climate work and relationships, as well as for those museums starting their climate journey.  

Membership is free to any Scottish community group, organisation, and network that supports community-led climate action, and to individuals as well. Membership allows an organisation or individual to access: 

• A network, communications, training and events 
• Showcased in their members map and directory 
• Peer to peer networking opportunities 
• Access to funding 
• Opportunities to collaborate with/work for SCCAN on specific contracts and commissions 

Further information can be found on the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network website.

Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) are Scotland’s public sector network on sustainability and climate change. It aims to support the public sector to drive action on climate change, scaling up impact through leadership, policy, and research.

They provide many resources and tools to help an organisation measure and reduce their climate impact, including an Assessment Tool, a Carbon Footprint, Project Register Tool, and Adaptation Resources, as well as a reporting framework for organisations required to report their carbon footprint. The focus of the network is on Net Zero and supporting the public sector to transition towards this. To further this, SSN also provides support and guidance around many of the major issues facing organisations as they look to reduce their carbon footprint. These include:

• Training opportunities
• Funding
• Buildings and Infrastructure
• Place-based Climate Action
• Procurement
• Policy and Legislation
• Governance and Management

Membership is open to public body museums and provides:

• Access to the Knowledge Hub and SSN Group
• Invitations to member and network events and opportunities
• Opportunities to join the SSN Steering Group and be an SSN ambassador

Further information can be found on the Sustainable Scotland Network  website.

Museums and Climate Change Network (MCCN) is an international group of museum professionals who are concerned with extending and improving communication on climate change, local and global environmental change, and supporting people to find ways forward on the issues. The network acts as an open group that aims to share good practice, news, updates, and resources. It also aims to foster collaboration by holding and supporting workshops, conferences, exhibitions, web resources, story sharing, and activism.

Their website also acts as a platform to promote climate-based exhibitions, projects and events from museums, as well as a forum for its members to ask questions from peers.

The museum workforce, or students, can sign up to a newsletter and join the network as a member and their details will be published on the Members List so others in the field can learn about them and their work.

Further information can be found on the Museums & Climate Change Network website.