Scots urged to join creative conversation about climate change
Published: 4 December 2025
People in Scotland are being urged to lend their voices to a national conversation about climate change led by the University of Glasgow.
People in Scotland are being urged to lend their voices to a national conversation about climate change led by the University of Glasgow.
Researchers from the University’s School of Geographical & Earth Sciences are launching an appeal to gather short pieces of creative writing from the public reflecting their thoughts and feelings about Scotland and climate change.
The call to action is one stage of a PhD research project from the University of Glasgow’s Rhiannon Bull. She is aiming to gather stories of up to 1,000 words, with submissions open until 28 February 2026. Stories can be fiction or nonfiction, and contributors are encouraged to write freely, whether drawing from personal experience or inventing characters and scenarios.
Once the submission process is complete, some of the stories collected will be published as an anthology, as well as shared in academic publications, public reports and exhibitions.
Rhiannon Bull - photo credit Carla Watkins
Rhiannon said: “This project is about gathering feedback on how people in Scotland feel about climate change in a different way. We’re seeking to understand how climate change affects mental health and emotional wellbeing – and what stories people tell when given space to reflect, imagine, and express themselves.
“Generally, research projects ask participants to fill out surveys, but we think that asking people to offer more creative responses will offer insights that the traditional approach simply can’t provide.
“We want to know how people in Scotland envision climate futures and how they relate emotionally to climate change. Ultimately, we’d like to use these stories to help climate organisations in Scotland understand how people think and feel about the country’s changing climate, and assist them in making decisions informed by those insights.”
“Writing stories is a novel and creative way to ask people to express difficult feelings around climate change scenarios, and we are curious about whether writing can be a powerful means of coming to terms with this immense environmental challenge.
In addition to the online call for stories, the project will host a series of creative writing workshops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and online between January and June 2026. The workshops will include sessions in partnership with the Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN) and Lapidus Scotland, who work with groups and organisations across Scotland to promote health and wellbeing through reading and writing.
Susan Lancaster, ECCAN’s operations and engagement lead, said: “This project is precisely the kind of initiative ECCAN is eager to champion as we expand our focus on arts and culture. Climate action requires more than policy; it requires a deep, emotional understanding of our collective future. These workshops give everyday Scots a powerful tool – creative writing – to process their feelings and turn worry into meaningful reflection. Supporting creatives, regardless of their experience level, is an important and necessary part of building a resilient climate movement in Scotland.”
Lapidus Scotland committee member Antje Bothin said: “This creative writing project raises awareness of climate change and encourages action. Allowing people to express their thoughts and feelings around this important topic improves their emotional processing and is helpful for their personal growth and wellbeing.”
To submit a story or learn more about the project, visit the Climate Stories website. Participants must be aged 18 or over and live in Scotland. Writing prompts are available for those who’d like inspiration, but all stories are welcome.
To join the Edinburgh-based workshops, visit ECCAN’s Eventbrite registration page.
First published: 4 December 2025