Different kinds of CANs keep opening up…here’s a range of “Climate Action Networks’, heading for COP26 in Glasgow

From Scottish Communities Climate Action Network’s 2024 Vision page

Since we’ve sent the CAN idea (originally Citizens Action Network) out into the world, we’ve been delighted both by the pick-up in enthusiasm for it, but also the way that the CAN acronym pops up and applies itself to grass-roots phenomena we’ve never heard of.

The Capetown CANs are one classic example (covered here, and standing for Community Action Networks). But we’re finding another definition of CANs arising—Climate Action Networks (truth be told, they’ve been lurking in our archive for years).

Our immediate example (with an event in June) is the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (or SCCAN), who are aiming to build a “Glasgow-region Climate Action Network” in time for the up-coming environmental COP 26 conference in the city itself.

Founded in 2012, SCCAN’s “active” part includes a regular media service (blog, podcast and YouTube channel), as well as supporting a “homestay” service for visitors to COP 26. Their networking can be seen on the map to the left - with an impressive list of over 300 community-based climate initiatives on the page.

Coming upon SCCAN has also alerted us to the wider organisation of the Climate Fringe, which is a civil-society organisation hoping to provide an Edinburgh-festival-like “fringe” platform, whereby initiative and events around the COP event can coordinate and promote themselves. They’re aiming at a full week of activity - contact them here f you’d like to be involved.

And while we’re on the topic of Climate Action Networks, here’s a few more that’s out there: