Peat, Diesel and Seaweed: A Poetic Inquiry to Design Green Transition in Northwest Highlands

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AHRC
AHRC
AHRC
AHRC
AHRC

£160,335

Feb. 1, 2023

Jan. 31, 2024

This project will involve an interdisciplinary poetic inquiry to support the strategic design of key elements of the net zero vision of the coastal communities in the northwest Highlands of Scotland. The research will engage in creative ways with local organisations and young people on ideas, feelings and action around three areas of the green transition that are crucial for and distinctive to the northwest Highlands.
1. Peat: The carbon sequestration already delivered and its potential to be increased through peatland management and restoration.
2. Diesel: Fuel for marine vessels, including fishing boats, fish-farming vessels and offshore wind farm service boats and the potential for transition to renewably generated hydrogen.
3. Seaweed: The potential for seaweed and other local resource cultivation to deliver green livelihoods in future.

The project will support the commitment to sustainability as expressed in the Northwest2045 vision (https://www.northwest2045.scot/) and will explore how delivery of this vision can be supported, including through new knowledge, thus contributing to a community-driven research and knowledge exchange agenda for a smart, sustainable future. The research will use a poetry-focused methodology to help local people to articulate their feelings, ideas and aspirations in responding to the climate crisis, on three strategically important topics that reflect the unique situation of NW Sutherland's sparsely-populated, natural-capital-rich maritime environment. These topics have been selected with our partner, Assynt Development Trust, the host organisation for the NW2045 network, as relatively under-discussed locally and understudied biophysically and economically, compared to other topics such as road transport, food, waste and housing, yet with significant climate change impacts (both positive and negative) and potential to make a difference and inspire behaviour change.

The research will use structured interviews, workshops and arts events to find out how people think and feel on each of the three topics. There will be tightly focused discussions with peatland managers and harbour staff. In order to explore seaweed and other resource cultivation livelihood opportunities, more open-ended creative workshop discussions will be held with young people.

The findings will make a vital contribution to the Regional Land Use Framework (RLUF) on NW2045's new digital platform, which is a place-based cross-sector/stakeholder mechanism to design collaborative action towards net zero. We will also present findings to agencies and other bodies that can help to deliver relevant support, as well as back to our local communities.