Historic Scotland has revealed details of a five-year plan to tackle the challenges of climate change on Scotland's built heritage.

The concerns are to be addressed by the new Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), which has also been aligned with Scottish Government carbon emissions reduction targets, believed to be among the most ambitious in the world.

CCAP will tackle a wide range of challenges presented by the impacts of rising sea levels, increased storm events and heavier precipitation on historic landscapes, built heritage, archaeology and the tourist industry.

Figures show that Scotland's climate is already changing, with average precipitation rising by more than 20 per cent since the 1960s. Historic buildings are particularly susceptible to increased rainfall and extremes of wetting and drying cycles, which may lead to accelerated decay.

Historic Scotland CEO Ruth Parsons said: "Climate change is a very real threat facing Scotland's built and natural environment".

"We have already seen significant changes in our weather in recent decades, and this is set to continue, or even increase, throughout this century. It is imperative to our economy that we start taking action immediately."

"Historic Scotland has built up expertise to counter the threat of climate change, and gained useful knowledge from tackling the impacts of coastal and wind erosion at some of our most popular and significant sites.

"Closely aligned with these efforts is our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We aim to meet the ambitious targets set by the Scottish Government and cut carbon emissions by 42 per cent by 2020, based on 1990 levels."

"We will share the research we are doing and encourage others to identify the actions they can take to reduce their own emissions, and help Scotland move towards a low carbon economy."

The strategic aims of the CCAP focus on reducing energy use in the agency's buildings and improving the carbon efficiency of its operations.

The plan also aims to improve energy efficiency in traditional buildings, principally through a series of pilot schemes in a range of property types throughout Scotland. The agency recently demonstrated its expertise in this field, when it won a Low Carbon Award in March for refurbishment work on traditional tenements in the Pleasance area of Edinburgh.

Preparing the historic environment for climate change forms a key element of the Action Plan. Historic Scotland will identify which of its sites are most at risk, and modify conservation strategies accordingly, in addition to responding to climate change threats by prioritising grant funding.

The agency will also improve sustainability by increasing awareness of the importance of appropriate materials and skills in the upkeep of traditional buildings, for example by encouraging the reopening of stone and slate quarries, in addition to investing in training and skills.