Low carbon behaviours framework: key behaviour areas - data for Scotland

Introduction

80% emissions reduction target

• The Scottish Government has a target to reduce Scotland's greenhouse gas ( GHG) emissions by 80% (from the 1990 baseline) by 2050.
• Achieving this will require a shift to a low carbon society, with actions needed from everyone including government, businesses, communities, households and individuals.

Role of Individuals & Households

• Around 3/4 of Scotland's GHG emissions are associated with consumption by individuals and households.*
• The 4 main themes of household and individual consumption emissions are: Housing (mainly Home Energy), Travel, Food and Consumption.

Key Behaviour Areas ( KBAs)

• 'Low Carbon Scotland: A Behaviours Framework'** split those 4 themes down further into 10 Key Behaviour Areas - showing where individuals and households could help reduce emissions by changing their behaviour.
• A supporting publication brought together data on those key behaviour areas for Scotland.***
• This report updates that publication.

* Scottish Government (2016) Low carbon behaviours framework: method to estimate Scotland's greenhouse gas consumption emissions by theme 
** Low Carbon Scotland: A Behaviours Framework (2013)
*** Low Carbon Behaviours Framework - Key Behaviour Areas - Data for Scotland (2013)

Scotland's Estimated GHG Consumption Emissions associated with Individuals and Households

• Consumption emissions are generated by the goods and services consumed by Scottish residents, including by imports into Scotland.
• Individuals and households account for 77% of Scotland's consumption emissions.*
• That 77% of consumption emissions can be broken down into 4 main themes, as shown below.

Scotland's Estimated GHG Consumption Emissions associated with Individuals and Households, 2012

* Scottish Government (2016) Low carbon behaviours framework: method to estimate Scotland's greenhouse gas consumption emissions by theme

Low Carbon Behaviours: Key Behaviour Areas ( KBAs)

Home Energy

Household monitoring of their energy use

54% of households monitor their energy use (very or fairly closely), an increase of 10 percentage points since 2008.

Personal Transport

Travel to work using public transport or active travel

31% of Scots walk, cycle or use public transport to get to work. This proportion has hardly changed since 1999.

Food: Diet & Food Waste

Scottish Diet compared with Eatwell Guide diet (new indicator):

The Scottish diet is both less healthy, and has a higher environmental impact, than the recommended Eatwell Guide diet.

Consumption: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Household Waste generated:

The volume of household waste has fallen by 5% since 2011.