Acting Minister for Climate Action

Dr Alasdair Allan MSP

Contact

Address

Acting Minister for Climate Action
Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Dr Alasdair Allan was appointed as Acting Minister for Climate Action in July 2024.

Responsibilities

Supports the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy.

Specific responsibilities are: 

  • biodiversity (including endangered species)

Energy

  • carbon capture utilisation and storage
  • energy consents
  • energy policy and strategy
  • hydrogen
  • industrial decarbonisation
  • offshore wind, wave and tidal

Just Transition

  • Green Growth Accelerator
  • Just Transition planning, delivery, and monitoring, including Just Transition Commission

Energy efficiency

  • Heat in Buildings programme
  • heat networks
  • heating and domestic energy transformation

 

Biography

Dr Alasdair Allan MSP grew up in the Scottish Borders and now lives in the Isle of Lewis. He attended Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, gaining a PhD in Scots Language in 1998.

Alasdair was elected MSP for the Western Isles in 2007. He became Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages in 2011 and was then Minister for International Development and Europe from 2016 to 2018.

Prior to becoming an MSP, Alasdair was senior media relations officer for the Church of Scotland, and was named Gaelic journalist of the year in 2006. He was the National Secretary of the SNP from 2003 to 2006.

When time allows, he sings with the Back District Gaelic Choir in Lewis, with whom he has competed in the National Mod.

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