Climate Change Plan: third report on proposals and policies - written statement

Public Sector

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

1. The Committee recommended that the Scottish Government reflects on the calls for action to address the barriers to climate change leadership in the public sector and provides further information in the final Plan on the action the Government is taking to support strong leadership on climate change across the public sector. (501)

• On 7 December 2017, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform met with the Scottish Leaders Forum on how its members could take a leadership role in the transition to a low carbon Scotland. The Scottish Government is keen to continue the discussion around climate change with the Scottish Leaders Forum, and has sought its views on priorities for future engagement on climate change

Local Government and Communities Committee

1. The Committee recommended that more specific information on how the public sector will be equipped to meet its ambitious target is included in the final Plan. (37)

• This recommendation relates to the Services sector trajectory to 2032 in the draft Plan. The Services sector (which includes the public sector) has been combined with the Residential sector in the final Plan into the Buildings sector. The emissions reductions trajectory in the draft Plan remains ambitious but is less stretching in the final Plan. This is in response to Parliamentary and stakeholder feedback on the original trajectory.
• As laid out in the Plan, the Scottish Government provides significant support to the public sector to help it meet its emission reduction responsibilities. For example, the Scottish Government funds the Sustainable Scotland Network, which enables collaboration between public sector professionals working on climate change. The Sustainable Scotland Network provides a network to share good practice and a platform to translate this into enhanced public sector action to tackle climate change.
• In addition, the Scottish Government provides support through the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP), a £60m fund (co-funded with the ERDF) that supports the acceleration of the delivery of low carbon capital projects, including public sector non domestic energy efficiency. There have been a number of LCITP applications approved from public sector bodies seeking support from technical advisors to help develop their final business cases for elected member approval and move to procurement.
• Finally, through the Scottish Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP), we are funding local authorities to pilot new and innovative approaches to improving energy efficiency; working with public bodies, community groups and businesses; and helping reduce costs and improve warmth in homes, schools, hospitals and businesses.