Delivering Scotland's Circular Economy - route map to 2025 and beyond: consultation analysis

4. Conclusions

Many individuals and stakeholders with detailed knowledge took part in the consultation, sharing their views on measures proposed by the Scottish Government to reduce emissions, contribute to meeting waste and recycling targets, and deliver a circular economy. This report provides a summary of the consultation responses; for more detail, readers are encouraged to review individual responses where permission was given for publication^[11].

Analysis of the closed quantitative questions indicates a high level of overall support for the proposals in the Route Map. The table below shows that 6 out of the 7 Packages were supported by at least 79% of respondents; support for Package 7: Cross-cutting measures was as high as 93%.

Open text comments gave respondents the opportunity to provide more nuanced feedback on the Route Map. There were many supportive comments; the proposals were often described as comprehensive, ambitious, sensible and well-intentioned. Many agreed that, if delivered successfully, the measures set out in the Route Map will contribute to the delivery of a circular economy. However, some concerns were raised about the additional burden that some new measures may place on public bodies (particularly local authorities), as well as possible unintended consequences of some measures. Some proposals were described as complex and difficult to implement, particularly the introduction of new statutory targets, and respondents called for more detail on how targets would be set and measured, and the consequences of failing to meet them.

The Scottish Government will use the consultation feedback and analysis presented in this report to refine proposals, with a view to publishing the final Route Map later this year.