Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan

Supporting Documents

Throughout summer 2022, the Scottish Government undertook a range of engagement across Scotland and online to inform the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. This included a series of stakeholder workshops, online surveys, digital dialogues, and public events. Throughout the period we spoke to a range of individuals, organisations, and communities. We held in-person sessions at 17 locations from Caithness to Dumfries and engaged with over 1500 people. This page collates reports and summary notes associated with these engagements.

1. Two distinct packages of engagement were delivered on Scottish Government’s behalf by Aspect and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).

a. Aspect delivered a series of two “sprints”, starting at the beginning of July. The first of two ‘sprints’ comprised of nine stakeholder workshops, each focused on one of the eight National Just Transition Outcomes and associated opportunities, dependencies, and priorities. Our discussions ranged from identifying key risks from climate change for our energy infrastructure to understanding how we can deliver an energy transition that tackles new and existing inequalities. The second sprint comprised of two stakeholder workshops with a selection of representatives from Sprint 1. The purpose of these workshops was to take forward issues and insights identified during the first sprint and develop more detailed and specific input to inform the Energy Strategy Just Transition Plan. In total, 120 participants were involved across the two sprints.

i. Aspect Sprint One Summary Report

ii. Aspect Sprint Two Summary Report

b. RSA Participatory Futures workshops Two ‘participatory futures’ workshops, in Levenmouth and Dumfries, were designed to involve members of the public directly in conversations on the energy transition. We sought to understand how the transition might impact local communities and learn from residents’ lived experiences. The workshops were held in different parts of the country to reflect the fact that this transition will be felt differently across Scotland, and are only indicative of the regional variation we anticipate.

i. RSA Participatory Futures Summary Report

2. Energy Workers’ Survey

a. An online survey was distributed to people currently working in Scotland’s energy sector. It was designed to capture the opinions and experiences of workers across the energy sector to enable us to better understand the opportunities and challenges presented to them by the transition. We received around 900 responses to the survey.

i. Initial Analysis of the Energy Workers Survey

3. Public Online Workshop and Digital Dialogue Platform

a. We held an open online information session on the energy transition for the general public. This included hearing from a range of speakers to help improve understanding and enable a discussion on the impact of the energy transition. Key themes included jobs, communities, homes, and the way we travel. This was attended by over 50 members of the public.

b. An online Dialogue Challenge was open for three weeks to enable people throughout Scotland to voice their ideas and priorities for the energy transition. Following our online workshops, participants were encouraged to continue the conversation and engage via the digital Dialogue platform. We promoted this on social media and through our stakeholder channels to encourage as many people as possible to share their perspectives on the transition. We received 75 ideas in total.

i. Summary note of the Dialogue Challenge

4. In addition, we worked with a range of partners, to explore socio-economic opportunities and risks; including work via trusted partners to gather views and hear from those most likely to be impacted.

a. eNGO roundtable Scottish Environment LINK, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland organised a half-day online event for environmental NGOs to discuss the energy transition and priorities for action. The event comprised of a series of roundtables covering key areas of the ESJTP including the energy supply, high-carbon sectors and environmental implications of the transition.

i. Summary note of the eNGO workshop

b. Regen workshop on community energy In partnership with Regen, we ran an online workshop to examine the role of community energy in a just transition. This included discussion of the state of community energy today; the barriers and opportunities faced; and identifying key, tangible recommendations for mechanisms to support the future of community energy within a wider just transition.

i. Summary note of the Regen workshop

c. CEMVO workshop In partnership with CEMVO, we held a workshop with representatives from 15 organisations to further explore how minority groups might be affected by the transition. Participants considered how the transition can be harnessed to promote equity and remove barriers to energy access.

i. Summary note of the CEMVO Workshop

d. Transport Scotland workshop In partnership with Transport Scotland, we held a workshop attended by 38 organisational representatives from across transport, energy and finance to discuss the just transition. Key themes included transport decarbonisation, infrastructure, and funding and investment for low-carbon energy alternatives.

i. Summary note of the Energy for Transport event

e. Nuclear sites We held online (Hunterston and Chapelcross) and in-person (Dounreay) workshops with workers and the local community. The workshops sought to identify the opportunities and risks presented by the transition in those areas, in addition to potential courses of action.

i. Summary note of the Hunterston & Chapelcross workshop

ii. Summary note of the Dounreay workshop

f. Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) workshop In collaboration with SYP, we delivered a workshop with Members of Scottish Youth Parliament to better understand young people’s priorities and concerns regarding the energy transition. Discussions focused on developing a vision for the just transition in relation four of the Scottish Government’s National Just Transition Outcomes.

i. Summary note of the Scottish Youth Parliament workshop