Reducing greenhouse gas emissions - proposals and policies: report

Recent Progress

While this report will focus on setting out how the Scottish Government will compensate for the missed emissions targets, it will also demonstrate wider action and achievements that we continue to take forward. Our commitment to these actions is demonstrated by the fact that this year, despite exceptional budgetary pressures, we have committed £4.7 billion for activities that will positively impact delivery of our climate change goals.

In the past few months, a number of sectors have seen legislation recently complete their Parliamentary passage, which will help to drive forward climate progress.

Both the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 and the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 were passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament in June 2024.

The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 establishes a legislative framework to support Scotland’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy, significantly increase reuse and recycling rates, and modernise and improve waste and recycling services.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 provides the powers to deliver a future support framework that will enable farmers and crofters to meet more of our food needs sustainably, to farm and croft with nature, and will assist in efforts to meet our climate change targets.

In addition, we have recently consulted on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. This included proposals around ending use of polluting heat in existing buildings by 2045. The New Build Heat Standard (NBHS), which came in force on 1 April 2024, represents a significant development in the transition to clean heat. The NBHS means that no new buildings, which are constructed under a building warrant applied for from 1 April 2024, will be built with polluting heating systems, like gas and oil boilers. Instead, these new buildings will be required to use clean heating systems, like air and ground source heat pumps, which produce zero or negligible levels of greenhouse gas emissions at point of use. This ensures that new buildings are future-proofed with no need for owners to undertake retrofit works.

This action represents a significant, positive step towards achieving the Scottish Government’s wider ambitions for net zero buildings. Since its implementation, we have received feedback on the emergency heating provision included within the Standard and the wider use of woodburning stoves. As a result, we are currently reviewing the Standard to consider the role of woodburning stoves and bioenergy. The Standard remains in force until the outcome of the review.