Reducing greenhouse gas emissions - proposals and policies: report

Next Steps

Going forward, we must listen to the expert voices, such as the CCC, and the evidence they provide to chart a course to being net zero by 2045 at a pace and scale that is feasible and just. With emissions in Scotland already cut in half, we are well positioned to continue to lead on climate action that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us.

We are introducing legislation to enable a carbon budget approach which will be set following independent advice from experts, including the CCC. Replacing linear annual targets with multi-year carbon budgets will better reflect the reality of how emissions change. The updated legislation will retain our legal commitment to net zero by 2045, alongside annual reporting on our climate progress.

The next Climate Change Plan will extend Scotland’s emissions reduction planning pathway to 2040 and include estimates of the costs and benefits of the policies to achieve this. As work continues on the next Climate Change Plan, we will be looking at our economy and where we can reduce emissions in industry, construction and food production. We will also be looking towards the latest evidence regarding our lifestyles, for example how we heat our homes and how we travel, considering measures that will reduce costs to consumers while also reducing emissions.

It is important to remember that emissions reduction is the key measure for our mitigation ambitions, but climate change objectives extend beyond this to include critical adaptation work, just transition and maximising the net zero economic benefits of our climate actions. This presents an opportunity for wider climate objectives to be considered more actively and creatively in future.

As we work through amending the current legislation and developing the next Climate Change Plan, we must continue to work together. Action will continue to be driven by government, supported by Parliament, but it cannot happen without all of us – individuals, communities and businesses – taking steps as part of a national effort to tackle the climate emergency.