Planning and climate change guidance: research report issue 3

2 Introduction

2.1 Background

2.1.1. In February 2023, the Scottish Government (SG) published and adopted the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4)^[2], a long-term spatial strategy including a comprehensive set of national planning policies that form part of the statutory development plan.

2.1.2. NPF4 represents a significant change in how the SG plans for Scotland’s future by addressing the climate and nature crises directly in the planning process. Specifically, NPF4 ‘Policy 2 – climate mitigation and adaptation’ seeks to ensure that developments act to minimise emissions and adapt to the current, and future impacts, of climate change.

2.1.3. Buildings and infrastructure are associated with over half the UK’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions^[3]. This reinforces the importance of addressing the emissions from proposed new developments across the built environment to enable a just transition towards a net zero Scotland.

2.1.4. NPF4 Policy 2, Part a) requires development proposals to be “sited and designed to minimise lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions as far as possible”. “Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions” is another term for ‘Whole Life Carbon’ (WLC), i.e. the overall carbon emissions impact resulting from a development. NPF4 therefore includes a requirement to facilitate the transition to net zero by ensuring the whole life carbon emissions impact from the built environment is assessed and minimised at the earliest stages of the planning process.

2.2 Report Structure

2.2.1. In December 2023, WSP UK Ltd were commissioned by the Building Standards Division of the Scottish Government, on behalf of the Scottish Government Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Division, to identify relevant information sources, tools, methods, and approaches that could be used to successfully support the delivery of NPF4 Policy 2a) in the planning process. This research, undertaken between January and March 2024, will be used to inform the SG’s preparation of planning and climate change guidance with a focus on proportionate, accessible, and effective tools and approaches that can be applied to minimising WLC emissions as far as possible in a wide range of development types (in accordance with the Town and Planning (Scotland) Act 1997^[4]).

2.2.2. The aim of this report is to outline the initial findings from desk based research including appropriate approaches to considering whole life carbon in the development planning process. This report seeks to:

1. Outline the methodology taken in approach to the commission (Section 3).

2. Provide examples of information sources, tools, and methods and approaches that are currently available to conduct whole life carbon assessments in the built environment (Section 4).

3. Summarise other current relevant standards and regulatory mechanisms (Section 5).

4. Provide insight into potential future approaches (Section 6).

5. Summarise how other jurisdictions are managing whole life carbon of various development types within decision making (Section 7).

6. Provide feedback from key stakeholders that are involved in various aspects of the planning process (Section 8).

7. Provide examples of thresholds that could be applied to various development types by establishing the significance of carbon impact (Section 9).

8. Summarise key findings for consideration and review (Section 10).