Response to the Climate Change Committee: progress reducing emissions – report to Parliament 2021

1. Next steps for cross-economy policy

1.1 Work closely with the UK Government to secure commitments around deployment of CCS infrastructure and greenhouse gas removals in Scotland.

Timing: 2022

Primary responsibility: Joint with UK Government

Scottish Government response: accept

Supporting the Scottish Cluster for the deployment of CCS is critical to supporting net-zero, supply chain growth and economic benefit in Scotland, and underpins any opportunity for negative emissions technologies in Scotland's energy mix. All credible evidence advice and analysis has demonstrated that CCS is critical for meeting statutory emissions targets, and as such it is critical that the UK Government provide greater clarity on CCS following the decision to not to give the Scottish Cluster (led by the Acorn Project at St Fergus) clear and definitive Track 1 status in its CCS cluster sequencing process.

The Scottish Government does not hold all the necessary legislative and regulatory levers needed to stand up a CCS cluster alone, UK Government support including access to BEIS business revenue support, underwriting of liabilities and access to an economic licence is essential to providing the certainty and support required to accelerate CCS in Scotland. Given the criticality of CCS the Scottish Government has already engaged with the UK Government to press for greater clarity and to work collaboratively with them to find solutions to accelerate the development of the Scottish Cluster and the deployment of CCS in Scotland, and will continue to do so. We have already offered £80 million from our Emerging Energy Technologies Fund and are reviewing what further actions we can undertake within our devolved responsibilities to work with the UK Government towards a mutually beneficial outcome.

1.2 Identify a cut-off point, no later than 2023, beyond which efforts should be increased in other areas if commitments on CCS infrastructure and greenhouse gas removals are not secured. This cut-off point should be identified as soon as possible in 2022.

Timing: 2022

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: partially accept

The Scottish Government has committed to bringing forward a draft of the next Climate Change Plan, to be laid in Parliament by November 2023. This will set out our emissions reduction effort by sector to ensure annual targets are met up to the late 2030s and will use the best science available when being produced.

CCS is necessary for Scotland to become net zero by 2045, however, the Scottish Government does not hold all the necessary legislative and regulatory levers needed to stand up a CCS cluster alone; UK Government support including access to BEIS business revenue support, and underwriting of liabilities is essential to providing the certainty and support required to accelerate CCS in Scotland. Given the criticality of CCS the Scottish Government has already engaged with the UK Government to press for greater clarity and to work collaboratively with them to find solutions to accelerate the development of the Scottish Cluster and the deployment of CCS in Scotland, and will continue to do so.

The UK Government has committed to supporting four CCS clusters in the UK by 2030 at the latest. However, it has yet to set out the timetable for the Track-2 of its cluster sequencing process, through which it will announce the remaining two CCS clusters to be progressed with UK Government support. The timetable for track-2 will impact the identification of an appropriate cut-off point for considering efforts to increase emissions reductions in other areas. The Scottish Government continues to press for greater and immediate clarity on the Track-2 timetable to give this much needed clarity and certainty.

1.3 Publish quantified emissions abatement from policies and plans in each sector, demonstrating how the annual and interim targets will be met.

Timing: 2022

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: partially accept

The 2019 Climate Change Act states that Plans must "set out an estimate of the costs and benefits" associated with their policies. Our plan for the next Climate Change Plan, which is due to be published in draft in late 2023, is to include emissions abatement in this assessment, and to be as transparent and granular as possible.

1.4 Efforts should be made to lock in behaviours beneficial to emission reduction that emerged in the COVID-19 lockdowns. Taxation and investment should be used, alongside improvements in broadband, to embed reductions in travel demand that have arisen during the pandemic, replacing business travel with videoconferencing and online collaboration.

Timing: 2022

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: accept

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about extraordinarily rapid changes in individuals' behaviours. Lockdown restrictions designed to contain the spread of the virus had a knock-on impact on our daily movements and behaviours relevant to Scotland's net zero target. The behaviour changes that flowed from this disruption to daily schedules were wide reaching and did not take place in isolation, with many net zero behaviours being interlinked. The easing of COVID-19 restrictions over time saw the return of some former, less desirable behaviours and the lessening of some of the newer behaviour changes. Significant barriers to maintaining positive and desirable behaviours remain and include a lack of infrastructure or services, a knowledge or skills gap, and cost.

There is a clear risk of individuals simply re-adopting their pre-pandemic behaviours in key areas such as transport and active travel, even though positive intentions about sustaining the net zero behaviours they had adopted during the pandemic were expressed. This is in part because of the centrality of work in influencing net zero behaviours, which means that as restrictions ease and offices re-open, individuals may slip back into their pre-pandemic transport and travel behaviours.

Research has shown the extent to which changes to work routines (notably moving to home working) can impact on so many other behaviours, from food preparation and waste to shopping for clothes. The centrality of work and the interconnected nature behaviours point to promising avenues for policy intervention, such as encouraging reduced business travel or even trialling shorter working weeks, in order to help reduce time pressures and facilitate more local lifestyles. The evidence shows us that it cannot be assumed that working from home will reduce emissions in every circumstance. The emissions outcome of working from home at an individual level depends on the home type and the commuting behaviour. Regardless of the location of work, it is clear that replacing business travel with tools like video conferencing should in most instances lead to lower emissions. The lowest emission future is one where people commuting short to medium distances do so by public and active travel and continue to commute to an energy efficient office, while people who commute long distance shift to working from home. Businesses and individuals will need to consider a wide range of contributing factors (including heating and transport) when calculating their workplace emissions, in supporting Scotland to reach net zero.

Active intervention is required by the Government to support positive behaviour change and careful consideration of the impacts decisions taken to promote economic recovery might have on emissions related behaviours. It is essential to create an 'enabling environment' for net zero lifestyles in the recovery from COVID-19 which will help individuals sustain the positive behaviours, and for this 'enabling environment' to address the full range of barriers that people currently face that constrain them from adopting net zero behaviours.

The National Transport Strategy establishes the sustainable travel hierarchy as a guiding principle, embedded in all of our policy and investment decision-making, to promote walking, wheeling, cycling, public transport, and bike, car and ride sharing, over single-occupancy car use. We fund specific sustainable travel information and support services tailored and targeted at Scottish employers and employees, including help to find funding and training opportunities, case studies, accreditations and motivational challenges, expert advice, events, and other resources. These information and support services will help sustain the increased levels of Active Travel we have seen as a result of COVID-19.

The public is generally supportive of actions being taken to encourage positive net zero behaviours, however, not all examples of potential interventions is seen as acceptable. Interventions involving support for behaviour change, whether in the form of advice, information, financial incentives or infrastructure are seen more favourably than those involving charges or forms of regulation or enforcement of behaviour.

The route map which sets out how we will meet the Scottish Government commitment to reduce car travel by 20% by 2030, contains over 30 interventions which aim to build on actions we have already been taking to sustain the positive behaviour changes arising from the Covid-19 pandemic - such as our commitment to invest at least £320 million or 10% of the transport budget by 2024-25 for active travel initiatives such as infrastructure, access to bikes and behaviour changes schemes. The Scottish Budget for the current financial year (2022-23) is a record £150 million as we progress towards the increased level of investment in active travel.

We know that the range of policy incentives outlined in the route map, need to be coupled with demand management measures to reduce the need to travel by unsustainable modes. For example, we have outlined within the route map the demand management measures found in the Transport Act – empowering local authorities to implement low emission zones and workplace parking levies. However, the most direct levers to disincentivise car use– Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty – are reserved to the UK Government. While engagement has been sought both at Ministerial and at official level (across the Devolved Administrations) there is currently no clarity from the UK Government on its plans for replacement of motoring taxes nor on the timing of any such reform. We will continue to seek engagement with the UK Government and emphasise the need for urgent action.

The 2021 Programme for Government sets out the ambition for 20 minute neighbourhoods, which, through place-based approaches are a means of rethinking how housing, service provision, city, town or village centres could be re-configured to support new ways of working, homeworking and community hubs in line with localism objectives and reducing demand for motorised travel. 'Local living' is a spatial principle set out in the draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), including commitment to the creation of networks of 20 minute neighbourhoods.

Consultation on the draft NPF4 closed 31 March. We are considering all responses to the consultation, including those from the CCC and will lay a finalised NPF4 for approval by the Scottish Parliament before it is adopted by Ministers. Following its adoption, NPF4 will form part of the statutory development plan, the primary basis for decisions made through Scotland's planning system.

1.5 Review Net Zero policies in light of the recent evidence from the Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk, published in June this year, which identified increasing climate risks across all sectors with associated implications for achieving Net Zero.

Timing: 2022

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: accept

As we prepare the next full Climate Change Plan (a draft of which is due with Parliament by late 2023), we will be assessing the costs and benefits of current and potential future net zero policies. This will include the impact policies will have on adaptation and resilience outcomes, with findings directly influencing policy decisions. This work will commence this year but will conclude in 2023.

1.6 Develop policies to drive more resource-efficient construction and use of existing low-carbon materials. This should include setting out a plan for phasing in mandatory whole-life reporting followed by minimum whole-life standards for all buildings, roads and infrastructure by 2025, with differentiated targets by function, scale, and public/private construction.

Timing: 2022

Primary responsibility: Joint with UK Government

Scottish Government response: partially accept

The draft NPF4 included NPF4 Universal Policy 2 'Climate Emergency'; that policy is clear that: all development should be designed to minimise emissions over its lifecycle in line with the decarbonisation pathways set out nationally; and that development proposals for national, major and development requiring Environmental Impact Assessment should be accompanied by a whole-life assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the development. Policy 20 'Zero Waste' is clear that all development should aim to use materials with the lowest forms of embodied emissions, that material should be suitable for reuse with minimal reprocessing, and encourages the use of previously used, sustainable, local, recycled and natural construction materials that also store carbon. Consultation on the draft NPF4 closed 31 March. We are considering all responses to the consultation, including those from the CCC and will lay a finalised NPF4 for approval by the Scottish Parliament before it is adopted by Ministers. Following its adoption, NPF4 will form part of the statutory development plan, the primary basis for decisions made through Scotland's planning system.

In terms of road works policy, the use of in-situ recycling and lower carbon materials is already encouraged under the existing framework. Current legislative reform is looking at simplifying the process of trailing lower carbon materials, and on reduced vehicle movements as part of a 'right first time' model. The monitoring and review of this area is undertaken by the Scottish Road Works Commissioner. One of these reforms, the Reinstatement Quality Plan requirement, is currently in the process of being put into secondary legislation, but was 'soft launched' as a voluntary process in January 2022. The Commissioner requires these plans to have a robust 'environmental sustainability' section to gain his approval, which is necessary to continue to undertake works in Scotland's roads.

The waste and recycling route map, due to be published in May 2022, will include a focus on construction including resource efficiency.

Scotland's Climate Assembly recommended that we take into account the whole life carbon costs and environmental impact of new homes (recommendation 7), new and existing non-residential buildings (recommendation 9) and existing homes (recommendation 11). In our response to the recommendations of the Assembly, we noted that, whilst the issue of whole life carbon costs is not currently addressed by building regulations in Scotland or, indeed, anywhere in the UK, we recognised the benefit of any action which raises awareness of the broader environmental impact of development and influences development decisions. We committed to investigate opportunities for whole life emission reporting, through building regulations or by other means and proposed to provide an update on this before the end of 2022.

1.7 Implement plans to make all public buildings and vehicle fleets zero-carbon in the long term and monitor emissions in the Scottish Government estate.

Timing: Ongoing

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: accept

Over the next Parliament, at least £200 million will be invested in the Scottish public sector estate to improve and reduce energy use and install zero emissions heating systems. The Scottish Green Public Sector Estate Scheme was launched in June 2021, which brings together our existing Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, Public Sector Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency Frameworks and Project Support Unit, with new support for Central Government bodies to support leadership for energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation right across the public sector.

On the Scottish public sector fleet, The Programme for Government 2019 has already set out ambitious targets to decarbonise the public sector fleet in stages. Removing all petrol and diesel cars and new vans from the public sector fleet by 2025, and creating the conditions that remove the need for any new petrol and diesel vehicles in the public sector fleet from 2030, applying flexibility and pragmatism where required for front line, emergency service and specialist vehicles.

We are working with Scottish Future Trust to identify new, innovative approaches to funding public sector fleet decarbonisation and have supported the introduction of a range of emerging zero emission vehicles across the public sector.

We are also identifying opportunities to use public sector fleets and procurement to maximise opportunities to support innovation in zero emission mobility, leveraging the work of Scotland's internationally recognised universities and research institutes, and Scotland's supply chain for niche and heavy duty vehicles, to support fleet decarbonisation by building the zero emission components, systems, and vehicles that Scotland needs in Scotland. Early successes whilst working with the public and private sectors have led to the development and deployment of hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric zero emission buses, refuse collection vehicles, emergency service vehicles, gritters and highways vehicles.

1.8 Ensure that the education system provides people with knowledge of climate issues and actions to support the transition to a Net Zero economy and prepare for the risks of climate change.

Timing: Ongoing

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: accept

In relation to early learning and school education (age 3-18), Learning for Sustainability (LfS) is already in place as our cross-curricular concept for sustainable development education, which includes climate education. Scottish Government is implementing our LfS Action Plan and is currently going through an engagement exercise with stakeholders to further strengthen this plan. This is complemented by increased involvement of the Community Learning and Development (CLD) sector (includes adult learning, youth work, and community development practice) in national networks, and policy development to support practice. For example the new Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland (May 2022) identifies the need for adult learners to access more opportunities to develop knowledge and influence change in areas such as community-led climate change.

Scotland's colleges committed in May 2021 to net zero emissions by 2040 or earlier. They have collectively signed up to the Scottish College's Statement of Commitment on the Climate Emergency, produced by the College Development Network (CDN) Commitment on Climate Change. The colleges have committed to 10 key actions to support the Scottish Government's commitment to meet its targets of zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) by 2045; and a reduction of 75% in GHG by 2030.

Scotland's universities are each developing their own statements on climate change. Colleges plan their course provision in line with the economic needs of their regions, and through working closely with employers, are able to respond flexibly to the skills demands of the region and communities they serve.

Universities are autonomous institutions, and as such are responsible for their own subject provision and curricula. On our behalf, in line with our strategic priorities, the Scottish Funding Council allocates funding to universities for learning and teaching, and it is then for the universities themselves to decide how to distribute funded places between faculties and courses.

The Minister for Higher Education and Further Education has regular engagement with colleges and universities regarding their approach to skills to support the transition to net zero.

1.9 Incorporate workforce implications and skills requirements into all sectoral Just Transition Plans and rapidly implement actions identified in these plans, to ensure that skills shortages do not slow down progress.

Timing: 2021/22

Primary responsibility: Scottish Government

Scottish Government response: accept

Our response to the report of the Just Transition Commission was published in September 2021 and included a National Transition Planning Framework, which sets out how we will approach the development of sectoral just transition plans. Our Planning Framework is built on eight national just transition outcomes, one of which relates to skills and education, meaning our sectoral plans will need to account for workforce implications and skills requirements as asked for in the CCC's recommendation. Work on the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is already underway, which will build on progress already made through implementation of the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan and development of the soon-to-be-launched Green Skills Hubs, to provide a tangible example of action aligned to this recommendation. Officials are currently working to confirm a forward-look of sectoral transition plans, and hope to be able to confirm this in the coming months.