Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland 2023: SG response

Climate Change Committee – 2023 Progress Report Recommendations and Response

Recommendation 1 (R2022-402): Delivery

‘Increase transparency around government's expected pathways to Net Zero. This should involve publishing more details on the assumptions that underpin these pathways and how the abatement set out in the upcoming Scottish Climate Change Plan will be achieved by planned policies, setting out the quantified abatement expected to be achieved by each policy.’

Response: Accept

The next Climate Change Plan will set out a pathway to achieving climate targets, contributing to net zero by 2045.

The plan will set out the cost and benefits of policies within the plan, in particular their expected impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

Recommendation 2 (R2024-002): Governance

‘The Climate Change Plan should set out clear roles and responsibilities for delivering aspects of emissions reduction and climate change adaptation, as well as details of how these will be coordinated and accountability mechanisms. This should cover coordination of actions across Scottish Government, collaboration with the UK Government, and partnership with local authorities.’

Response: Accept

The next Climate Change Plan will not just set out policies which will contribute to meeting climate change targets, it will also set out how these policies will be achieved including in conjunction with local authorities, the wider public sector and UK Government.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the UK government and the other devolved nations through the Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-Ministerial Group forum on a range of net zero policies and issues.

Furthermore, building on calls made through a joint letter with the Welsh Government to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in November 2023, the recent policy package called for the establishment of a 4 nations climate response group. The announcement also included improved governance for climate change action.

Since the CCC’s progress report, we have agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) a climate delivery framework between national and local government to agree shared approaches to delivering net zero. We have also worked in partnership with COSLA to establish a Scottish Climate Intelligence Service for local government, which will help build the capacity of local authorities to reduce area-wide emissions.

Recommendation 3 (R2024-003): Public engagement

‘Clearly communicate to the public the most impactful ways to reduce emissions, including the impact of dietary behaviours and reducing air travel. Support people to make green choices, including through regulation and incentives, where powers are devolved.’

Response: Accept

The Scottish Government agrees that clear communication is very important to achieve our net zero ambitions, as evidenced by our statutory obligation to produce and implement a Public Engagement Strategy. We already communicate with the people of Scotland via a range of channels about the most impactful behaviours to reduce emissions. We accept the recommendation to continue a national dialogue on all aspects of lifestyles and household choices which contribute to our domestic emissions and global carbon footprint. The Scottish Government takes a systems-level approach which recognises that societal transformation and enabling policy infrastructure must be in place to support individuals to change behaviours sustainably.

A positive example of supporting people to make green choices can be seen through the launch of the Under-22 free bus travel scheme in January 2022, which extended the provision of free bus travel to include over 2.2 million people. This makes this scheme the most generous concessionary bus travel scheme in the UK. Evaluation of the scheme shows increasing numbers of young people choosing to travel by bus, with over a third (34%) of cardholders having access to new opportunities.

Recommendation 4 (R2022-338): Electric vehicle charging infrastructure

‘Develop an implementation plan to deliver the Scottish Government's vision for the public EV charging network. This should ensure the EV transition works for all road users in Scotland and accelerates in line with EV uptake, delivering 6,000 charge points by 2026 and approximately 24,000 charge points by 2030.’

Response: Accept

Since 2011 the Scottish Government has invested over £65 million in public EV charging and there are now over 5,800 public charge points across Scotland delivered through a combination of public and increasing private sector investment and Scotland is on target to have 6,000 charge points by 2026.

As a direct result, per head of population, Scotland has more public EV charge points than any other part of the UK, except London. We also benefit from more rapid public EV charge points than any other UK region, with 26.1 charging devices per 100,000 people, compared to 18.5 charging devices across the UK. We are seeing strong growth, with the private sector investing between £40 and £55 million in public EV charging in Scotland in 2024 alone.

We have also provided £5.7 million to support the installation of 18,861 domestic charge points and £10.8 million to support 1,432 higher powered workplace charge points – all complementing the public network.

By the end of 2024, we will publish a draft Implementation Plan identifying the key actions to be taken to deliver our Vision. The draft Implementation Plan will be developed in partnership with key stakeholders who share responsibility for delivering public EV charging across Scotland and outline an agreed set of actions to deliver the right charge points in the right locations to meet the needs of communities across Scotland, including rural and island communities. This draft Implementation Plan will include a route map for the delivery of approximately 24,000 additional charge points by 2030 largely funded by the private sector.

Recommendation 5 (R2022-332): Car demand

‘Publish a detailed strategy, building on the Route Map consultation of 2022, setting out how the Scottish Government will achieve a 20% reduction in car-kilometres by 2030 and deliver 20-minute neighbourhoods. This should include investment in more sustainable modes of travel, improvements in the affordability and reliability of public transport and measures to reduce dependency on driving.’

Response: Accept

Following the CCC’s 2023 Progress Report, the Scottish Government announced in our ‘Climate change action policy package’ in April 2024 that we will publish the route map to achieving 20% car use reduction by Autumn 2024. This will include a timeline for implementing demand management and consideration of how local government action can further incentivise the switch to EVs in addition to reducing overall car km.

The route map will also support the implementation of local living and 20-minute neighbourhoods. Guidance on implementation of local living and 20-minute neighbourhoods was published in April 2024.

In addition, the route map will also ask the UK Government to reform motoring taxes, given that they are the most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car. Fuel duty and vehicle excise duty are reserved matters. We have made a number of attempts at both ministerial and official level to engage the UK Government on these issues, without any meaningful response to date.

Recommendation 6 (R2024-004): Aviation cross-cutting areas

‘Publish a detailed strategy for decarbonising aviation in Scotland as soon as possible in 2024. Amongst other things, this strategy should set out a roadmap of how the decarbonisation of scheduled flights within Scotland will be achieved by 2040, including which technologies will be prioritised to achieve this and when the capability of these technologies will need to be demonstrated.’

Response: Partially Accept

The Scottish Government published an Aviation Statement in July 2024, which includes our actions on decarbonisation.

Aviation is a Reserved issue including, for example, powers relating to the certification of new types of aircraft. The UK Government’s Jet Zero decarbonisation strategy for aviation covers Scotland. Therefore, the actions in our Aviation Statement take account of Jet Zero and the sector’s own carbon reduction plans. Scottish Ministers will meet regularly with aviation stakeholders to discuss the progress being made on reducing emissions and whether the various decarbonisation strategies that apply in Scotland, including the Aviation Statement, are working effectively together or whether further action is required.

Technologies, such as hydrogen- or electric-powered aircraft, are being developed by the private sector with some support from public investment. As these technologies are still being developed and will have to be certified as safe by the regulator (the CAA in the UK) we do not yet know which will be viable for operating commercial air services. It is not an appropriate role for the Scottish Government to seek to prioritise any one specific technology solution over another. These are commercial decisions for individual operators and the Scottish Government cannot instruct them as to which aircraft to purchase.

We are actively considering policy options for increasing the production and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Scotland. SAF can significantly reduce the level of aviation emissions, compared with kerosene, and its use is expected to increase significantly until zero emission aircraft become available.

Recommendation 7 (R2022-348): Aviation demand

‘The Scottish Government should Implement the Air Departure Tax (ADT) as soon as possible. Consider other policy levers, such as information provision, to encourage a reduction in the number of flights taken.’

Response: Partially accept

The Scottish Government recognises that Air Departure Tax (ADT) can contribute to reducing emissions from the aviation sector once implemented, alongside measures such as the promotion of sustainable aviation fuels. This must not be at the expense of Highlands and Islands connectivity and lifeline air services in particular. We continue to explore all options to implement ADT in a way that protects these services and complies with the UK Government’s subsidy control regime.

We will set out the high-level principles of ADT - including how it will support emissions reductions - and undertake detailed policy development as soon as possible.

Recommendation 8 (R2022-342): Shipping

‘Use the upcoming Islands Connectivity Plan to set out a plan for meeting the commitment for 30% of Scottish Government-managed ferries to be low-emission by 2032 and for achieving full decarbonisation of Scotland's maritime sector. This should include consideration of zero-carbon fuels, vessel technologies, and the necessary supporting infrastructure.’

Response: Partially accept

Public consultation and engagement on the first of the Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) documents – namely the draft ICP Strategic Approach and the updated Vessels and Ports Plan took place from 1 February to 6 May 2024. The draft Strategic Approach states, “We have set a target in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan that 30% of the Government (CMAL) owned fleet should be low or zero emission vessels by 2032. The successful delivery of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme will enable that goal to be met.”

On 16 July 2024, CMAL announced the start of the procurement for seven new electric ferries under phase 1 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

The long-term decarbonisation of the fleet relies on one or more emerging technologies reaching technical and commercial maturity in the coming years – a challenge faced by the whole maritime transport sector.

Where zero emission technology is not currently feasible, new vessels can take advantage of the latest technology and design concepts to maximise efficiency and reduce emissions

The Scottish government will continue to monitor developments and opportunities to harness the benefits of alternative fuel to lower emissions and contribute towards meeting net zero targets. Transport Scotland have supported the Scottish Maritime Cluster over the last 3 years, which has enabled the Cluster to collaborate and explore new sustainable technologies in the shipping sector.

Recommendation 9 (R2024-001): Non-residential buildings

‘Provide clarity and a timeline and avoid delays on the Heat in Buildings Bill in order to move towards delivery.’

Response: Accept

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. We are currently analysing the (over 1600) consultation responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Recommendation 10 (R2022-384): Non-residential buildings

‘Consult on and finalise plans for delivering energy efficiency improvements and low-carbon heating in non-residential buildings. These should include clear target dates for meeting standards and consider the role of targets that look beyond EPCs to more reliable measures of performance and emissions reductions and clarify whether Scotland will be part of the UK performance-based rating scheme for non-residential buildings.’

Response: Accept

We have recently consulted on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. This included proposals around ending use of polluting heat in non-domestic buildings by 2045. We are currently considering the consultation responses.

We consulted in 2023 on proposals to reform Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), including non-domestic EPCs, and will publish our response to this consultation in due course.

We await the response of the UK Government to their consultation on further development of the non-domestic private rented sector minimum energy efficiency standards scheme.

Recommendation 11 (R2022-406): CAP reform

‘Provide detail on how post-CAP agricultural subsidies and schemes in Scotland will target funding, supporting farmers and land managers to deliver for climate mitigation alongside wider environmental goals such as climate change adaptation and biodiversity.’

Response: Accept

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 provides Scotland with a future framework that will support farmers and crofters to meet more of our food needs sustainably and to farm and croft with nature, assisting in efforts to meet our climate change targets. To deliver the ambitions set out in the Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture, published in March 2022, future agricultural support will deliver increased conditions on direct payments; this will better incentivise sustainable and regenerative practice, on-farm nature restoration and climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, while supporting our producers in high-quality food production.

Our Agricultural Reform Route Map sets out the timescales for information and interaction with the agricultural industry to deliver the Vision for Agriculture which includes reducing GHG emissions. This was published to provide greater clarity and confidence to the agriculture industry on key dates, the various measures being proposed, and the Scottish Government support that will be available for the sector to implement these changes. Importantly, the Route Map will be regularly updated to provide the latest information to stakeholders about changes affecting them.

The most recent edition of the Route Map was published following the CCC’s recent advice and in June 2024, setting out what changes recipients of current farm payments will be expected to make from 2025 and beyond. It also sets out the process for changing to a new agricultural support framework from 2026. It includes information on important dates, the measures being considered now, when current schemes will transition or end, the support available, and how to prepare for these first changes from 2025.

Recommendation 12 (R2022-356): Forestry

‘Ensure that funding and incentives are set at the correct level to meet the Scottish Government afforestation target of 18,000 hectares per year, supporting farmers and land managers to engage at scale. How the expected delay to the 2025 target will be mitigated should be communicated.’

Response: Partially accept

Government support for woodland creation in Scotland has been in place for many decades. Over 15,000 hectares of new woodland was created in Scotland in 2023-24, the highest in 34 years, including 7,700 hectares of native woodland (the highest since 2001). A decrease in the budget for 2024-25, as a result of cuts to the capital budget from the UK Government, has reduced the expected amount of woodland creation that can be supported in that year, and is expected to be closer to 10,000 hectares, still anticipated to represent more than the rest of the UK. However, Scottish Forestry is proceeding to approve applications and is negotiating with larger schemes to reduce grant payments where carbon revenues through the Woodland Carbon Code can make schemes financially viable, and Scottish Forestry is publishing a Routemap in 2024 which will provide the sector with details of the improvements that will support woodland creation. This will enable the grants budget to be maximised to support a greater number of schemes across all types of woodland.

Recommendation 13 (R2022-358): Peatlands

‘Implement a comprehensive delivery mechanism to address degraded peatland and extend current restoration ambition set out by the Scottish Government beyond the existing timeframe of 2030. Peat restoration targets include the need to remove all low-productive trees (i.e. less than YC10) from peatland and restore all peat extraction sites by 2035.’

Response: Partially accept

The Scottish Government has committed £250 million over 10 years to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030. We estimate that approximately 75,000 ha have been restored to date, including 10,360 hectares restored in 2023-24 – the highest amount in any single year. A detailed delivery improvement plan is in place and aims to sustain and further increase rates of restoration to 2030 and beyond, focusing on increasing sector capacity and addressing key bottlenecks. We are working hard with our delivery partners through the Peatland Action partnership to tackle the many barriers to upscaling peatland restoration in this relatively young sector. Any commitments beyond 2030 will be set out in the next Climate Change Plan.

The test for whether to restore/restock is based on the growth rate of the trees and the sensitivity of the site in terms of hydrology and conservation value. Generally, if the trees are growing faster than YC8 they will be sequestering more carbon than is being emitted from the peat so from a carbon point of view are best left under tree cover. The reasoning behind this is set out in ‘Deciding future management options for afforested deep peatland’.

Recommendation 14 (R2022-329): Energy from waste/ incineration

‘Set out further detail on actions and implementation timelines to ensure all recommendations from the incineration review can be delivered. This should include explaining how the projected residual waste capacity gap in 2025 will be managed while ensuring commitments to end the landfilling of biodegradable waste are met.’

Response: Partially accept

Following the completion of Dr Church’s independent review of incineration and its two reports, the Scottish Government accepted, in principle or in full, all of the Review’s recommendations. Responses can be found in the ‘Independent review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy: Scottish Government response’ and the ‘Decarbonisation of residual waste infrastructure: Scottish Government response’. The updated draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map (January 2024) set out a range of actions with associated timelines to meet these recommendations.

This includes our priority action to develop a Residual Waste Plan by 2025/26 to ensure the best environmental outcomes for unavoidable and unrecyclable waste and set strategic direction for management of residual waste to 2045. This will investigate and make recommendations on Scotland’s long-term infrastructure requirements to manage waste. It will include the development of an indicative cap to inform planning and investment decisions on future Energy from Waste capacity requirements to ensure that we have an appropriate capacity which reduces as we move to a circular economy.

As well as continuing to provide support for local authorities to secure contracts that comply with the forthcoming 2025 biodegradable municipal waste to landfill ban, in the draft Route Map the Scottish Government also set out plans to review and target materials currently landfilled, to identify and drive alternative management routes. Planned action includes a call for evidence this year to begin to better understand non-municipal biodegradable waste and other problematic waste streams, and to identify alternative treatment options for these wastes. Alongside further consultation, this work is key to providing assurance around the potential to extend the ban on landfilling waste to include biodegradable non-municipal waste.

Recommendation 15 (R2022-376): Resource efficiency

‘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.’

Response: Partially accept

In December 2021, our Response to ‘Scotland’s Climate Assembly: Recommendations for Action’ included the commitment to investigate opportunities for whole life emission reporting. Following this, we engaged with Zero Waste Scotland and some of the UK’s leading embodied carbon experts to scope research which produced the report ‘Regulating Embodied Carbon in Scotland’s Buildings’.

Our National Planning Framework 4 makes clear that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a cross-cutting outcome of development and includes policy that requires a minimisation of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and supports the use of materials with the lowest forms of embodied emissions, such as recycled and natural construction materials.

We continue to engage with key organisations and UK counterparts to understand the viability of such action and benefit that can be derived from a requirement to report on the broader environmental impact of new development, set through building, or other devolved, regulations.

Advice on next steps will be provided to Ministers in the current financial year.

Furthermore, Transport Scotland published its fourth edition of the Carbon Management Plan in March 2022 which covers 2022-27. This sets out how we will meet net zero across our corporate activities and how we will challenge the way in which emissions are managed throughout our supply chain. A Net Zero Route Map for Maintenance, Operation and Improvement of the Trunk Road Network is currently in development. We report our progress on this annually through statutory Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Reporting.

In order to measure carbon emissions associated with the construction and maintenance of road schemes, Transport Scotland has developed a Projects Carbon tool. The tool enables the estimation of whole-life carbon options which can be considered at an early stage in the design process.

Our current roads construction contracts include the adoption of Clause X29 of the NEC4 and PAS 2080. This provides a clear commitment to managing whole-life carbon when delivering our projects and supports, incentivises and tangibly demonstrates carbon reduction initiatives.

The Scottish Government is also establishing a new circular economy policy and legislative framework through the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, passed unanimously by the Parliament in June 2024, and the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, which is due to be finalised by end of 2024. Together they will help us deliver Scotland’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy, to significantly increase reuse and recycling rates, modernise waste and recycling services and help tackle plastic pollution and waste.

For example, the Act requires Scottish Ministers to have particular regard to sectors and systems that contribute to net-zero targets and reduce consumption and whole life-cycle carbon emissions in considering priorities for action in our circular economy strategy.

The draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map includes a package of proposals to support the construction sector to embed circular construction practices, to reduce resource needs, reduce waste and carbon, and encourage refurbishment and reuse.