Scotland's Environment and Economy Leaders' Group - Tackling the climate emergency and sharing our stories

Ministerial Foreword

As recognised across Scotland, there is a global climate emergency that requires a collective response.

That is why Scotland has set the most ambitious climate legislation in the world and we have already cut our greenhouse gas emissions by half. Despite the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19, we remain firmly committed to a three-quarters cut in emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2045, ending Scotland's contribution to climate change within a generation.

This year the world is looking to Scotland as the United Nations COP26 climate summit takes place in Glasgow in November. This marks the most important moment for the international climate challenge since the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Throughout this 'year of COP26' we will take every opportunity to show what is special and unique about Scotland, demonstrate what we are doing to deliver our commitments and encourage and support others to raise their ambition and match their delivery, so that net zero, adaption, bio-diversity and finance flows are embedded in action. It is also a chance to reassert our commitment to working with friends in Europe and across the world.

These are not normal times. Covid-19 is the single greatest public health crisis of our lifetimes and has had a profound impact on all of us - on our health, economy and society. Scottish Ministers are deeply grateful to the huge efforts being made by people across Scottish society, safeguarding our communities, protecting our National Health Service and saving lives. We also need to continue to work together on the shared national endeavour to play our part in helping safeguard our planet's future.

We are making very good progress. The Committee on Climate Change's assessment is that, since 2008, Scotland has decarbonised more quickly than the rest of the UK and faster than any G20 economy.

We are strongly committed to a just transition to a net zero economy that is inclusive and resilient to the future impacts of climate change. We want the transition to be fair for everybody and leave no one behind. We are committed to a green recovery from impacts of Covid-19 in which we capture the opportunities of green jobs, business growth, prosperity and wellbeing.

Our Environment Strategy commits us to playing our full role in tackling the twin, interrelated global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. As well as improving the state of nature and taking ambitious action to tackle the climate crisis, this means protecting and creating jobs, in particular for young people.

Our second Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme aims to prepare Scotland for the challenges that we will face as our climate continues to change in the decades ahead.

Our updated Climate Change Plan, published in December, sets out the bold actions that chart our pathway to a green recovery. The update announced over 50 new policies, included more than 100 policies and proposals we have announced since the 2018 Plan, and scaled-up the ambition of more than 40 others.

Scotland's public sector is at the heart of our response to the climate crisis, with many organisations already going well beyond their legislative duties to drive action and influence change across society. Public bodies are also central to Scotland's preparedness for the challenges we will face as our climate continues to change.

I'm particularly pleased to see the strong leadership the bodies and agencies who created this report are showing to support climate action and restore nature. As Scotland emerges from Covid-19, these public bodies are committing to respond to the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and help build a greener, fairer, more equal, and environmentally sustainable society and economy.

I hope that the commitments these key bodies are making will be a catalyst for wider action. I hope they will inspire other organisations in Scotland to set out their own ambitious plans for action as part of the green recovery, which will deliver economic, social and environmental wellbeing.

I am very grateful to these organisations for their continued strong leadership and support in the national endeavour to tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises, and safeguard Scotland's future and the future of our planet.