Just Transition: draft plan for transport in Scotland

Ministerial Foreword

Between now and 2045, we need to transform how we travel in Scotland. Currently, transport accounts for the largest share of our greenhouse gas emissions. That needs to change, and the sector needs to decarbonise, in order for us to achieve net zero. We can and must cut emissions, by changing how people, goods and services move around our country and beyond.

For the sector, and for Scotland as a whole, this level of transformation will create opportunities as well as challenges. As we make the transition, the Scottish Government is determined that our country will realise those opportunities and meet those challenges in a way that is fair and just.

Put simply, this means making sure that the costs and benefits of the transition – including the benefits of new economic opportunities – are shared fairly. It means using this period of change to eradicate poverty and enhance wellbeing – for example, through measures that promote healthier lifestyles, improve access to transport, or support the natural environment. And it means making sure that, as our country transitions to net zero and adapts to a changing climate, no one is left behind.

These are ambitious aims, and we know that achieving them will require careful strategic planning. Scotland’s Just Transition Commission has emphasised the importance of producing long term plans for key sectors like transport – plans which can be developed and refined, as we make our way towards 2045.

We also know that a just transition cannot be delivered by government alone. Achieving this vision will take concerted action from industry, working alongside the public sector and others. People and communities across Scotland also have an essential role to play.

This is reflected in the document we are consulting on – the draft of our first Just Transition Plan for Transport. The draft Plan does not provide all the answers that might be needed between now and 2045 – no document could. Nor is it the final word in our planning process. As the transition continues, there will be a need for new, updated versions of the Plan to reflect and further guide our country’s progress.

However, this draft Plan reflects where we are now. It seeks to identify the key challenges and opportunities the transport sector currently faces in making a just transition. It highlights the important work that is already taking place, while setting out an approach and priorities for the future. In doing so, it also seeks views on these priorities, and the actions required to deliver them.

Crucially, the draft Plan will continue to be developed and delivered, in partnership with those most likely to be affected by the sector’s transformation. A commitment to engagement, empowerment and co-design is at the very heart of our planning for a just transition. The Scottish Government understands how important this is – to ensuring that our country takes the right decisions, and that people support the approach we are taking.

For all these reasons, we hope as many people as possible take the time to read this document and contribute their views.

Fiona Hyslop MSP

Cabinet Secretary for Transport

Alasdair Allan MSP

Acting Minister for Climate Action