Steering Scotland’s pathway to net zero

16 Dec 2020 12:48 PM

Roadmap to world-leading climate change targets published.

More than 100 new policies and proposals to support Scotland’s green recovery and help deliver a just transition to net zero have been launched.

They form part of the Climate Change Plan 2018 – 2032, which has been updated to reflect the world’s most ambitious framework of climate targets as enshrined in Scotland’s Climate Change Act 2019.

The Plan, which also increases the ambition of more than 40 other policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors, includes:

• the launch of a £180 million Emerging Energy Technologies Fund (EETF), that, over the next 5 years, will support the development of Scottish hydrogen and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) industries, and support the development of Negative Emissions Technologies (NETs)
• additional funding of £120 million for zero emission buses to accelerate the decarbonisation of Scotland’s bus fleet and support the Scottish supply chain.
• £50 million to support the creation of Active Freeways to provide sustainable transport links between our towns and cities
• £50 million to transform vacant and derelict land, ensuring that this land is utilised for maximum environmental and community benefit.
• reducing the number of kilometres travelled by car by 20% by 2030 In line with the vision and priorities of our new National Transport Strategy,
• phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, in line with UK Committee on Climate Change advice
• plan to help create 1 million zero-emission homes by 2030
• a Waste Routemap to 2030 and beyond, including consulting on a ban on all biodegradable non-municipal waste being sent to landfill, also in line with UK Committee on Climate Change advice
• nature-based solutions also form a key part of the updated Climate Change Plan. The Scottish Government recently announcing an additional £500 million of investment in our natural economy, with peatland restoration and woodland creation helping to enhance biodiversity and create good, green jobs whilst tackling climate change.

To support the delivery of the updated Plan, a revised Draft Public Engagement Strategy has been published for consultation setting out how we will continue to engage, support and encourage climate action, together with a Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan to support reskilling and retraining skilled workers so that they can access new, good quality jobs that become available.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham yesterday said:

“Our commitment to tackling the twin-crises of climate change and biodiversity loss is unwavering and is central to our green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Scotland has the most ambitious climate legislation in the world. Our 2030 target of 75% reduction goes beyond what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says is needed globally to prevent warming of more than 1.5 degrees. It is therefore rightly ambitious and extremely stretching.

“Our Climate Change Plan update sets out the policies that will be introduced, boosted or accelerated in light of the new targets, and will support green recovery.

"In developing this plan, we have sought expert advice and engagement from key stakeholders  and will continue to do so.

“These policies and proposals set us on a pathway to a just transition to net zero. This journey will not be easy. We know there are factors we can’t control, including technological advances and the limits of devolved power. We will need to be innovative, to learn as we are going and to utilise new and exciting technologies and ideas, seizing on the multiple benefits our journey to net zero presents. We also need the UK Government to match not just our ambition but our action.

“Responding to the Global Climate Emergency is a truly national endeavour and we must all play our part.  It will require the UK Government, businesses and indeed our whole society to contribute to the transition and deliver the change that we need.

“As we look ahead to COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, we must also remember that we need this spirit and commitment to be applied internationally.”

Background

The updated Climate Change Plan 2018 – 2032 is available to view on the Scottish Government website together with the draft Public Engagement Strategy.