The Scottish Government published its draft Climate Change Plan for 2026–2040 on 6 November 2025. The Parliament had 120 days (until 5 March) to scrutinise the draft plan.

The Net Zero, Energy and Transport (NZET) Committee led and co-ordinated this work on behalf of all committees, including the Economy and Fair Work Committee. NZET launched a consultation on the draft plan which closed on 25 January 2026.

Background

The draft Climate Change Plan sets out how Scotland intends to meet emissions reduction targets. The Scottish Parliament has updated these targets three times, most recently in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2024, which replaced the previous system with 5-year carbon budgets.

In June, following advice from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the Scottish Government laid draft regulations proposing emission levels for 2026-2045. The Parliament approved these regulations in October 2025, and the draft plan was published in November 2025.

The draft plan covered seven chapters, each focusing on a different sector. It outlines:

• intended emission reductions across four five-year carbon budget periods
• policies and proposals to achieve these reductions
• estimated financial costs and benefits.

The Scottish Government’s public consultation on the draft plan closed on 29 January 2026.

Economy and Fair Work Committee scrutiny of the Plan

The Committee agreed to focus its scrutiny on:

• Chapter 7 of the draft plan: Business and Industrial Process and Negative Emissions Technologies
• the overarching theme of Just Transition.

The Committee held two roundtable evidence sessions:

• Wednesday 7 January: with business representatives
• Wednesday 14 January: with trade unions and academics. 

The Committee wrote to the NZET Committee with its findings to inform the questions to be put to the Scottish Government.