Question reference: S6W-26011
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 7 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 March 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25286 by Lorna Slater on 22 February 2024, and in light of the specific commitment given by the then Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform in a letter to the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee, dated 24 March 2021, that "work is underway on the development of roadmaps" for each of the priority sectors listed in the updated Climate Change Plan, whether it will address that commitment and provide an update on when the sectoral roadmaps will be published for (a) electricity, (b) buildings, (c) transport, (d) industry, (e) waste and the circular economy, (f) land use, land use change and forestry, (g) agriculture and (h) negative emissions technologies.
Answer
In 2021, we published an updated Climate Change Plan which covers the period 2018 – 2032. The updated plan includes over 200 policies across all eight sectors and proposals to drive future emissions reductions.
Since publication of the update to the Climate Change Plan, progress has been delivered at speed to drive forward the various strategies, plans, roadmaps and routemaps that support delivery. I have highlighted some of this progress as follows:
(a) The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan was published for consultation on 10 January 2023, setting out our vision for a future net zero energy system. The consultation closed in May 2023 with over 1500 responses and on 28 September we published an independent consultation analysis.
(b) We have just completed two consultations, one on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill and one on a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard.
(c) We have committed to producing a Route map to achieve a 20% reduction in car km by 2030 against a 2019 baseline. The Draft route map was published in January 2022 followed by post publication public consultation to April 2022. A finalised route map and analysis of the public consultation is due for publication in the coming months.
(d) The Scottish Government is combining current research with revised funding strategies to develop and enhance the route map for industrial decarbonisation. This will include elements of energy efficiency, energy switching and carbon capture and utilisation for residual emissions. The final route map will form part of the next Climate Change Plan.
(e) In January 2024 we published our draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map for consultation, setting out clear actions to deliver sustainable use of our resources and progress a circular economy in Scotland by 2030. This includes measures to decarbonise the resources and waste sector, and embed circular practices in the construction sector. We intend to review the feedback from the consultation and confirm the final Route Map later in 2024.
(f) A new (5th) edition of the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS), agreed by all four countries, was published last year following a comprehensive review process. The new edition aims to make forests more resilient to a changing climate and the increased risk of pests and diseases so they can continue to deliver multiple benefits.
(g) The Agricultural Reform Route Map was published in February 2023 and updated on 23 June 2023. The Route Map outlines what information and guidance the sector can expect from 2023-2025 and when it will be available. A phased transition will take place from 2025 to implement the Future Support Framework’s proposed conditional payments under 4 tiers: Base, Enhanced, Elective, and Complementary.
(h) The Scottish Government commissioned a feasibility study on negative emissions technologies which was published on 30 November 2023. The deployment of NETs is dependent on CCUS, and while there is an understanding of next steps for growing the NETs industry in Scotland, a route map will be finalised once there is certainty from the UK Government on funding for Acorn.