Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government supports the Sustainable Scotland Network, Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership and other organisations to provide assistance to local authorities in meeting their commitments in Scotland''s Climate Change Declaration. The Scottish Government works closely with COSLA and other local government interests to develop and review the local government climate change response and to consider what further support may be required.

This is a matter for the local authorities concerned. The information requested is not held centrally.

This is a matter for the local authorities concerned. The information requested is not held centrally.

Through Scotland''s Climate Change Declaration, all of Scotland''s local authorities have committed themselves to take action, in partnership with the Scottish Government, on climate change. Annual statements of progress are available on the Sustainable Scotland Network website at www.sustainable-scotland.net/climatechange and the Scottish Government works closely with COSLA and other local government interests to develop and review the local government climate change response. A summary of local authority action on climate change is available in Chapter 9 of Climate Change in Scotland: Annual Report 2008-09, published by the Scottish Government in June, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 48427).

This has yet to be decided.

Under section 47(1) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act, Scottish ministers may, by order, designate one or more persons or bodies to monitor public bodies'' compliance with their climate change duties and have regard to any guidance given under section 45. Section 47 (1) of the act is not yet in force. Consideration will be given to the use of this power during development of the guidance to public bodies in relation to climate change duties.

A full public consultation on draft guidance is planned to take place in 2010, prior to the coming into force on 1 January 2011 of section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 which imposes climate change duties on public bodies.

In developing guidance on the public bodies duty “ as required by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 - the Scottish Government will continue to work with local government representatives to review how local authorities are contributing towards our shared climate change objectives, including the evolving nature of the Climate Change Declaration process.

The Scottish Government is already working to assist public bodies to equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and awareness to deliver climate friendly policies and services. We support the Sustainable Scotland Network to provide assistance to local authorities in meeting their commitments in Scotland''s Climate Change Declaration, and the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership is helping organisations to prepare for the impacts of climate change. Tailored support is provided by both the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust.

We will continue to work with public bodies to consider what further support may be required to assist in compliance with climate change duties which are yet to be imposed on them, as section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 does not come into force until 1 January 2011.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29547 on 10 December 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.