Members of the Scottish Parliament, their staff, and parliament staff need access to relevant, credible and timely evidence to support good scrutiny and informed debate. Accessing academic evidence and expertise is an important component of this. The Parliament is also committed to increasing the reach, and diversity, of those engaging with it.
The Scottish Parliament is piloting the application of Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) to explore their effectiveness in accessing, and diversifying, academic evidence and expertise available to inform parliamentary scrutiny. The pilot focuses on expertise linked to climate scrutiny.
ARIs are lists of issues or questions relating to a policy area. They are a way for an organisation like the Scottish Parliament to express interest in seeing more research evidence in a specific area and/or understanding what research expertise exists that is of relevance to this policy issue.
Scottish Parliament ARIs that are open are listed below. Using the form you can share details of your research or insights on a specific ARI alongside your contact details.
Academics at all career stages and from all research institutions are encouraged to respond.
The Scottish Parliament plans to use the responses received to identify research, expertise and contacts relevant to a particular scrutiny topic in the Parliament. The information could be used to:
Submitting a response does not necessarily mean we will get back in touch with you. However, the response form will ask for your permission for us to do this should we wish to follow up on your research expertise.
ARIs do not replace other mechanisms that the Scottish Parliament uses to engage with the academic community or calls for evidence that a Scottish Parliament committee may issue ahead of an inquiry.
If you have any questions about this process or how your information will be used, please refer to the privacy notice, or contact Dan Barlow, Knowledge Exchange Manager – Climate Change Scrutiny ([email protected]).
Area of Research Interest: Industrial Decarbonisation
This ARI focuses on climate emissions from industry and aims to support the Scottish Parliament access expertise to inform its scrutiny of the next draft Climate Change Plan - expected to be laid in the Parliament later in 2025 for scrutiny. The Plan is required to include proposals and policies to cut emissions from a number of sectors including business and industrial processes and the Parliament is keen to understand more about research expertise and insights in this area.
Given the significant role that electrification of industry and industrial processes is expected to play we are particularly keen to hear from:
We would also welcome hearing from academics with expertise on the following aspects of industrial decarbonisation:
Academics at all career stages and from all research institutions are encouraged to respond to highlight their relevant expertise and links to relevant research.
Responses will be drawn on by Parliament research staff and likely to be drawn on by several Scottish Parliament committees in their scrutiny of the draft Climate Change Plan including the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee and Economy and Fair Work Committee.
Area of Research Interest: Industrial Decarbonisation
We plan to review responses received by 14th November 2025 and then we will decide whether to close this ARI or keep it open beyond this point.
Area of Research Interest: Climate Emissions from Waste Management and Resource Use
Area of Research Interest: Understanding the Regional and Sectoral Employment Implications of a Just Transition
These ARIs closed on 6th June 2025.