Question reference: S5W-36067
- Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 11 March 2021
-
Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of Scotland’s Climate Assembly.
Answer
I am pleased to inform Parliament that Scotland’s Climate Assembly has today published its interim report.
I am grateful for the commitment shown by Assembly members, and to those that organised and contributed to this Assembly. It has been inspiring to see how the Assembly has come together during the pandemic and delivered its work entirely online.
Scotland’s Climate Assembly exemplifies how we are putting people at the heart of policy making, by consulting, engaging and involving citizens in decision-making. This was a key recommendation highlighted in the findings of the Just Transition Commission, published yesterday.
Our Climate Change Plan update, which sets us on a pathway to achieving our targets up to 2032 and contributes to a just transition to net-zero, has now been finalised, but this is not the end of our journey. Our regular review of progress will provide an opportunity to consider the potential need for further action to complement and build on the policies and proposals included in the Climate Change Plan update. The Assembly’s interim report provides support for the societal transformation we know will be needed for Scotland to become a net zero nation.
We therefore welcome the ambitious findings of the Climate Assembly, and recognise that the full report will follow in the next Parliamentary session. If this administration is returned after the election, we will take the necessary time to reflect on the recommendations and issue a considered, comprehensive and cross-Government response in line with the requirements of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act.