Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
Gillian Martin was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy in June 2025.
Responsibilities
The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for:
- cross government co-ordination of Net Zero policy
- climate crisis and environmental protection
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
- oil and gas
- environmental quality
- sustainable development
- physical and marine environment
- flood prevention and coastal erosion
- drinking water quality and regulator, Scottish Water, private water, hydronation
- marine planning
- environmental and climate justice
- Emissions Trading Schemes
- international climate change
- Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland Agency
- decarbonisation of buildings
- green skills
- Zero Waste Scotland
- Future Generations Commissioner
- deposit return and waste issues
- Green Industrial Strategy (jointly with Deputy First Minister)
- nature recovery targets and NatureScot
- circular economy
- biodiversity (including endangered species)
- energy systems
- energy policy and strategy
- energy consents
- hydrogen
- carbon capture utilisation and storage
- industrial decarbonisation
- offshore wind, wave and tidal
- Just Transition Fund
- Just Transition planning, delivery, and monitoring including Just Transition Commission
- Green Growth Accelerator
Biography
Gillian Martin grew up in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire. Prior to her role as an MSP, she lectured in Television Production at North East Scotland College and ran her own video production company. She also designed safety courses for the energy industry and was the manager of an emergency media response team for companies operating in the North Sea for 10 years.
Ms Martin was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament to represent Aberdeenshire East in 2016. She was appointed as Minister for Energy and the Environment in March 2023, and Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work in February 2024. In May 2024 she was appointed as Minister for Climate Action. In July 2024, Ms Martin was appointed as Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy in July 2024 for the duration of MÃ iri McAllan's maternity leave.
- read more about Gillian Martin on the Scottish Parliament website