Scotland's Climate Change Plan – 2026-2040 - BRIA

Executive Summary

The Climate Change Plan is the key strategic document to inform Parliament, businesses and the public about the actions to reduce Scotland’s emissions and meet the Scottish Government’s Carbon Budgets for the periods 2026-2030, 2031-2035 and 2036-2040.

Some of the key actions to reduce Scotland’s emissions are to: support transport services, people and businesses to reduce their emissions; promote and develop renewable energy such as wind turbines, while creating jobs and developing skills within the renewable energy industry; tackle fuel poverty and protect those on low incomes while switching to clean systems to heat our buildings; reverse nature decline and restore biodiversity; help us to adapt to the impact of existing climate change, recognising that warming trends are already happening due to past emissions, and ensure a fair approach to tackling climate change in Scotland and overseas and protect and improve the lives of current and future generations.

Under Section 35 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 following this Climate Change Plan, a new Climate Change Plan will be laid in Parliament every five years.

Two options have been presented in this BRIA. A ‘Do Nothing’ scenario (this is not an option as Scottish Ministers have a duty to meet the carbon budgets and to lay a Climate Change Plan in Parliament to set out how they will meet their Carbon Budgets) has been set out whereby policies or proposals as set out in the Climate Change Plan are not brought forward and instead only account for non-Scottish Government actions and other changes not driven by Scottish Government policies. A further option (recommended) considers the set of Scottish Government policies and proposals in a Climate Change Plan, in addition to the ‘Do Nothing’ actions, to meet carbon budgets to 2040.

This BRIA details assessment in a sector-by-sector basis in addition to whole-Plan impacts. The Climate Change Plan is expected to present overall positive benefits to businesses and consumers. However, it is noted that there may be challenges in ensuring businesses and communities can transition in an equitable manner – with targeted support potentially required. Section 2 sets out the engagement undertaken in the development of the Plan and this BRIA. Section 3 details the identified costs, impacts and benefits to business of the Plan and the policies and proposals contained therein.

The assessment takes into consideration that climate change sectoral policies and proposals have in some instances been developed prior to the publication of the draft Climate Change Plan and have been subject to a separate BRIA and consultation in some cases. The BRIA also considers the public consultation, parliamentary scrutiny and stakeholder feedback heard following the publication of the draft Climate Change Plan.