Publication - Advice and guidance

Climate change duties: statutory guidance for public bodies

Published: 6 March 2026
From: Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
Directorate: Energy and Climate Change Directorate
Topic: Environment and climate change, Public sector
ISBN: 9781806438389

Statutory guidance to support public bodies in implementing their climate change duties under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Supporting documents

Annex M: Resources

This annex collates the resources and sources of additional guidance identified within this document, plus additional resources which public bodies may find useful. These are provided for information only.

Legislation, statutory duties and impact assessment are in the sections immediately below for ease of reference. This is followed by resources grouped by topic.

Climate change legislation, duties and statutory guidance

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009
Public bodies climate change duties (section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland Act 2009)
Definition of ‘public body’ within the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (schedule 1 as introduced by section 3(1)(a)(i) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 asp 13)
The Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Order 2015 – public bodies subject to the duties are listed in Schedule 1
The Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2020
UK Climate Change Act 2008

Wider legislation, duties and statutory guidance

Best Value

Scottish Public Finance Manual
Best value in public services: guidance for accountable officers (2011), Scottish Government
Local authorities’ duty to secure best value (section 1 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003)
Best Value Guidance, statutory guidance for local authorities in relation to the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 (2004), Scottish Government

Equalities

Public Sector Equality Duty (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010)
Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 – includes equality impact assessment
Public sector duty on socio-economic inequality (Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010) – introduced in Scotland in 2018 as the Fairer Scotland Duty
Fairer Scotland Duty: statutory guidance for public bodies (2022), Scottish Government
Duties in relation to island communities (Part 3 of The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018)

Human Rights and Children’s Rights

Impact assessment

Scottish Government Environmental assessment policy (EIA, HRA and SEA)
Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) toolkit – intended for use by Scottish Government officials but may be of wider interest
Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) – impact assessment guidance and templates, Scottish Government
Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) – Taking a children’s human rights approach: guidance (2024), Scottish Government
Consumer Duty impact assessment, Consumer Scotland
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) - Planning Advice Note 1/2013
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations - Planning Circular 1/2017
Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) guidance, Assessing impact and the Public Sector Equality Duty: Scotland (2016), Equality and Human Rights Commission
Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) guidance, NatureScot
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) guidance and tools, Public Health Scotland
Human Rights Based Approach guidance and resources, Scottish Human Rights Commission
Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) guidance and toolkit, Scottish Government
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) – guidance and templates, Scottish Government
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) – planning and development guidance, NatureScot
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) – planning guidance, SEPA
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) - Our roles in Strategic Environmental Assessment, Historic Environment Scotland

Procurement

Sustainable procurement duty (section 9 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014)
Statutory Guidance on the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 including the sustainable procurement duty.