Scottish Air Quality Advisory Group minutes: February 2026

Attendees and apologies

• Mathew Williams, Scottish Government, Chief Scientific Adviser (Chair)
• Tanith Allinson, Scottish Government (Secretariat)
• Bethany McDade, Scottish Government (Secretariat)
• Andrew Taylor, Scottish Government (Secretariat)
• Graham Applegate, Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Clare Beattie, Air Quality Consultants Ltd.
• Jill Belch, University of Dundee/NHS Tayside
• Ulli Dragosits, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
• Mathew Heal, University of Edinburgh
• James Heydon, University of Nottingham
• Kieran Laxen, Kalaco
• Mark Miller, University of Edinburgh
• Jim Mills, Scotswolds Ltd.
• Eiko Nemitz, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
• Heather Price, University of Stirling
• Stuart Sneddon, Ricardo
• Marsailidh Twigg, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
• Massimo Vieno, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Not in attendance

• Ruth Doherty, University of Edinburgh

Items and actions

Welcome and apologies

The Chair welcomed members to the second meeting of the Group and summarised the aims and purpose of the meeting. Group members introduced themselves and briefly summarised their backgrounds and relevant experience for the benefit of those who were not in attendance at the first meeting.

Agreement of minutes and update on actions from first meeting

Previous minutes were approved with no amendments. All actions from the prior meeting were confirmed as complete.

Update on development of long term policy framework

The Scottish Government provided an update on the development of the post–Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 framework, including upcoming research commissioning, stakeholder workshops, monitoring network review, and timeline for consultation later in 2026.

Discussion on draft Climate Change Plan paper

The Group discussed five guiding questions covering emissions reduction, biggest health impacts, unintended consequences, policy gaps, and opportunities for maximising co-benefits. Key themes included the benefits of electrification, concerns over hydrogen and ammonia pathways, PM2.5 and NO2 health burdens, risks from wood burning, construction dust, and the need for communications strategies and early regulation of new technologies.

Potential topics for future Group meetings

Suggested topics included CCS toxicology, aviation emissions, airborne pesticides, health inequalities, climate impacts on dispersion modelling, environmental impacts of air quality and development of a forward work plan.

Action 1: Group members to submit any topics of interest.

Action 2: Scottish Government to draw up a future work programme for the Group and circulate for comment.

Any other business

The group requested collaborative editing options for advice notes. The Scottish Government confirmed this has already been set up.

Date of next meeting

To be decided, but likely April or May.