EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS TARGETS

OVERALL TARGETS

The Bill creates a statutory framework for greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Scotland by setting a 50% reduction target for 2030 and an 80% reduction target for 2050.

What are your views on the 2050 target and a 2030 interim target proposed in the Bill?

The Bill requires that the Scottish Government sets annual targets, in secondary legislation, for Scottish emissions from 2010 to 2050. It is proposed that these annual targets will be set in batches, the first being for the years 2010 to 2022 inclusive.

What are your views on the setting of targets in batches from 2010 to 2022?

The Bill provides that from the year 2020, the annual emissions targets must be set so that each is at least 3% lower than the target for the previous year. Prior to 2020, the Scottish Government has indicated that it intends to set annual targets which build towards delivering emissions reductions of at least 3% each year.

What are your views on this approach or any possible alternative approaches?

NET SCOTTISH EMISSIONS ACCOUNT

The Bill introduces the concept of a “net Scottish emissions account” as a point of reference against which the target for reducing greenhouse gases can be measured. It is defined as the net Scottish emissions plus or minus any carbon units credited to or debited from the account. Any units purchased may be used to offset Scottish emissions. Any carbon units generated in Scotland and sold to customers outside Scotland, count as emissions made in Scotland.

What are your views on the proposals in the Bill relating to the net Scottish emissions account, and should there be a limit on the number of carbon units which Scotland can purchase?

What are your views on this definition of Scottish emissions?

SCOTTISH COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The Scottish Government has indicated that initially it intends to seek independent, expert advice on climate change from the UK Committee on Climate Change. The Scottish Government states in the policy memorandum that if it determines that the UK Committee on Climate Change does not meet all the advice needed for Scotland, the Bill contains provisions which will allow the Scottish Government to establish a Scottish Committee on Climate Change or to designate an existing body to exercise these advisory functions.

What are your views on the Scottish Government’s approach to obtaining independent, expert advice on climate change?

REPORTING DUTIES

The Bill places duties on the Scottish Government requiring that it reports regularly to the Scottish Parliament on Scotland’s emissions and on the progress being made towards the emissions reduction targets set in the Bill. The Bill sets out details of these reporting requirements.

What are your views on these proposed reporting arrangements?

DUTIES OF PUBLIC BODIES RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

The Bill contains powers to allow the Scottish Government, by regulations, to impose duties on public bodies in relation to climate change, to issue guidance to those bodies relating to their climate change duties and to require that they report upon the discharge of those duties.

What are your views on this proposal?

OTHER CLIMATE CHANGE PROVISIONS

ADAPTATION

The Bill places a duty on the Scottish Government to produce a report for Scotland, setting out its objectives in relation to adaptation to climate change, proposals and policies for meeting them and the timescales within which they will be introduced.

What are your views on this proposal?

MUIRBURN

Muirburn is the act of controlled burning of vegetation on open semi-natural habitats such as muir (Scottish word for moor) or moorland, and includes the burning of plants such as gorse, heather and grass. The Bill contains an enabling power to allow the Scottish Government to vary the permitted times during which muirburn may be made where they consider it necessary or expedient to do so in relation to climate change.

What are your views on this proposal?

FORESTRY

The Bill will allow modification by order of the functions of the Forestry Commissioners to enable the Forestry Commission in Scotland to play a greater role in tackling climate change. The immediate intent of the Scottish Government is to take forward proposals relating to renewable energy development on the National Forest Estate and the release of capital from the National Forest Estate for woodland creation.

What are your views on this proposal?

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The Bill requires the Scottish Government to produce an action plan setting out current and proposed measures to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in Scotland, as well as measures to encourage behavioural change.

What are your views on this proposal?

The Bill confers powers on the Scottish Ministers to make regulations providing for the assessment of (a) the energy performance of non-domestic buildings; and (b) emissions of greenhouse gases produced or associated with such buildings. The provisions are enabling in nature and the Policy Memorandum provides further information on the Scottish Government’s thinking in this area.

What are your views on this approach?

The Bill places a duty on the Scottish Government to take such steps as it consider appropriate to promote the use of heat from renewable sources. The Scottish Government has indicated this provision will enable it to introduce measures it deems appropriate to incentivise the production of heat from renewable sources.

What are your views on this proposal?

WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING

The Bill sets out measures aimed at improving waste and recycling. The Bill gives powers to the Scottish Government to make regulations in the following areas:

• Waste prevention and management plans;
• Waste data;
• Deposit of recyclable waste;
• Procurement of recyclate;
• Reduction of packaging;
• Deposit and return schemes;
• Charges for carrier bags.

What are your views on these proposals?

GENERAL ISSUES