About the Inquiry
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The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 creates a framework for achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions and sets an interim target of at least a 42% cut by 2020 and at least 80% cut by 2050. It requires the Scottish Ministers to set annual targets in secondary legislation in batches for the period 2010 to 2050. Part 1 of the Act also requires the Scottish Government to take advice before they set annual targets (currently provided by the UK Committee on Climate Change).
After setting each batch of annual targets, section 35 of the Act requires Ministers to produce a plan outlining specific proposals and policies (RPP) for meeting those targets, and describing how these proposals and polices contribute to the 2020 and 2050 targets. A ‘policy’ is defined as ‘a course of action which has already been wholly or largely decided upon’. A ‘proposal’ is defined as a ‘suggested course of action, the details of which might change as this course of action is explored further.’
Evidence
The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee has published a call for evidence on the Scottish Government's draft climate change plan.
Call for evidence on the draft Climate Change Plan
Read written evidence received by the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee
Scottish Government Briefings
Ahead of the publication of the Draft Climate Change Plan, the Scottish Government sent the Committee several briefings regarding development of the plan:
Correspondence
On 6 September 2016, the Committee agreed at its meeting to write to the Scottish Government suggesting the laying of the third draft reports on proposals and policies be delayed until after the Christmas recess:
On 14 September 2016, the Committee received correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform indicating the publication of the Climate Change Plan (RPP3) would be delayed until January 2017. This was welcomed in further correspondence from Stop Climate Chaos.
At its meeting on 20 September, the Committee agreed its approach to scrutiny of the draft Climate Change Plan and agreed to write to the Conveners of Parliamentary committees with an anticipated interest in the RPP3.
The Committee received the following responses:
On 21 October 2016 the Committee received correspondence from Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) which includes a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform and a summary of their 8 priority proposals for the draft climate change plan (RPP3).
On 22 November 2016, the Committee agreed at its meeting to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform seeking further updates on timings of Scottish Government strategies and plans which would interact with the draft climate change plan.
On 30 November 2016, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Committee providing an update on Scottish Government strategies and plans which would interact with the draft climate change plan.
On 13 December, the Committee received correspondence from the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on its approach to considering the draft climate change plan.
At its meeting on 24 January 2017 the Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity on the draft climate change plan (RPP3) regarding agriculture and soil testing.
On 17 February 2017 the Committee received a letter from COSLA stating its position on the draft climate change plan (RPP3)
On 3 March 2017, the Committee received a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform providing updates following the Cabinet Secretary's evidence at the meeting on 21 February:
On 6 March 2017, the Committee received a letter from the Scottish Government clarifying comments made during evidence session on 21 February 2017 on costs of carbon capture and storage when removed from TIMES Modelling.
On 14 March 2017, the Committee was copied into a letter sent to the Convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee. The letter is from COSLA regarding the Committee's report on the Scottish Government's draft climate change plan.
On 29 March 2017, the Convener wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform regarding the publication of the final Climate Change Plan.
On 24 April 2017, the Committee received a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform providing an update on the publication of the final Climate Change Plan.
On 29 September 2017, the Committee wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform seeking an update on the publication of the final Climate Change Plan.
The Committee received the following responses to this letter:
Letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform from the Convener of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee on the forthcoming Climate Change Plan 20 December 2017.
On 23 January 2017, the Committee received the following response to its letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform:
Work by other Committees
The Local Government and Communities Committee, the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee and the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee agreed to consider the draft climate change plan in collaboration with the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee. Links to those Committees' consideration of the plan can be found below:
Local Government and Communities Committee
Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee
Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
Report
The Committee published its report on the draft Climate Change Plan on 10 March 2017. The Executive Summary of the report is also available in Gaelic.
Convener Graeme Dey introduced the report in the video below:
Report on the Draft Climate Change Plan - the Draft Third Report on Policies and Proposals 2017-2032
Debate
A debate on the Committee's work on the draft Climate Change Plan is scheduled for 16 March 2016.