Thank you for your kind comments. I look forward to working with the committee. I hope that my statement will help the committee to understand some of the key priorities for the portfolio. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to give evidence to the committee in climate week, when we are engaging in a range of activities and events across Scotland to promote actions to address the climate emergency.
This crucial portfolio reflects the global challenge of meeting our climate change targets and tackling the economic, social and environmental issues associated with that. My priority is to ensure that we deliver our net zero commitments through a just transition and that we secure a climate-resilient Scotland.
Scotland is already half way towards our 2045 target but, despite strong progress, significant challenges remain and we must work in partnership to meet them. As reinforced in the programme for government, we are taking decisive, ambitious action to deliver a fairer, greener Scotland.
We are redoubling our efforts to get back on track with our interim emissions targets in a way that leaves no one behind. A draft of the next climate change plan will be delivered in the first half of the parliamentary session and, in order to refocus our efforts on climate resilience, we will host a national climate resilience summit in October.
The Government has now responded to the just transition commission by setting out an ambitious agenda that lays the foundations for our work in the current session of Parliament and beyond, and includes our new national just transition planning framework—a world first that reinforces Scotland’s position as a climate leader.
We are beginning work on an energy just transition plan as part of our refreshed energy strategy, which is to be co-designed with those who are most impacted. We will announce details of further plans, including those for the utilisation of the 10-year, £500 million just transition fund for the north-east and Moray.
We will take action on energy transition, including: the publication of a five-year hydrogen action plan; a consultation on our draft onshore wind policy statement, including our ambition that an additional 8GW to 12GW be installed by 2030; and an expansion of up to 10GW of new projects in Scotland’s seas over the next decade as part of the ScotWind offshore wind sea bed leasing programme.
Heat demand accounts for some 20 per cent of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions, so we have allocated at least £1.8 billion to accelerate deployment of heat and energy efficiency measures in homes and buildings. Our final heat in buildings strategy will establish a national public agency to provide leadership and harness the potential to decarbonise heat at scale.
We will drive forward our green transport revolution through our strategic transport projects review and we will publish the phase 2 recommendations for consultation later this year. The review will determine transport investment priorities over the next two decades, including a climate compatibility assessment and support for our world-leading commitment to reduce car kilometres by 20 per cent by 2030.
Nature-based solutions will account for around 30 per cent of the emissions reductions that are needed, and we will publish a biodiversity strategy within a year of the 15th United Nations biodiversity conference of the parties—COP15—which will be held next month. We aim to introduce a natural environment bill in year 3 of the current session of Parliament. We will not fall behind European Union environmental standards, and we will launch a consultation on the statutory guidance for the guiding principles on the environment under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.
In just over two months’ time, we will proudly welcome the 26th UN climate change conference of the parties to Glasgow. COP26 must move the world from rhetoric to delivery and mobilise the action, finance, resources and joint working that are needed in order to deliver on the Paris agreement goals. COP26 is a catalyst to further our climate agenda. It will highlight Scotland’s approach to climate action and emphasise the critical importance of a just transition and climate justice. As part of that, we must take the opportunity to attract new investment, innovation and sustainable growth in Scotland. We will continue to work with partners to ensure a safe, secure and successful event, and one that delivers the changes that are needed.
I am more than happy to respond to the committee’s questions.