Update to the Climate Change Plan 2018 – 2032.

This update to Scotland's 2018-2032 Climate Change Plan (the Update) sets out the Scottish Government's pathway to new targets set by the Climate Change Act 2019. It is a key strategic document linked to the green recovery from COVID-19. Since the 2018 Plan the government committed to net zero by 2045 but in line with the 2018 Plan the focus of this Update is on the period up to 2032.
The Update is organized in 3 Parts and 3 Annexes. Part 1 describes the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity for a green recovery and recognizes the core role that collaboration and engagement of experts, stakeholders and the public has in this process. Recommendations are focused on green job creation, green finance and investment, green transport, prioritization of resilience, sustainable housing, etc. The Part concludes by stating that the Climate Change Plan Update is the next step in delivering a green recovery from COVID-19 while the green recovery represents the first step to set Scotland on a pathway to meeting climate change targets.
Part 3 contain sector-based actions and each Chapter covers one of the following sectors: electricity; buildings; transport; industry; waste and the Circular Economy; land Use, land use change and forestry; agriculture; negative Emissions; technologies. Part 2 emphasizes on a holistic coordinated approach through cross-cutting actions on core areas. The initiatives include: 1) Whole System Energy Approach that encourages joined-up and collaborative thinking across sectors, particularly with regards to emerging technologies related to hydrogen, bioenergy and Negative Emissions Technologies; 2) Land Use, Nature Based Solutions and the link to Biodiversity; 3) Circular Economy; 4) Transport Demand; 5) The Planning System and National; 6) Planning Framework; 7)Wellbeing and National Outcomes.
Hunger and food insecurity are already a matter that the Update consider solved in Scotland. Everyone in Scotland has ready access to the healthy, nutritious food they need and dietary-related diseases are in decline, as is the environmental impact of our food consumption.
In order to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the Update envisages many measures and makes several commitments in each sector. Firstly the Update recognizes that in agriculture Scotland must continue to produce high quality food, but also deliver high environmental standards and emissions reductions. In this regard the Update provides a route map for agricultural transformation, with the introduction of environmental conditionality, piloting new mechanisms of support and enhancing advice for farmers, crofters and land managers to meet Scotland’s goal of having food production of world leading sustainability. The Agricultural Transformation Programme will be scaled up.
Rural Poverty issue is consider especially under the focus of fuel poverty, housing and land uses. Land use change at the required scale will provide green economic and employment opportunities, offer public health benefits, help to address rural depopulation and provide social benefits to communities across Scotland. Employment in the private forestry sector will also grow in response to the more ambitious targets for woodland creation and increasing domestic timber production with strong benefits for rural and remote areas and among younger age categories.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, proposed interventions aim to enable farmers and crofters to purchase equipment that should assist in reducing emissions and support practice change. Options for land use change are explored to optimise uses beyond traditional farming and food production to multi-faceted land use including forestry, peatland restoration and management and for biomass production, including provision of advice for farmers and crofters who wish to step back from agricultural businesses by providing an opportunity to consider alternative landuses or alternative agricultural uses.
Adaptation and resilience are key components of the green recovery and of the whole Update.