Views called for on climate change report by four parliamentary committees

29.01.2013

The expertise of four parliamentary committees is being used for the first time to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s second draft climate change report on proposals and policies (RPP2). The report, which sets out how the Scottish Government will meet climate change targets from 2013-2027, has been published in the Scottish Parliament today.  The Committees will also scrutinise the effectiveness of the proposals and policies that were set out in the Scottish Government’s first report, which covered 2010-2022.

The Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, Economy Energy and Tourism Committee, the Local Government and Regeneration Committee and the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee will consider the report as it relates to their individual remits.  Each Committee will take written and oral evidence from stakeholders and report to Parliament on their findings.

The Committees have today launched a joint call for views and is asking for opinions on the following questions, as they relate to their specific remits:

• The effectiveness of the proposals and policies with the draft RPP2 in meeting the annual emissions targets.
• How these proposals and policies are likely to contribute towards the achievement of the interim target, the 2050 target and, in each target year, the domestic effort target.
• The appropriateness of the timescales over which the proposals and policies within the draft RPP2 are expected to take effect.
• The effectiveness of progress towards implementing the proposals and policies set out in the RPP1 and the appropriateness of the proposed adjustments to the proposals and policies within the RPP1.

The Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee will focus on issues such as climate change governance, land use, resource use and behaviour change. Call for evidence.

The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee is looking for views on decarbonising the energy sector, and reducing energy demand, as well as fuel poverty. Call for evidence.

The Local Government and Regeneration Committee will consider how communities, local authorities and the planning system can contribute to delivering emissions targets.

The Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee will look in detail at fuel poverty / energy efficiency in housing, and issues relating to transport. The Committee will also examine issues relating to procurement, broadband infrastructure and Scottish Water. Call for evidence.

Convener of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee Rob Gibson MSP said:

“Scotland has led the way in tackling climate change by creating some of the world’s most challenging targets. Whilst these targets are clearly long term, unless we act now, we are at risk of causing irreversible damage to our climate and environment. Our Committee will be looking at overarching issues such as how behaviour change can make a difference to more specific issues such as how we use our land and resources.” 

Convener of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee Murdo Fraser MSP said:

“Following on from the Committee’s report into the Scottish Government’s renewable energy targets, we will be looking at the Government’s progress towards meeting its future climate change targets. Of particular interest will be those issues that are critical to meeting the targets including how we reduce energy demand, the use of electricity and heat from renewable sources and the impact of fuel prices.” 

Convener of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee Kevin Stewart MSP said:

“The ambitious climate change targets which Scotland set were noticed across the world. We want to explore what impact these targets have had on urban and rural communities across Scotland, and what more local government needs to do to ensure that these targets are met.”

Convener of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Maureen Watt MSP said:

“Scotland wants to lead the way and to do that, we need to keep looking ahead and improving our policies as we do so. Whilst 2023 might seem light years away, we do not underestimate the challenge of ensuring that the transport and housing sectors make a tangible contribution to meeting the emissions reduction targets.”

 

Background

The Climate Change Act 2009 was passed by the Scottish Parliament in June 2009. This provides a statutory framework to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland by setting an interim 42 per cent reduction target for 2020, with the power for this target to be varied based on expert advice and an 80 per cent reduction target for 2050. The document produced by the Scottish Government to outline how they will meet the targets is known as the report on proposals and policies. There has already been one report on proposals and policies which was published in 2010 and covered how the Scottish Government was going to meet its targets from 2010-2022. The second report covers the period from 2013-2027.

Responses to the call for evidence should be sent to the relevant Committee by 20 February. If your submission relates to the remit of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee please email racce.committee@scottish.parliament.uk; if your submission relates to the remit of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee please email eet.committee@scottish.parliament.uk; if your submission relates to the remit of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee please email lgr.committee@scottish.parliament.uk; if your submission relates to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee please email ici.committee@scottish.parliament.uk.