The Scottish Climate Intelligence Service (SCIS) programme ended 2025 strongly and has started the new year with renewed energy to build on the excellent progress in area-wide emissions reduction being made by local authorities across Scotland. Recent highlights include:
- 770+ interventions added to ClimateView dashboards across all 32 local authorities
- Updated area-wide emissions inventories for all local authorities
- Half of 2026/7 core funding secured through COSLA with Scottish Government confirmation expected this quarter
Programme updates
In late November, we hosted a session on Tempo Analysis and Target Balancing (TATB), supporting users to evidence the scale and pace of action required across service areas to meet local and national climate targets. The TATB process requires setting targets across key sectors to plan a decarbonisation pathway, before breaking down these long-term targets into manageable yearly activity shifts. We have tested this process out with several local authorities throughout 2025, centred primarily on heat in buildings and transport, and it was great to reflect on our learning to date while looking ahead to ramping up of delivery in 2026.
Beyond core programme delivery, SCIS continues to engage with key delivery partners across the country. In December, we presented at the National Transport Strategy Board and Climate Delivery Framework Political Group and provided evidence at two Scottish parliamentary committees. Building on this momentum, in January we began a national sprint programme with Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to help to bridge the gap between national policy and local delivery. As ever, SCIS continues to be a ready and willing collaborator with those supporting local government to reduce area-wide emissions across Scotland.
Finally, we are delighted to have published the third of a series of briefings highlighting some of the key social benefits and real value of local climate action that could be implemented by local authorities across Scotland. This briefing - Heat Pumps - has been produced by the SCIS colleagues working on the UK Co-Benefits Atlas. It highlights the social benefits of shifting from fossil fuel heating to heat pumps - a low-carbon alternative technology. While not suitable for everyone, this briefing shows that a shift in how we heat our homes not only reduces emissions, but also helps local authorities to deliver on key service outcomes, reducing strain on public finances.
What’s coming up?
Over the coming months, SCIS will continue to deliver workshops and tailored support for local authority users, in addition to a national collation of local authority interventions to-date and dedicated Sprint programme with national government. Here is a look at what we’ve got coming up over the next month or so:
January
- SCIS Refresh: Scottish Area-Wide Emissions Inventory and AEIRS workshop
- Q4 User Group
- SCIS National Sprint Workshops (until May)
- Tempo analysis and target balancing workshops (ongoing)
February
- SCIS Spotlight: Nationally Collated Intervention Analysis
- SCIS Spotlight: Carbon Calculators
March
- SCIS Family Gatherings (in-person)
If you would like to find out more about the SCIS programme, you can visit our website here, sign up to our quarterly newsletter (read previous editions here) and follow us on LinkedIn. You can also contact the team at info@climateintelligenceservice.scot.