The Improvement Service will be working on behalf of Scottish Government to lead an engagement sprint across the public sector about the just transition to net zero in Scotland. All those with experience and insight are encouraged to attend and feed into a series of workshops over the summer.
A just transition is about ensuring we move to a net zero, climate resilient economy in a way that is fair and leaves no one behind. To support this, the Scottish Government has committed to deliver a series of Just Transition Plans (JTPs) focussed on sectors which have been identified as key to delivering Scotland’s ambitious net zero targets. These are built environment and construction, transport, and land use and agriculture.
The Scottish Government and COSLA recently signed the Verity House Agreement with a commitment to transform our economy through a just transition to deliver net zero, recognising climate change as one of the biggest threats to communities across Scotland. Working in partnership we will seek to engage with a range of public bodies, including local authorities, on the development of these plans as well as the core themes that underpin just transition planning more broadly:
- jobs, skills and economic opportunities
- communities and places
- people and equity
- environment, biodiversity and adaptation.
Just Transition Plans
To begin the development of these JTPs, the Scottish Government has published a series of discussion papers on each of the sectors which outline what they think might be the key challenges and opportunities that the transition to net zero will bring in each area. These discussion papers can be found below:
Our programme of engagement will feed into the development of draft Just Transition Plans for each sector which are due to be published in late 2023/early 2024. These will include targeted action plans and route maps which will outline the key steps to delivering a just transition for each sector. The involvement of public bodies will be critical to informing these plans and our engagement will provide a platform to do so. Relevant outputs will also inform the development of the next national Adaptation Programme, due for public consultation in early-2024.
Workshops
There were three themed workshops held online and one in-person workshop covering the three sectors. Watch the workshop presentations below and download summary of the key points.
A survey is also available which seeks to gather responses from those who could not attend the events, or those who wish to leave further comments on the outcomes and suggestions for actions to be taken by both Scottish Government and Local Government.
For further information please contact Judi Kilgallon.
Download a summary of each workshop.
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Report into Climate Change Training in Scottish Local Government
Findings of research carried out by IS, Scottish Government and Sustainable Scotland Network in early 2023 to explore the current landscape in Scotland of climate change training in local authorities.
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Response to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee Inquiry
Improvement Service response to the parliamentary inquiry into the role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland
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Response to the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan
Improvement Service response to the consultation on the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.
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Climate Change Case Studies
A range of case studies showcasing how councils across Scotland are tackling climate change, collected by COSLA and IS as part of the legacy of COP26.