Scotland’s net zero pathway mapped out
‘‘Dreadful’ Climate Plan does nothing for households, workers and communities’
Communities will ‘benefit from cleaner air, warmer homes and new job opportunities’ under draft plans to cut emissions published yesterday.
The draft Climate Change Plan to 2040 sets out actions designed to reduce Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions and meet our first three carbon budgets, whilst supporting jobs, growth and community regeneration.
Scotland is already over half way to net zero having reduced emissions by 51.3% since 1990 – the largest reduction in the UK and faster than the EU average, using comparable statistics.
The new plan details over 150 policies and proposals building on this progress, including:
- setting a target to decarbonise building heat systems by 2045
- phasing out new diesel and petrol cars by 2030
- increasing woodland creation so that by 2029/30 18,000 hectares are planted every year, with 21% woodland cover in Scotland by 2032
- increasing peatland restoration by 10% each year to 2030
The independent Climate Change Committee has emphasised the necessity for shared delivery and collaboration between national governments given between 30-60% of the emissions reduction required in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be in areas of policy that are mostly reserved.
A consultation on the Plan will run until 29 January 2026
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Raising awareness of climate action has never been so important, with communities across Scotland and around the world already being affected – through flooding, heatwaves and wildfires.
“This draft plan includes over 150 actions across sectors such as transport, heat in buildings and agriculture that are key to achieving Scotland’s net zero goal while supporting people to make and adjust to the changes required.
“It also describes how we will seize and fairly distribute the opportunities from the transition to net zero – from new jobs, inclusive growth and better infrastructure to improved public services and healthier people – thanks to cleaner air, warmer homes and wealthier communities.
“The plan does not ask the impossible of people. We will not sacrifice people’s health or wealth.
“Through this consultation, everyone has a voice in shaping the final plan to inform future decision making and ensure that we reach our net zero in a way that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us.”
Scotland’s climate coalition has welcomed publication of the Scottish Government’s draft climate routemap. However, it says there are major missed opportunities to reduce emissions in some of the most polluting sectors in ways that deliver meaningful improvements to the lives of people in Scotland.
The Scottish Government’s draft Climate Change Plan (CCP), released today, sets out how it believes the country will reduce emissions in line with national climate targets. The draft will now be scrutinised by MSPs, and the public will have the opportunity to have their say.
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) says the final plan must have increased focus on tangible and urgent action that is funded fairly, with reduced reliance on unproven technologies.
Ahead of conducting a full assessment of the plan, Dr Mike Robinson, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said: “Publication of this long-awaited draft plan represents a step forward but if positive intentions are not matched with urgent delivery the plan risks being meaningless.
“Ministers needed to go much further in the most polluting sectors through things like free public transport, meaningful reform to farming support and legislation to drive changes in the way we heat our homes.
“Projections show the financial benefits of following carbon-cutting measures proposed in the draft CCP are almost 10 times the cost of implementing them – that’s a win-win for people and the planet.
“This plan must now undergo robust scrutiny to test its effectiveness, feasibility and ambition. It needs to be strengthened, with a clearer focus on immediate action that rapidly cuts emissions in ways that address the daily struggles many people are facing and unlock the benefits of fair climate action.
“Scottish ministers must also prove their commitment to funding the final Plan in a way that’s genuinely fair by making polluters pay for their damage.
“There can be no more climate action delays or mis-steps – nor a continued gamble on as yet unproven technology to bail us out.”
‘Dreadful’ Climate Plan does nothing for households, workers and communities
Environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth Scotland have reacted to the draft Climate Plan from the Scottish Government saying it “will barely scratch the surface” on climate emissions in the coming years.
The “dreadful” plan contains nothing to help oil workers, people struggling to pay energy bills or communities cut off from bus services, campaigners say.
In 2024, the Scottish Government weakened its climate commitments after years of failure by Ministers to deliver on promises.
Public support for climate action remains high with the overwhelming majority of people in Scotland concerned about climate breakdown.
Climate campaigners along with Palestine solidarity groups, migrant justice organisations and grassroots groups are organising a major climate march through Glasgow on Saturday 15th November. It is part of a Global Day of Action in the middle of the United Nations climate talks in Brazil.
Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Caroline Rance commented: “This is a dreadful plan that will barely scratch the surface never mind get us back on track to meet our climate commitments.
“There is nothing here to help people who are struggling to pay their energy bills, communities cut off by unreliable buses, or oil workers worried about their future.
“Government Ministers have made a decision not to implement any available climate solutions that would help people in Scotland to tackle either the cost of living andor climate breakdown.
“Previous plans to get cars off the road have been completely gutted and buses and trains are treated as an afterthought.
“The carbon capture pipe dream is unrealistic as ever, only pushed slightly further into the future. What are we going to do in 2040 when this technology inevitably fails as it has done for the past fifty years?”
Oxfam Scotland welcomes publication of the Plan, which outlines the policies and actions which the Scottish Government believes will deliver emission cuts consistent with ending Scotland’s net impact on the climate by 2045.
The Scottish Parliament now begins a crucial 120-day scrutiny period.
Oxfam Scotland says that, alongside testing whether the Plan will achieve the emission cuts needed, this scrutiny period must fully stress-test the fairness of the Plan.
With clear evidence that, on average, the richer you are the more you pollute, campaigners say that fairness must be central to the final Plan – including how faster action is paid for.
While recognising that the costs of inaction will be even higher, the Scottish Government estimates the price tag of delivering the Plan, once savings generated are taken into account, to be £4.8 billion, but says little about where the money will come from.
Oxfam Scotland says the upcoming Scottish Budget and multi-year Spending Review must prove that the Scottish Government is serious about funding the Plan fairly
It comes as the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, prepares to travel to Belém in Brazil to attend the UN climate talks, COP30.
Responding, Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “A liveable planet is priceless so Scotland’s new Climate Plan must make an unwavering investment in all our futures, giving us: cleaner air, healthier lives, stable, green jobs and shielding us from extreme weather.
“However, right now, the roadmap on how Scottish Ministers plan to pay for their policy ambitions is little more than a sketch. To succeed, this Plan must be backed by major new public funding, delivered fairly with the biggest polluters and the better off footing the bill.
“It’s time Ministers were straight about where the pounds behind their promises to stop pumping out pollution will come from: Ministers need to show us the money.”
The draft Climate Change Plan to 2040.
A consultation on the Plan will run until 29 January 2026
