Scottish Climate Change Plan published

Routemap seeks to realise economic and social gains for people across Scotland

Scotland’s Climate Change Plan: 2026-2040

Scotland’s Climate Change Plan: 2026-2040

The Scottish Government says its new climate action strategy will deliver warmer homes, lower bills, greater job opportunities and reduced exposure to volatile fossil fuel.

Scotland’s Climate Change Plan: 2026-2040 sets out over 150 actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years. The Scottish Government estimates it will bring over £42.3 billion in financial benefits and cost savings to the economy over the same period.

Scotland is already over halfway 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 final plan details how Scotland will meet the next three carbon budgets, along with a range of delivery indicators. These include:
setting a target to decarbonise heat in buildings by 2045
phasing out the need for 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.

Actions in the Climate Change Plan will also contribute to both the Environment Strategy, and the Circular Economy Strategy, also published today.

Climate action secretary Gillian Martin said: “The Climate Change Plan is Scotland’s pathway to net zero and outlines the action we will take to meet our first three carbon budgets.

“However it is also a routemap to realising economic and social gains for people across Scotland as part of a fair and just transition. It highlights the potential of growth areas ranging from renewables to heat networks to the circular economy, and sets out our commitment to increase investment in areas that will simultaneously decarbonise Scotland and improve our lives.

“Together with the Environment Strategy and Circular Economy Strategy, our Climate Change Plan forms a blueprint for how we will use this once-in-a-generation opportunity for transformation to reduce emissions while ensuring that our economy prospers, our communities are supported to become more resilient to the effects of climate change and to redress the issues of poverty and energy security that affect individual households.”