The Scottish Government is gathering views to help inform new Statutory Guidance for public bodies, to support them in putting the climate change duties into practice.
Scottish Government writes:
The Scottish Government is gathering views to help inform new Statutory Guidance for public bodies, to support them in putting the climate change duties into practice. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (‘the 2009 Act’) places duties on relevant public bodies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contribute to delivery of the Scottish National Adaptation Plan, and to act in the most sustainable way. These duties are known as the climate change duties, or the public bodies climate change duties.
Under the 2009 Act, Scottish Ministers are required to provide public bodies with guidance, to support them in putting their climate change duties into practice. Statutory guidance was originally published in 2011 and now requires to be updated. This consultation seeks your views on new draft Statutory Guidance which has been developed for this purpose, and which will replace the 2011 guidance. Public bodies subject to the climate change duties are legally required to have regard to the statutory guidance. The guidance is technical in nature and the intended users are those bodies subject to the climate change duties.
The public sector plays a vital role in enabling Scotland’s just transition to net zero and climate resilience. All public bodies will be responsible for some direct greenhouse gas emissions, for example through their day-to-day operations, estate and fleet. However, many public bodies will, through their varied functions, have a wide and significant influence on climate change action and sustainable development far beyond their organisational boundaries. The guidance aims to take a holistic approach that includes these broader functions and secures wider linked benefits including to health and wellbeing, biodiversity and equalities.
Read more…. and see more background HERE
