The Role of Local Government and its Cross-Sectoral Partners in Financing and
Delivering a Net-Zero Scotland – COSLA Submission
COSLA is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Committee’s inquiry into the
role of Local Government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a
net-zero Scotland. This is a vital area of work for Scottish Local Government. Local
Government and COSLA are fully committed to a Just Transition to Net Zero by no later
than 2045. At COSLA this aim is embedded in all areas of policy development, including
transport, planning and waste.
We are going to respond to your letter of 8 June but for the purpose of attending the
committee on 20 September we wanted to make some key points which go to the heart
of the inquiry. This submission is intended to complement the information which we
provided to the Committee in December 2021.
Key Points
x
Local Government is committed to delivering a Just Transition to a Net
Zero Economy.
x
We cannot be confident that we are on a pathway to delivering the 2030
target. This must now be our focus.
x
Reductions in the core grant to Local Government has reduced the capacity
of Local Authorities to deal with the climate emergency.
x
Further investment in Local Authority capacity is therefore essential.
x
We also need greater coordination at the national level between Local and
Scottish Government on delivering the Just Transition.
x
We also need to more clearly understand the skills gaps which exist and
use data more effectively to support decision making
Context
COSLA is clear that successive reports by the Climate Change Committee and others
have evidenced a gap in the pace of emission reduction compared to legislative targets.
In short, at the current pace, Scotland is not on a pathway to achieve the 2030 target set
out in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019. To make
the 2030 target more achievable we will need to increase the pace of delivery
considerably in order to make further, deep cuts in emissions this decade. This will
require greater coordination between local and Scottish Government and further
investment. The effects of climate change have also been brought home as a result of
the recent extreme temperatures across the UK and other parts of the world. We are
clear that more needs be done to help increase the pace of delivery to better meet the
worsening challenge of the climate emergency.
COSLA Position
Leaders met on 26 August and updated COSLA’s position on the climate emergency.
Leaders agreed the following:
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x That COSLA recognises that the pace of delivery on decarbonisation must
increase significantly if we are to meet 2030 legislative target, but notes these
targets are being made difficult to meet due to continued cuts to Local Authority
core funding.
x That this will require enhanced coordination between Local and Scottish
Government as well as the investment of new resources, similar to the work done
through the pandemic, and remedial work to address many years of Local
Government funding cuts, and that we purse this further as a matter of urgency
with Scottish Government.
x That we work with partners on the proposal for a Local Authority Climate
Intelligence Service to better support area wide emission reduction and local
decision making;
x That we need to foster deeper collaboration between local authorities to address
the skills gap in this area; and
x That these and related points be made in COSLA evidence to the upcoming Net
Zero, Energy and Transport Committee and that further reports be brought back
in the near future on COSLA’s ongoing work on climate change.
Our short term goal is to enhance coordination between local and Scottish Government
at the national level. This goal is in line with the recommendation made by the Climate
Emergency Response Group in their recent report to unify the local and Scottish
Government response to the climate emergency. COSLA recognises that there are
multiple societal and economic challenges which arise from the pressing need to rapidly
reduce emissions this decade and that this requires a new posture from Government
more aligned to the challenge we face. We are suggesting that there should be
increased cooperation between Local and Scottish Government on all aspects of a Just
Transition, and that a mechanism should be developed by which we can better manage
the multiple decarbonisation challenges that we face, and their impact on the economy
and society. This coordination is made more urgent as we simultaneously grapple with
the rising cost of living and the worsening climate emergency. This idea is rooted in the
pragmatic way in which Local and Scottish Government worked during the early stages
of the pandemic, with the idea of balancing the economic, emission reduction and
societal impacts of the net zero transition in a similar way to the four harms approach
during the pandemic. This proposal will not eliminate the challenges - which are
discussed further below - faced by Local Authorities but may offer solutions and practical
ways ahead that we are currently missing.
The Challenges that Local Government faces in Scotland.
We are clear that no level of government across the UK has the correct resources in
place to meet the climate challenge. There is no doubt that additional resource is
required to make a difference, especially in the most challenging sectors, such as heat
decarbonisation and transport, but also to reinforce the general capabilities of Local
Government to handle multiple decarbonisation challenges.
The key challenges faced by local authorities in achieving net zero carbon targets, as we
see them, are as follows:
x
Finance and flexibility - Fundamentally net-zero has a price tag which is not
being currently met. Cuts to Local Authorities core budget present a major
problem. This is exacerbated by the lack of flexibility of funding which arises
when resource are channelled to specific policies, which reduces flexibility within
the general revenue grant to Local Government. COSLA recognises that national
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funded policies are important and are part of the mix of interventions which area
required, but Councils also need flexible resource which they are can use locally
to develop their own projects and programmes. The channelling of resource via
challenge or bid funds is particular issue, as the development of bids will have a
resource cost for Local Authorities. We argue that Local Authorities need fewer,
but larger and more flexible funding streams which they can use locally to meet
different challenges. Given the urgency arising from climate change, Local
Authorities must focus on high carbon sectors which are frequently the most
challenging . Within the key national themes and envelopes (transport, heat,
land use and agriculture etc), the mix of these looks very different at the local
level. The more flexibility there is in Local Authorities’ resources, the easier, and
hence quicker, it is to effect change and utilise co-benefits.
x
Alignment of policy and spend – We need to maximise budgets and lever in
external funding to achieve net zero carbon ambition. Local Authorities need
support and resources to develop investable opportunities and to enable work
with Scottish and UK Government, private sector and other stakeholders to
identify solutions. This is where core funding to Local Government is essential.
As an example, there is a good level of ambition for low/zero carbon new builds
and the retrofitting of existing buildings, however value engineering due to rising
costs (including inflationary pressures) tends to see the removal or reduction of
low carbon measures due to their cost. We need a sustainable investment model
for retrofitting at scale (domestic and non-domestic) that can leverage in private
investment. This will require leadership and collaboration at a national scale to
deliver.
x
Behavioural change – Substantial behaviour change is an absolute prerequisite
for achieving net zero, be it in transport (reducing travel demand management),
waste (recycling/ reduction) or heat/cooling requirements for both non-domestic
and domestic buildings and assets. We need a step change in sustained national
communications programmes and encourage communities and businesses to
adopt lower carbon behaviours. The coordination of national messaging is one
aspect where greater coordination between Local and Scottish Government could
be very beneficial
.
x
National infrastructure – The lead in time for grid connections and cost to
connect even for relatively small scale generation projects is prohibitive. A new or
significantly revised model for anticipating grid requirements and investing
accordingly is required. This will require greater engagement with the UK
Government and its agencies.
x
National public sector frameworks – There needs to be more flexibility in the
current systems and contractual set-ups under which Local Authorities are
purchasing electricity from the national grid. There are significant opportunities
for Local Authorities to generate their own energy through renewable energy
schemes on their own estate, for example by running solar farms on landfill sites.
Central to the delivery of municipal renewable energy generation projects is
financial viability, and this is hindered by the current systems and contractual set-
ups with the national energy suppliers.
x
Skills – A sector wide skills mapping exercise is required to understand what
skills exists already, what will be required in the future, and what options there
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are to stimulate the skills pipeline required. The ability to fund, recruit and retain
the skills is necessary. We need to significantly upskill the workforce and
increase their levels of expert resource to plan, develop, lead and drive change at
the scale and pace required to reach the net zero targets. Emerging technologies
such as hydrogen, for example, require expert knowledge, as is the case in
many other areas
.
x
Data/Baselining- There are numerous standards for sustainability reporting and
there are differences between private and public organisations (purpose,
motivation and responsibilities) which impact the way sustainability reporting is
conducted. We need a consistent approach to collation, reporting and monitoring
of emissions and welcome the high level findings of the recent climate
intelligence service work undertaken by ECCI, which offer a way to support Local
Authorities with area based emission reduction plans.
x
Energy efficiency/Decarbonisation- Delivery of net-zero needs to be a cross-
sector, system wide approach. Some solutions need to be more nationally led,
including with the private sector (e.g. diverting gas infrastructure to hydrogen, EV
charging) in order to make a significant contribution to the main sources of
emissions at scale and pace. There are supply chain barriers too (cost,
availability and understanding of technology) which need national
solutions/incentives to overcome.
x
Community empowerment and leadership – We must ensure that
communities can actively participate in climate action planning and delivery,
including energy reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects,
land use or consumer behaviour, to name but a few. Sustainable and scalable
community empowerment support is required.
x
Communications/Engagement- The role of communications is important to help
communities and business/industry (SMEs) understand their roles, their potential
and responsibilities to reduce their emissions.
We would also like to highlight that net zero policy cannot be seen in isolation to climate
adaptation and Nature Based Solutions (NBS). COSLA was one of the organisations
highlighting early that the threat to our biodiversity is an integral part of climate change.
Technological solutions to carbon reduction are clearly vital but we understand that not
every carbon reduction intervention has a positive impact on reversing the decline in
biodiversity, yet interventions to address the loss of biodiversity generally tend to have
positive impacts on carbon reduction. The potential for co-benefits is considerable. In
policy terms we need to increasingly view climate change and biodiversity loss as two
aspects of the same emergency.
Scottish councils are actively driving forward policy and practice on both climate change
and biodiversity, most notably through signing the Edinburgh Declaration, reporting on
the public body ‘biodiversity duty’ and ongoing support for Local Biodiversity Action
Plans and Local Biodiversity Action Partnerships. It is critical to recognise the benefits of
integrating nature into local planning, management and government and the importance
of placemaking and place-based approaches to do so.
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With their natural focus on place, Local Authorities are critical to developing practical
Nature-based Solutions to climate change, biodiversity loss and other socio-economic
outcomes and public goods. Well-designed and implemented Nature-based Solutions
provide benefits for people and are central to tackling environmental challenges such as
climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution and flooding.
Conclusion
The challenges involved in addressing climate change are complex, and Local Authorities
are doing so in the context of reducing finance and resources, rising costs and a cost of
living crisis experienced by its citizens.
Respect for all levels of government is at the heart of mobilising and utilising the limited
resources we have. However, we are clear that further, additional investment in Local
Government is essential or we will continue to put at risk the 2030 and later targets.
With only approximately one hundred months until the end or 2030 when the interim
target must be met, Local Authorities need the freedom and flexibility to invest and
make changes where we can make the biggest gains.
Local Government in Scotland can only make the level of contribution that is required to
meet our national targets, if it is empowered, resourced and supported to do so. This
was one of the guiding principles of the Paris Protocol and continued in following COPs,
including COP 26 in Glasgow.
We look forward to appearing at an evidence session before the Committee and to
expand on the points made in this submission.
September 2022
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Commitments to net zero are aspirational without sufficient additional funding to LAs
Milestones set however no detail on how these will be realised.
I’m sure these points will arise in other LA’s responses.
_______________________________
North Lanarkshire Council, Enterprise & Communities, Mobile:
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From:
Sent:
18 January 2023 16:30
To:
Subject:
FW: SSN Evidence to Scottish Parliament NZET inquire - update and call for member views
Importance:
High
From:
@ed.ac.uk>
Sent: 13 January 2022 12:45
To:
@ed.ac.uk>;
@fife.ac.uk>
Subject: SSN Evidence to Scottish Parliament NZET inquire ‐ update and call for member views
Importance: High
To: all lead SSN members in Scottish local authorities
Dear SSN LA lead members,
I’m writing to inform you that the SSN is due to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee next Tuesday morning,
18th January. This is part of the Committee’s inquiry into the role of local government and its cross‐sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net‐zero
Scotland. The Committee recently launched this inquiry with an open Call for Views and this is its second formal evidence session on it.
This will be a dedicated session with SSN and we are fielding a panel consisting of
(Steering Group member) and myself. We will be using material from the SSN Strategy, insights from consultations in recent years on member priorities,
using information from the public body climate change reports analysis, and sharing experience from the perspective of each of the panellists. This is a
fantastic opportunity to share with the Committee the priorities of SSN members, to profile SSN, and to inform how they use the rest of their inquiry.
As this inquiry is heavily focused on local authorities, I wanted to give you all advanced notice of our session and to offer you the chance to share relevant
views and information with us.
Please send any thoughts or draft responses to myself and
@fife.ac.uk) as soon as possible, and by midday on Monday 17th
January at the latest. We shall use all replies to help inform our response to the Committee’s questions.
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Thank you in advance for any information you can share on this.
Yours
Sustainable Scotland Network
Edinburgh Climate Change Institute,
High School Yards, EH1 1LZ
e:
@ed.ac.uk
| t:+44 (0)131 651
| m: +44
http://sustainablescotlandnetwork.org
Register for our SSN Conference on 8 December:
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336. Is e buidheann carthannais a th’ ann an Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann,
clàraichte an Alba, àireamh clàraidh SC005336.
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