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COSLA recommended to Scottish Ministers that the flood protection schemes eligible for funding in the Flood Risk Management Strategies published in December 2015 which are not yet “legally committed” are to be paused and reviewed. Ministers accepted this recommendation and a review of these projects is being undertaken to assess their status and viability. COSLA will present the review findings to Ministers in due course. This pause and review of schemes is one element of the work being taken forward to review the current funding and distribution arrangements for flood risk management. The Scottish Government has not currently suspended any expenditure on the flooding programme.

The Scottish Government continues to prioritise funding for flood risk management. The flooding budget is increasing by 70% from £210 million to £360 million over the next 5 years. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning and delivering flood protection schemes. In recognition of the importance of reducing flood risk the Scottish Government has provided, since 2007, a total of £42 million a year through the general capital grant to local authorities to allow them to invest in flood protection schemes.

Scotland’s chemicals, oil refining and manufacturing sectors - to which the Grangemouth region is the main contributor - employs c.7,000 people and contributes an annual GVA of over £800m. However, with that economic strength also comes 30% of all Scottish industrial emissions. A specific focus on Grangemouth is therefore key to achieving a net-zero economy by 2045, and getting this right will be crucial if we are to deliver a Just Transition, not only for the region, but for Scotland as a whole. Futureproofing this vital industrial hub will help support a long-term, sustainable future for Grangemouth.

The Grangemouth Future Industry Board, of which Falkirk Council is a key partner, was established in 2020 in recognition of this. The Board brings together public sector leaders in order to unlock potential investment that boosts the economic development, innovation, and competitiveness of the site, with decarbonisation and just transition at the heart of everything it does. Just Transition has been a topic of Board discussions during the last year, and minutes of these meetings can be found on the Scottish Government’s website.

The Board’s focus has been on the best ways to support the delivery of a Just Transition for the industrial cluster as a whole. Delivering a successful Just Transition will require the input of all who will be affected. The Grangemouth Future Industry Board will be engaging with both industry and wider interest groups across the coming year to understand how to support the delivery of a Just Transition for the industrial cluster in a way that positively benefits all of those involved.

Since 2015-16, around 180 listed Scottish public bodies have been required to report annually on compliance with their statutory climate change duties. To assess progress on emissions reduction, the Scottish Government funds the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) Secretariat to produce an annual analysis of the submitted reports. Reported emissions from the public sector continue to decrease, with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions down 28.5% since mandatory reporting began in 2015-16.

The statutory targets to reduce Scotland’s economy-wide emissions to net-zero, set under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Target) (Scotland) Act 2019, are set at the national level and are not disaggregated to local authority levels.

New regulations, which came into force on 9 November 2020, require around 180 Scottish public bodies by November 2022 to report, where applicable, the body’s target date for achieving zero direct emissions of greenhouse gases (or such other targets that demonstrate how the body is contributing to Scotland achieving its emissions reduction targets) and, where applicable, targets for reducing indirect emissions of greenhouse gases. It is for those public bodies to determine where best to target their resource and effort to support achievement of respective targets to reduce emissions.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, local authorities, and the wide range of public bodies on the shared national endeavour to tackle the global climate emergency.

The Scottish Government and Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) has collaborated on new guidance, Public Sector Leadership on the Global Climate Emergency, published on 29 October 2021. The Guidance sets out that the public sector is crucial to the implementation of national and local climate policy and that public bodies are expected to show leadership by continuing to reduce their own emissions quickly and will need to reduce emissions close to zero without offsetting for Scotland to meet its national climate change goals.

No investigations have yet been undertaken under section 48 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, Local Authorities and the wide range of public bodies on the shared national endeavour to tackle the global climate emergency. All 32 Scottish local authorities signed Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration in 2007 and COSLA recognises the twin climate and biodiversity crisis.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy publishes annual National Statistics setting out the latest estimates of end-user carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) emissions for local authority areas. The purpose of these estimates is to assist those wishing to understand and assess changes in emissions from local authority areas. The Statistics show that between 2005 and 2019 end-user CO ₂ emissions fell by 35% in Scotland. The Statistics also provide information on per capita emissions in each local authority area and information on sector emissions.

The Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2020 came into force on 9 November 2020. By November 2022, the Order requires Scottish public bodies to report, where applicable, targets for reducing indirect emissions of greenhouse gases. Follow-up guidance, Public Sector Leadership on the Global Climate Emergency , published on 29 October 2021, sets out that public sector leaders must take strong action over the next decade to tackle the significant new challenge of decarbonising the £13.3 billion of annual public sector procurement. The guidance sets out that all relevant and significant areas of an organisation’s indirect emissions should be reported and that, over time, public bodies will be expected to report on their Scope 3 emissions as fully as possible.

Scottish Government and some agencies publish all public consultations on the consultation hub. Respondents can decide whether they would like their response to be published on the consultation hub after the closing date. Thereafter, published responses will be visible to the public.

The Scottish Government can confirm the numbers of local authorities who responded to the consultations listed below.

a) the Heat in Buildings Strategy - 20 local authorities

b) Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 - 8 local authorities

c) Climate Change - Net Zero Nation: draft public engagement strategy - 9 local authorities

d) Establishing a Scottish Nitrogen Balance Sheet - 1 local authority

e) Investing in and paying for your water services from 2021 - 10 local authorities*

f) the Local Energy Policy Statement - 6 local authorities

g) Scottish Low Emission Zones: Consultation on Regulations and Guidance - 9 local authorities

* A later consultation 'Investing in and paying for you water services from 2021: final consultation' was responded to by an additional 2 local authorities.

While the Scottish Government and our agencies sometimes make use of aerial imagery services, excluding this, spend on “Photography Service Providers” – the relevant category in our accounting system - per year since 2016 is shown in the following table:

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to the Energy Saving Trust to administer the Low Carbon Transport Loan on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland officials also work closely with Energy Saving Trust to consider the most appropriate structure and approach required to administer the loan.

To manage the demands of the scheme, officials have regular meetings with Energy Saving Trust and service level agreements are also in place to ensure the effective delivery of the loan scheme.