Hansard

Thank you for the invitation, convener. Because we are covering two documents, my remarks are a minute or two longer than the five minutes that I would normally keep them to. It is hard to get everything into one, very short opening statement.As members will know, climate change is one of the Government’s highest priorities. The fundamental principle is that we, along with all other countries in the world, need to deal with climate change and to address the challenges that it poses. We in Scotland believe that, in doing so, a competitive advantage is available to us in securing jobs and inward investment in the global low-carbon economy.The strategy was published on 15 November 2010, following the earlier publication of the discussion paper, “Towards a Low Carbon Economy for Scotland”, and it is a key component of the Government’s economic strategy. It was developed with the active involvement of the strategic forum, its joint working group and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and the process included Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Development International, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland.The strategic focus is on securing the economic benefits from the move to meet Scotland’s climate change targets, so the strategy complements the other recently published documents that the committee has considered: “Low Carbon Scotland: The Draft Report on Proposals and Policies”—the RPP—the public engagement strategy and “Conserve and Save”, the energy efficiency action plan.Our aim is to put Scotland on the international stage as regards low carbon and climate change. We are developing a joint energy and climate change action plan that will deliver shared objectives for international engagement through a cross-cutting theme of international partnerships that is designed to influence the international community, particularly the European Union, to have high ambition in tackling climate change to enable a swift transition to a global low-carbon economy; to position Scotland as the international destination of choice for low-carbon investment; to allow engagement with the development of the financial architecture for the global low-carbon economy; and to strengthen Scotland’s support of developing countries that are likely to be disproportionately affected by climate change.The investment and job opportunities that are afforded by a low-carbon Scotland represent the best economic opportunity in recent years. Employment in the low-carbon sector is expected to grow quickly. The number of low-carbon jobs in Scotland could grow from the present figure of 70,000 to 130,000 by 2020. Globally, the low-carbon economy was worth £3 trillion in 2007-08, and it is forecast to grow to £4.3 trillion by 2015. Scotland can expect a disproportionate share of that growth, given that it has around 25 per cent of Europe’s offshore wind and tidal energy potential, an estimated 10 per cent of its capacity for wave power and around 40 per cent of the United Kingdom’s offshore wind, wave and tidal resource.Members probably already know those figures, but we are talking about developing a low-carbon economy and the opportunities that that affords us. In addition to our meeting our own energy needs, exports could bring billions of pounds into the economy by 2050. We already have a good story to tell about the greening up of our energy supply, with more than a quarter of our electricity demand now met from renewables. The figure is expected to reach 31 per cent by the year end and is on course for 80 per cent by 2020.In addition to renewables, we are making strides in carbon capture and storage technology so that our existing fossil fuel resources will continue to contribute to the economy well into the future. Consequently, there are opportunities for Scottish companies and for attracting others from overseas to locate in Scotland, meaning more inward investment and more jobs. It is also important to note that Scotland has the intellectual resource and the will to become a centre of expertise in the low-carbon sector. The energy technology partnership, an alliance of Scottish universities, is but one example of how Scotland is developing a research and innovation base internationally, with academia and industry collaborating in developing the technologies of the low-carbon age.The low-carbon economy is, of course, not focused purely on energy; it will require the transformation of other key sectors such as transport and the built environment. In summary, the strategy sets out the global economic opportunities arising from the transition to a low-carbon economy; the drivers of and barriers to opportunities for growth of the low-carbon economy; and the role of Government and the wider public sector in supporting business to overcome those barriers. We firmly believe that the low-carbon economy will be good for business, society and Scotland.I will say a few words about public sector guidance, as I am also here to discuss the recently published guidance. Part 4 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places three statutory duties on public bodies, requiring them to contribute to the act’s world-leading emissions reduction targets; to contribute to adaptation to the changing climate; and to act in a way that is most sustainable. The public bodies’ climate change duties were established in recognition of the crucial leadership role that the public sector must play in driving forward action on climate change. Their commencement in January this year will focus our collective efforts on mainstreaming climate change as a strategic and corporate priority for all.The duties bring together action in two key areas of climate change activity: reducing emissions, and adapting to the challenges and opportunities of the changing climate. The duties also require public bodies to ensure that they are acting sustainably in the actions that they take and in the decisions that they make. Part 4 of the 2009 act also requires ministers to give guidance to public bodies to assist them in their compliance with the duties, and to consult on that guidance. A public consultation on the draft guidance ran from 20 September until 26 November, and feedback from the consultation was used to develop, improve and augment the guidance on the public bodies’ climate change duties. The guidance was published on 4 February, along with a short response paper that sets out how the main points that were raised in the consultation have been actioned in its development.Now that the public bodies’ duties have commenced and our guidance has been published, attention turns to their implementation and to wider public sector action on climate change. I recently met Councillor Alison Hay, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities spokesperson for regeneration and sustainable development and my co-chair of the public sector climate action group. At that meeting, we reaffirmed our commitment to our shared climate change objectives and agreed that a continuing public sector leadership forum for climate change will play a vital part in taking those forward. I look forward to working with Councillor Hay and leaders from across the public sector through the public sector climate action group and to demonstrating our continuing commitment to addressing climate change.In summary, I welcome the committee’s obvious and continued interest in our action on climate change, and I will be happy to answer members’ questions. Members will see that there is a battery of officials beside me. If I find myself struggling on technicalities or points of detail, one of them will, no doubt, be able to ride to my rescue. I have advised them that, if they wish to speak, they should indicate that directly to you, convener.