Hansard

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, specifically with regard to residential housing, renewable energy and farming.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to what has generally been a consensual debate. This is an important debate, particularly as we look forward to the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee’s stage 1 report on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill. The bill will help to shape and define our approach to making Scotland greener and more environmentally sustainable.

There is, of course, a much wider importance to this debate, because the actions that this Parliament and Government take will contribute to a global effort to reduce carbon output. We must all be mindful of last year’s IPCC special report—“Global Warming of 1.5°C”, or the SR15 report—which noted that, if global carbon emissions continue on their current trend, we may reach global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels between 2030 and 2052. Although almost everyone would be impacted by such a global temperature rise, it would more than likely have a greater impact on some of the poorest parts of the world, so there is clearly a lot at stake.

With all that said, where we seek to reduce carbon emissions, whether that be in the housing sector or in transport, we must ensure that we allow businesses and other organisations the time to adapt, and that the Government provides proper support to allow the changes to occur. As my colleague Maurice Golden noted earlier, transforming our economy in order to meet those changes comes with risk, and we should seek where possible to work at a UK and Scotland level to help our country meet the challenges.

I will address two areas: the agricultural economy and housing. Others have spoken about the agricultural economy. The agricultural sector would face a significant burden should such changes be rushed through with little or no consultation and without co-operation. Joan McAlpine was right to speak about the need for co-operation in the sector, because it truly requires a just transition.

Our agricultural sector is vital to Scotland’s economy. We know from recent debates in this chamber that it supports thousands of jobs, manages much of our natural environment and maintains the existence of rural communities across the country. Farmers, crofters and land managers across Scotland have already made a contribution to reducing carbon output and helping our natural environment. From planting hedgerows and trees to investing in more fuel-efficient machinery, it is clear that the sector realises the need to adapt and—more important—is willing to adapt.

I was struck by Tavish Scott’s comment, which was absolutely right, that smaller farms and crofts will find it much harder to transition and reduce emissions than larger farms and agribusinesses will. That should be recognised as we redesign agricultural support.

The NFUS has recognised that

“Reaching the”

existing

“90% target will be very challenging for the farming industry”.

It has acknowledged the need for a strong focus

“on environmental benefit and delivery as a central plank of ... a new Scottish agricultural policy”.

The agricultural sector recognises not only that making such changes will benefit the environment but that it could be more cost effective for farms and drive up production rates. I think that we all recognise that this sector in particular needs time to adapt and change.

I will touch on housing and fuel efficiency. Housing is another sector that must adapt if we are to achieve a greater transition towards a low-carbon economy. Buildings remain one of the largest contributors to emissions in Scotland, and we must look at ways of improving home energy efficiency, building more sustainable housing and incentivising property owners to make changes that will save them money and address the climate change challenge that the world faces. As the Government’s figures show, 19.7 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland originate from buildings, so there is a lot of work to do.

I recently had a particularly interesting meeting in the Highlands about the German Passivhaus model, which creates homes that provide a

“high level of occupant comfort while using very little energy for heating and cooling.”

In short, that means building better and warmer homes.

Outwith my region, one example of such a project that has been successfully executed comes from the Dormont estate near Lockerbie, where eight two-bedroom and three-bedroom semi-detached properties were built to the Passivhaus standard. A two-year study of those properties’ energy performance showed not only that their energy bills were substantially lower than the UK average and that total energy consumption per annum for a Passivhaus building is just 10 per cent of the total UK average. Passivhaus is a type of housing that consumes less energy and creates a saving for the consumers who live in it. That is a prime example of how making our homes more energy efficient can help to reduce carbon output, which is beneficial not only for our natural environment but for our society.

To adapt our homes in order to conserve heat and save energy will inevitably help the most vulnerable people in our society. The cross-party group on health inequalities, which I co-convene, took evidence last year from the Energy Agency, which looked at the effects of the home energy efficiency programmes for Scotland on 300 properties that were described as hard to treat. It found that, after insulation was fitted, 93 per cent of residents felt that the overall condition of their home had been improved.

It is clear that we must take action to contribute to the global effort to reduce carbon output and create the conditions for businesses and industry to transition justly to a low-carbon economy. We must be effective in our approach and mindful of the challenges that lie ahead. Above all, we must take an evidence-based approach, and the Government must play its role in supporting our industries to take the steps that are required to achieve a positive outcome.