Policy context

The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 sets out our increased ambitions to reach net-zero emissions for the benefit of our environment, our people, and our prosperity. Scotland continues to outperform the UK as a whole in delivering long term emissions reductions, and in western Europe is second only to Sweden.

Scotland’s targets have intentionally been set to provide an extremely stretching pathway to net-zero emissions by 2045, with a 75% reduction from baseline levels to be achieved by 2030. Our recast Climate Change Plan, expected in December, will set out a credible pathway to meeting Scotland’s climate targets over the period to 2032, as part of a green recovery from Covid-19.

We acknowledge that transport remains Scotland’s biggest sectorial contributor which is why we intend to take bold action to meet our climate change targets. In February this year we set out a long term vision for transport in our new National Transport Strategy - shaping the future provision of transport in Scotland around a shared vision - one that will protect our climate and improve our lives.

The National Transport Strategy set Take Climate Action as one of four priorities and highlights the need to reduce travel by unsustainable modes, as well as to manage demand. These strategic aims will guide our actions as we respond to the impacts of Covid-19. To ensure a green economic recovery, we are taking measures to support the transport sector in ways which are sustainable and which addresses inequality. Future transport investment decisions will continue to be made in line with both the Sustainable Travel and Sustainable Investment hierarchies, prioritising walking, wheeling, cycling and public and shared transport options in preference to single occupancy private car use.

Scotland has the most ambitious agenda in the UK for decarbonising transport, including phasing out the need to purchase new petrol or diesel cars by 2032. The measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 support emissions reduction in transport through encouraging modal shift. This includes an improved framework for bus services, Low Emission Zones (LEZs) and the Workplace Parking Levy.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting active travel, both now and in the future. The budget was doubled to £80 million in 2018-19 and now stands at over £100 million for 2020-21. This investment will enable the continued delivery of high quality walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure, enabling more people to choose to walk and cycle for shorter everyday journeys or as part of a longer multi-modal journey.

Within the transport sector, Scotland’s railway is a success story, with around 76% of passenger and 45% of freight journeys already on electric traction. The Scottish Government published its Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan on 28 July 2020. Work has been and continues to progress well by Transport Scotland, Network Rail and industry partners to deliver the key outcomes of the plan to make the traction elements of Scotland’s railway carbon free by 2035.

While aviation emissions remain high, Scotland has shown global leadership by being the first country to include international aviation and shipping emissions in its statutory climate targets. We are working with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and the aviation industry to bring trials of cutting-edge zero and low emission aircraft to Scotland in 2021 and are working to decarbonise scheduled flights within Scotland by 2040.