Report - Update on Renfrewshire’s Climate Change Action
Renfrewshire Council · 25 August 2026
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 25 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Planning and Climate Change Policy Board On: 25 August 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Update on Renfrewshire’s Climate Change Action ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an update on Renfrewshire’s continued climate change action, outlining progress made against the detailed delivery plan previously approved at the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board in May 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that members of the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board: 2.1 Note that this report provides an update on the continued climate action being undertaken and progress to date. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Scottish Government has reaffirmed its legislative commitment to reach Net Zero emissions by 2045 (Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2019) within the recently published Climate Change Plan 2026-2040. 3.2 The national plan sets out the policies and proposals the Scottish Government will take forward to achieve 5-year carbon budget targets as proposed by the Climate Change Committee.
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PUBLIC 3.3 Local authorities continue to have a critical role in supporting national climate objectives through their own operations, strategic planning and wider community leadership. Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero, published in 2022, set the strategic framework required to work towards our ambitious climate change targets in Renfrewshire. 3.4 In the latest Public Bodies Duty Report submitted in November 2025, Renfrewshire Council noted a 4.27% reduction from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025 compared with the previous year. More widely in Renfrewshire, there was a 4.09% reduction in 2023 compared to the previous year. This equates to a 46% reduction in emissions area wide since 2005. 3.5 Aiming to build on the foundations set by the strategy, the emission reductions to date and impactful activity already underway, a detailed delivery plan was presented to the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board in May 2025. The plan set out a 3- year programme of priority areas and planned activity. 3.6 This report provides an overview of the progress made over the previous 12 months on key areas within the delivery plan. ___________________________________________________________________ 4 Climate Action Plan Progress 4.1 Recognising the breadth of activity required to make impactful progress towards meeting long-term climate targets, the Council outlined its intention to focus its efforts on a number of priority areas, both in terms of its own practices and to support communities and all stakeholders to contribute. 4.2 The Climate Action Plan set out key areas to be taken forward, centred around the 5 main themes within the Plan for Net Zero; Clean Energy, Sustainable Transport, Resilient Place, Circular Economy and Connected Communities. Since the previous update report to the board significant progress has been made in delivery across each of the key areas. ___________________________________________________________________ 5 Clean Energy 5.1 Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Renfrewshire Council has worked alongside technical consultants to develop Outline Business Cases (OBCs) for potential heat networks in central Paisley and an extension of the existing AMIDS network to Glasgow Airport. Both proposals directly support Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero, Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy and wider Scottish Government climate commitments, responding to the need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from domestic and non-domestic buildings.
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PUBLIC Following completion of the OBC, the next stage would typically involve progression to detailed project development, including customer engagement, technical design refinement, commercial and funding development, and preparation of a Full Business Case. The OBCs will be presented to the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board in August to consider potential next steps. 5.2 Building Management Efficiency Improving efficiency across our buildings and utilities is key to reducing emissions and energy related costs. The Council continue to identify the most impactful measures in which to do so and has successfully upgraded Building Management Systems (BMS) across 26 buildings, with a further 17 planned this year. BMS allows temperature, air conditioning and ventilation to be monitored and controlled remotely. The above graph shows 7 properties that have had BMS upgrades installed in phase 1, comparing their 6 months of gas consumption data since the installation with the same period in 2023 – 2024 (the same baseline year as the Carbon Management Plan). The financial savings during this 6-month period has been £33k and results in a 2-year return on our investment. Additionally, the Council has been selected to take part in the Scottish Government- funded Energy Invest to Save programme. The 12-month programme commenced in July 2026 and aims to improve energy efficiency across local authority estates by installing low-cost Internet of Things (IOT) technology. This will produce actionable data to help optimise energy use across the selected properties, supporting national carbon reduction ambitions and contributing to best practice in public sector sustainability. The properties selected were Renfrewshire House, Underwood Road Depot, Lagoon Leisure Centre, Johnstone Community Sports Hub and Erskine Swimming Pool.
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PUBLIC 5.3 Sustainable Infrastructure Sustainability continues to be a key consideration within major infrastructure programmes of work. This includes Housing Regeneration, the development of our Learning Estate and the decarbonisation of our public buildings. The new Paisley Grammar School & Community Campus has been built in line with Passivhaus standard accreditation and has been designed to minimise energy use throughout with low carbon heating systems and to meet net zero standards. The decarbonisation of Council buildings is essential to achieving both local and national net zero objectives by 2045. However, this remains one of the most significant challenges facing the Council due to the scale of the estate, the age and complexity of many assets, reliance on fossil fuel heating systems and the substantial investment required to retrofit buildings with low-carbon technologies. Addressing these challenges will be critical in reducing operational emissions, improving energy efficiency and demonstrating leadership in the transition to a low- carbon future. As part of the Hub West Scotland Collaborative Group, the building decarbonisation routemap has been developed, which will outline the breadth and scale of work required and provide an indicative plan of how this could be achieved. 5.4 Renewable Energy The Council continues to explore renewable energy opportunities both in terms of its own building infrastructure and larger scale energy generation opportunities across Renfrewshire. Over the next 12 months extended Solar PV Array will be installed across 13 Council buildings, supporting significant reductions in energy related emissions. More broadly, it is recognised that locally generated energy opportunities can offer significant benefits to the area thus the Council are continuing to carry out investigatory work into various solutions including large-scale wind and solar. The development and delivery of such ventures come with significant potential challenges including land suitability, capital investment requirements and national grid capacity. 5.5 Carbon Budgets A carbon budget approach is being developed to understand how our emissions relate to the services we provide, and reductions needed to deliver the same high- quality local services in a way that is fit for a resilient, net zero future. It enables monitoring of progress and ensures cross-service accountability, with departments identifying actions and projects that contribute to targets. A model has been developed and is being trialled for three council buildings: Renfrewshire House, Gryffe High School, and Lagoon Leisure Centre. The carbon budget for each building is based on electricity, gas and water consumption with the aim to reduce consumption by 5% each year. The pilot of these buildings will begin in Autumn 2026 with the Sustainability Team providing support to help understand what measures could be taken to help meet the carbon budget target. If successful, the approach will be rolled out more widely across Council buildings. ___________________________________________________________________
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PUBLIC 6 Sustainable Transport 6.1 Sustainable Travel Project Since the launch of the Sustainable Travel Project, several initiatives have been completed to encourage a more sustainable travel culture within the Council and help to reduce carbon emissions: • An updated staff travel hierarchy for staff to follow when travelling on Council business, to ensure the most Sustainable and practical travel choice. • A relaunch of the Electric Vehicle pool car scheme. • A review of the existing EV pool fleet and procurement of new vehicles through capital funding to replace petrol/diesel vehicles that had reached the end of their lease. • A relaunch of the Council’s pool bikes based at Renfrewshire House • The introduction of ‘Calcommuter’ which gives staff potential lower carbon and lower cost options for travelling to and from work. • The identification of new locations across Renfrewshire for the expansion of EV charging infrastructure to support fleet with the transition from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles. Work is ongoing in several areas on this project including: • Clear emission reduction targets set within our CMP including reduced business mileage and increased use of Hydro-vegetable oil (HVO) in our large fleet. • An Outline Business Case for the introduction of an Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice scheme for staff, to encourage the transition to low carbon fuel while also making a financial saving for the Council, has been developed. 6.2 Glasgow City Region Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Work is continuing to develop a public EV charging networking on local authority owned assets within each local authority area in the Glasgow City Region. For Renfrewshire this includes 75 existing chargers, and the installation of over 200 new chargers across the area in the coming years. The project is currently at procurement invitation to tender stage, with a new operator expected to be appointed in early 2027. 6.3 Active Travel Infrastructure Projects The council has undertaken a significant programme of active travel investment in recent years, with the aim of making walking, wheeling and cycling safer, more accessible and more attractive for everyday journeys. The Council's Travel Renfrewshire 2035 Local Transport Strategy places active travel at the heart of its transport vision and commits to expanding a safe, accessible active travel network across the area. The Council has progressed a number of major infrastructure projects designed to connect communities, employment areas and transport hubs.
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PUBLIC We’ve added new and improved walking and cycling routes right across Renfrewshire, including the first ever dedicated route between Paisley and Renfrew. We’re working with local communities in Elderslie to improve walking and cycling options and developing an active travel route between Paisley and neighbouring East Renfrewshire. The council has successfully attracted substantial external funding from the Scottish Government for active travel projects. Over the last financial year, the Council secured £1.6 million from the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund to extend walking and cycling routes between Inchinnan and Erskine. The council also secured funding for the Gallowhill Link through the same programme, both projects have been completed recently for local communities to use and enjoy. The Council's active travel programme is focused not only on increasing route availability but also on improving safety and accessibility. Current and planned works include: • New shared-use paths and widened pavements. • Improved pedestrian crossing facilities. • Better access to schools, town centres, railway stations and employment sites. • Enhanced connections to existing path networks and National Cycle Routes. We will continue work with a clear commitment to active travel through strategic planning, successful funding bids and delivery of new infrastructure. The programme aims to provide healthier, safer and more sustainable travel options, improve connectivity between communities and employment centres, and contribute to wider environmental and public health objectives ___________________________________________________________________ 7 Resilient Place 7.1 Climate Ready Clyde Renfrewshire Council are a key member of the group, which enables cross Council and partner collaboration with a specific focus on adaptation. Funding from the Scottish Government is expected to filter down through the regional groups as part of the Climate Change Plan to support adaptation related projects. Each Council is asked to sign up to the Climate Ready Clyde concordat as well as developing their own. More detail on this will be brought to a future board for consideration. 7.2 Adaptation Plan An Adaptation Plan is currently being finalised which is designed to outline clear adaptation actions whilst building on existing strategies and plans for effective delivery. The plan includes projected climate changes highlighting how Renfrewshire will prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change, protecting communities, infrastructure, local economy and biodiversity. Extensive stakeholder engagement, both internal and external, took place from December 2025 to April 2026 to fully understand the adaptation requirements across Renfrewshire.
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PUBLIC A draft of the Adaptation Plan will be brought to this Board for approval before going out for public consultation. Following a period of public consultation the Plan will be brought back to this Board for approval. Nature Restoration – Biodiversity Renfrewshire Council currently have over 30 biodiversity areas where wildflower and grassland meadows have been created across Renfrewshire to increase local biodiversity. A site selection criterion is currently being finalised to provide a robust, structured mechanism for considering and reviewing existing and future potential sites. This will assess various factors including suitability, size and quality of the landscape to maximise native species, location in alignment with evidence-based nature network mapping and any identified operational or maintenance constraints. Site reviews will be carried out over the summer and autumn using the criterion to plan further enhancement works at sites such as plug plants, signage, and additional seeding. The Restoring Renfrewshire’s Rivers project is an ongoing nature restoration project that was established by the Council in March 2024. The purpose of the project is to map the distribution and removal of invasive non-native plant species (INNS) along 5 watercourses within Renfrewshire; River Calder, Locher Water, Dargavel Burn, Old Patrick Water, and Sergeantlaw Burn. This work embeds support from volunteers and provides suitable training to aid in the removal of INNS. Since May 2025, there have been 41 volunteer sessions carried out, 19 of which have taken place in 2026 so far with a total of 53 volunteers on our mailing list. These sessions have primarily focused on the removal of Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed. ___________________________________________________________________ 8 Circular Economy 8.1 Waste is a key category within our carbon management plan for reducing our Council emissions. Nationally, Scotland’s new national Circular Economy Strategy has been published, with more specific Waste related targets expected later this year. This emerging landscape and related policy will continue to be reviewed and will inform our local Circular Economy related strategy moving forward. ___________________________________________________________________ 9 Connected Communities 9.1 Energy Advocacy Renfrewshire has been providing Energy Advocacy since 2012. The energy advocates support residents of all tenure within Renfrewshire. This includes fuel debt, supplier disputes, priority service provision, insulation and heating upgrades, supplier switching and energy use. The advocates partner with a wide range of external partners, to offer an integrated, more comprehensive and efficient service to the advantage of their clients. Renfrewshire Council has provided Energy support to its residents for over 25 years and continues to be very successful at providing invaluable assistance to the local community.
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PUBLIC During the 2025-26 financial year the service received in excess of 500 referrals and generated financial savings to some of Renfrewshire’s poorest households in excess of £130,000. 9.2 ECO4 Flex The ECO4 Flex scheme which ended on 31st March 2026 enabled the Council to approve funding to Renfrewshire’s private sector, fuel poor households that do not meet criteria for other schemes, as well as low-income households that were vulnerable to the effects of cold weather. The scheme was part of the UK Government Energy Company Obligation and was managed by Ofgem. ECO-flex did not apply to Council Housing or Registered Social Landlords. The energy efficiency measures that were installed included: • boilers, • loft insulation, • cavity wall insulation, • external insulation, • air source heat pumps, • solar panels, • heating controls, • first time central heating. The table below highlights the savings ECO4 Flex achieved: Financial Year Value of Grant Funding Requested Total Annual Consumption Saving (kW) Total Annual CO2 Saving in Kg Total Annual Cost Saving 2023/24 £ 3,583,940 1,310,162 648,617 £ 231,789 2024/25 £ 2,803,787 1,389,095 452,462 £ 163,009 2025/26 £ 596,977 392,741 118,805 £ 50,985 Total £ 6,984,704 3,091,998 1,219,884 £ 445,783 We are still awaiting guidance from Ofgem as to what any replacement scheme may be.
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PUBLIC 9.3 Fuel Poverty Renfrewshire Council is developing a Fuel Poverty Strategy to provide a coordinated and long-term response to the challenges faced by residents and households inn affording adequate heating and energy services. Rising energy costs, the ongoing cost of living pressures, and the prevalence of older, less energy-efficient housing mean that many residents are at risk of fuel poverty, with associated impacts on health, wellbeing, financial resilience and quality of life. The strategy will help to identify local needs, target support to those most affected, and bring together partners across housing, health, energy and advice services to deliver effective interventions. It will also support the Council's wider commitments to reducing inequalities, improving health outcomes, and achieving net zero ambitions by promoting energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and ensuring that the transition to a low-carbon future is fair and inclusive for all residents. ___________________________________________________________________ 10 Culture Change 10.1 A fundamental aspect of climate action is to encourage culture change which leads to fundamental changes in our daily behaviours and practices. By fostering a culture of climate awareness and sustainable practices, the Council can help reduce carbon emissions, support more resilient communities, improve local environments and create wider social and economic benefits. The Council are currently developing various areas which support this. 10.2 Climate Change Impact Assessments Climate Change Impact Assessments are a practical support tool which ensure all potential climate impacts are considered at the outset of all Council involved projects and policies. They support early consideration of greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks, and opportunities to reduce carbon or build resilience. Completing the assessment helps ensure that climate impacts are considered alongside cost, risk and deliverability, and that projects, policies and plans support the Council’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2045. The impact assessments have been trialled with the Project Management Unit and Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure to finalise the process ahead of a full council roll out this summer. 10.3 ClimateView Renfrewshire Council, along with all local authorities in Scotland, have been working with the Scottish Climate Intelligence Service (SCIS) to build our own dashboard on ClimateView. ClimateView is a data-driven platform designed to help local authorities design and monitor emissions reduction pathways through identifying climate change interventions. Interventions have been identified through existing plans and strategies with plans to capture further interventions through engagement with colleagues across service areas and key external partners. The sustainability Team have recently taken on a student internship placement to help develop and advance our interventions and dashboard.
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PUBLIC 10.4 Carbon Literacy Training The sustainability team are currently exploring opportunities to create an inhouse carbon literacy / climate awareness training course. This will likely be comprised of an online module as well as in-person training sessions with a view of rolling this out to all employees and potentially wider. The aim of this training is to equip staff with the knowledge and skills to actively contribute to reducing the council’s overall carbon footprint. 10.5 Emerging Artificial Intelligence As AI technology develops at pace, it is important that we understand the impact that AI can have on the environment whether it is a large data centre which requires significant amounts of electricity and water or the use of AI tools to support Council activities. Further work will be undertaken in this area to ascertain how we can best manage carbon emissions associated with AI. ___________________________________________________________________ 11 Future updates on progress As progress continues in the delivery and implementation of the outlined areas within this report, frequent updates will be provided to the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None directly arising from this report. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None directly arising from this report. 3. Community/Council Planning – None directly arising from this report. 4. Legal - None directly arising from this report. 5. Property/Assets - None directly arising from this report. 6. Information Technology – None directly arising from this report. 7. Equality and Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety – None directly arising from this report. 9. Procurement – None directly arising from this report. 10. Risk – None directly arising from this report. 11. Privacy Impact – None directly arising from this report.
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PUBLIC 12. Climate Risk – this report details work being undertaken and progress made by Renfrewshire Council in response to the climate emergency. 13. Children’s Rights - None directly arising from this report. 14. COSLA Policy Position – this work aligns with COSLA’s current work alongside the Scottish Government in response to the climate emergency. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None Author: Jamie Robertson, Sustainability Manager Jamie.robertson@renfrewshire.gov.uk