Item 8 Climate Change Duties Draft Statutory Guidance for Public Bodies Consultation
West Dunbartonshire Council · 23 April 2025
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 23 April 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer (Regeneration and Regulatory) Council: 23 April 2025 Subject: Climate Change Duties – Draft Statutory Guidance for Public Bodies: Consultation 1. Purpose 1.1 To provide an outline of key proposed changes set out in the draft statutory guidance to public bodies’ duties related to climate change. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Council: i) Notes the draft statutory guidance for public bodies; and ii) Notes that an officer response to the consultation will be submitted on behalf of the Council before the closing date of 23rd May 2025. 3. Background 3.1 Public bodies are required to deliver on their climate change duties, contribute to the delivery of the Scottish National Adaptation Plan, and to act in the most sustainable way, as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. Under the 2009 Act, there is a requirement for Scottish Ministers to provide guidance to public bodies to facilitate the implementation of their climate change duties. 3.2 The statutory guidance that was published in 2011 is now under review. A formal consultation seeking views on the new draft statutory guidance has been published. The consultation document is appended as Appendix 1. 4. Main Issues 4.1 All public bodies are required to meet their climate change duties through their corporate operations, policy making and overall delivery function. Day-to-day operations, fleet, and estate generate direct greenhouse gas emissions but additionally, through other functions, public bodies have wider influence on climate emissions and sustainable development. For example, local authorities can impact beyond their organisational boundaries though procurement, estate management, active travel policy, and engagement with businesses. The proposed guidance aims to include these broader functions by taking a more holistic approach and encompassing associated health and wellbeing, equalities and biodiversity impacts. 4.2 The consultation seeks responses on the following areas: ITEM 8
Page 2
• Climate change and equalities, with a focus on how effective climate action can achieve wider socioeconomic outcomes; • Taking climate change into account in decision making by embedding climate change considerations in the decision making process; • The first duty – reducing emissions (climate change mitigation) by developing and implementing appropriate emissions reduction policies, strategies and action plans; • The second duty – adaptation by developing appropriate climate risk assessments and adaptation plans to become resilient to the changing climate; • The third duty – acting in a more sustainable way, and supporting sustainable development; and • Reporting of Scope 3 emissions, with a particular focus on mandatory reporting. 4.3 An officer response will be prepared and submitted on behalf of the Council. Elected members are welcome to submit their own response in a personal capacity. Any responses to the draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies consultation should be submitted using the Scottish Government’s consultation hub, Citizen Space, and are required before the closing date of 23rd May 2025. 5 People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 There are no financial implications. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 No risk analysis has been carried out. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 No Equalities Impact Assessment is required as there is no change to policy or procedure. Any changes to Council practice arising out of changes to the guidance will be subject to an Equalities Impact Assessment or Screening. 9. Consultation 9.1 Internal stakeholder consultation will be carried out to inform an officer response to the draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies consultation.
Page 3
10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 No strategic assessment has been carried out. Alan Douglas Chief Officer: Regulation and Regeneration Date: 27 March 2025 Person to Contact: Elaine Troup Elaine.Troup@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendix: Appendix 1: Consultation on draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies: putting the climate change duties into practice (consultation-draft-statutory-guidance-public-bodies- putting-climate-change-duties-practice.pdf) Full Path https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/ publications/consultation-paper/2025/02/climate-change- duties-draft-statutory-guidance-public-bodies- consultation/documents/consultation-draft-statutory- guidance-public-bodies-putting-climate-change-duties- practice/consultation-draft-statutory-guidance-public- bodies-putting-climate-change-duties- practice/govscot%3Adocument/consultation-draft- statutory-guidance-public-bodies-putting-climate-change- duties-practice.pdf Background Papers: Wards Affected: All