Climate Change Reporting 2022-23
Argyll and Bute Council · 29 November 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 29 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Integration Joint Board Date of Meeting: 29 November 2023 Title of Report: Climate Change Reporting 2022/23 Presented by: James Gow / Keiran Fergusson The Integration Joint Board is asked to: Note that the IJB is required to submit a Climate Change Duties Report by 30 November; Approve the proposed submission attached as Appendix 1; Endorse the partnership approach taken by the HSCP in respect of its Climate Change Duties. 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 For a number of years all public bodies in Scotland have been legally required to submit and publish a Public Bodies Climate Change Report. This includes the IJB. This report provides the IJB with the proposed submission and a brief overview of how the HSCP is responding to Climate Change and Sustainability agenda, in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland. 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1 Climate Change legislation introduced by the Scottish Government requires all public bodies to report on their carbon emissions and provide information on how carbon reduction and climate change is governed. This report provides members of the Integration Joint Board (IJB) with an opportunity to review and approve the report for financial year 2022/23 in advance of its submission to the Sustainable Scotland Network by 30 November 2023. 2.2 Integration Joint Boards are unusual public bodies as they do not directly own assets or employ staff and therefore submit nil returns. This ensures that IJB returns do not double count emissions which are reported by Health Boards and Local Authorities. However, the submission does provide the opportunity to highlight some of the actions and projects which are intended to contribute to carbon reduction within the HSCP. This report also summarises some of the proposed developments which will improve HSCP’s approach to this agenda in the medium term. It is also apparent that there are increasing expectations from the Scottish Government that IJBs will take a more pro-active role in this policy area, although without providing substantial funding or direct access to existing funding to facilitate this.
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2 3. DETAIL OF REPORT 3.1 The draft climate change submission for the IJB is attached as appendix 1. As stated above, this is a nil return in respect of the calculation of carbon emissions as these are reported by NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council. The IJB is therefore placing significant reliance on the actions of both partners. 3.2 Argyll & Bute Council have a section on their web site which provides details on their approach to sustainability more widely as well as carbon reduction: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sustainable-development-and-climate-change They report a 28% reduction in emissions since 2015/16 and lay out a £1.2m investment plan to deliver on the net zero by 2045 goal. Several of the projects undertaken by the council will have a positive impact on emissions generated by HSCP activities. For example, these seek to reduce energy consumption and emissions relating to office accommodation, invest in the electric fleet and charging points and in renewable energy sources to power ICT infrastructure. 3.3 NHS Highland have also reported reduced carbon emissions. A recent Scottish Government summary indicates building related carbon emissions reported by NHS Highland reduced by 23% between in 2015/16 and 2021/22. The most recent NHS Scotland report is available from the link below, this outlines carbon emissions across from a range of activity drivers including buildings, medical gasses, prescribing, waste and fleet: https://www.gov.scot/publications/annual-nhs-scotland-climate-emergency- sustainability-report-2021-22/ Reporting does not appear to be complete for all health boards. The report summarises the Green Theatres work and highlights carbon emissions associated with medical gasses and some prescriptions such as inhalers. 3.4 The Argyll & Bute IJB and HSCP does not have responsibility or delegated budget for capital investment. This has made it difficult for it to prioritise carbon reduction projects. Carbon emissions predominately relate to energy usage within buildings with travel and transport being the second focus of attention. Insufficient investment in the estate overall has impacted on the suitability and standard of buildings as well as their energy efficiency performance. The HSCP has taken a lead in progressing a number of projects including: Electrification of the Argyll and Bute HSCP fleet; Direct funding secured for increasing electric vehicle charging points; Innovative project to pilot the use of drones in remote and island areas; Supporting increased use of remote / home working for patients, clients and staff; Business case submitted to implement a biomass generator at the Campbeltown Community Hospital; and Successful application for £60k in pre-capital funding to develop options for building related carbon reduction. Additionally the HSCP has improved its approach to the management of its infrastructure and estate as planned. The Senior Estates Development and Sustainability Manager has been appointed and an Infrastructure Board has
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3 been established to oversee the development of the Estates Strategy and ensure projects are appropriately prioritised. The return seeks to outline some of the pro-active steps being taken by the HSCP as well as highlighting the lack of specific direct resource allocation to progress this agenda. The HSCP has also highlighted to Scottish Government that it is not able to access some of its funding directly and therefore stage one in a funding application is to get agreement for one or other of its partners that it can apply for funding, this is not helpful or efficient. 4. RELEVANT DATA AND INDICATORS 4.1 IJB Carbon emissions reporting places reliance on data provided by Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland. 5 CONTRIBUTION TO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 5.1 Addressing climate change is a Scottish Government priority and their declaration of a climate emergency underlines their commitment. Specific and ambitious targets have been set and the HSCP is seeking to contribute to these where it can within the resources it has available. 6. GOVERNANCE IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Financial Impact – the HSCP has very limited financial resources available to it to progress this agenda. It does not have delegated responsibility for capital budgets or investment. 6.2 Staff Governance – None 6.3 Clinical Governance - None 7. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS 7.1 None 8. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES COMPLIANCE 8.1 None 9. RISK ASSESSMENT 9.1 The steps outlined in this report are intended to provide assurance of the actions being taken by the HSCP to reduce emissions, comply with the requirement to submit a climate change report and ensure it is perceived as being pro-active within the resources it has available to it. There remains a risk that the HSCP and / or its partners are perceived as not taking sufficient action to address climate change. Likewise there is a risk that the focus of financial and management resource on carbon reduction adversely impacts on resources available to support other priorities. 10. PUBLIC & USER INVOLVEMENT & ENGAGEMENT 10.1 The Climate Change submission will be made publicly available in due course.
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4 11. CONCLUSIONS 11.1 This report provides a draft Climate Change report and seeks IJB approval for its submission. It also outlines the reliance that the IJB places on both of its partners and the positive steps being taken by the HSCP to contribute to carbon reduction within the resources available. 12. DIRECTIONS Directions required to Council, NHS Board or both. Directions to: tick No Directions required √ Argyll & Bute Council NHS Highland Health Board Argyll & Bute Council and NHS Highland Health Board AUTHOR NAME: Keiran Ferguson, Strategic Estates & Sustainability & James Gow, Head of Finance and Transformation EMAIL: keiran.ferguson@nhs.scot / james.gow@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES: Appendix 1: Draft Climate Change Report