Climate Change Board Update & Decarbonisation Tracker
Argyll and Bute Council · 21 August 2025
Back to Policy and Resources Committee — 21 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE CLIMATE CHANGE BOARD 21st AUGUST 2025 CLIMATE CHANGE BOARD UPDATE & DECARBONISATION TRACKER 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report provides the Committee with an overview and update of recent activity completed or underway by the Climate Change Board. Included in the is an update is an insight and commentary around evolving national climate change policy landscape, focusing on the recent Scottish Government (SG) consultation on new statutory guidance for Public Bodies' Climate Change Duties. It details the key implications for the Council and outlines our proactive and strategic response. 1.2 Furthermore, the Council submitted a comprehensive and constructive response to the SG consultation, highlighting key considerations for rural and island authorities to help shape workable national policy. This response recommended phased implementation of new duties and emphasised the need for practical support from government. 1.3 The report provides also highlights examples of the Council's integrated approach to climate action, where resilience and emissions reduction are addressed simultaneously. These include the innovative, low-carbon engineering works at the Burnett Building and the strategic use of Nature Restoration Funding to assess our land assets for both carbon sequestration and climate adaptation benefits. 1.4 An update from the Council’s Decarbonisation Tracker confirms tangible progress across several key workstreams, including building energy efficiency, fleet transition planning, and the foundational work required to meet future mandatory Scope 3 reporting duties. 1.5 The report concludes by reaffirming the Council’s clear understanding of its evolving duties and its commitment to a pragmatic and evidence-based strategy that is tailored to the unique context of Argyll and Bute, ensuring we are well-positioned to meet future obligations.
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2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 That the Policy and Resources Committee is asked to: 2.1.1 Note and consider the contents of this report and the key implications for the Council arising from the Scottish Government’s consultation on new statutory guidance for Public Bodies' Climate Change Duties. 2.1.2 Note and consider the updates from the Climate Change Board including Drax LED installations, SG Consultation on draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies, Burnett Building Climate Adaptation, the Nature Restoration Fund Initiative, the climate change focussed work of the CPP, and the developments in the Kilmory grounds with ACT.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE CLIMATE CHANGE BOARD 21st AUGUST 2025 CLIMATE CHANGE BOARD UPDATE & DECARBONISATION TRACKER 3.0 INTRODUCTION 3.1 Since the last report to Policy & Resources Committee the Climate Change Board, including the Policy Lead for Climate Change and Environment, has continued to oversee and deliver relevant Climate Change activity. Main areas of activity include: 3.2 Consultation on draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies Response As outlined in the other report on today’s agenda titled CLIMATE CHANGE BOARD - PERFORMANCE REPORT & PUBLIC SECTOR DUTIES RETURN, the Council recently received confirmation and feedback on its annual carbon footprint via the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties report. 3.3 The Scottish Government recently concluded a comprehensive consultation on new draft statutory guidance for Public Bodies' Climate Change Duties. This consultation represents the first major update to the statutory framework since 2011, significantly expanding the expectations and requirements placed on public bodies including local authorities. One of the key activities of the Climate Change Board over the past quarter has been to respond comprehensively to this consultation due to its wide-ranging ramifications and implications for resourcing. 3.4 The proposed guidance introduces mandatory comprehensive Scope 3 emissions reporting from November 2027 and places a stronger emphasis on area-wide climate action, comprehensive adaptation planning, and sustainable development. This report outlines the Council's response to this evolving context and details the proactive work already underway that aligns with this new strategic direction. 3.5 The Council submitted a comprehensive formal response to the consultation, contributing to the development of workable national policy by highlighting key considerations for rural and island authorities. 3.6 The submission recommended phased implementation approaches to ensure successful delivery and to allow organisational capacity to be built over time. It also emphasised the need for practical, simplified tools for impact assessment that can be used effectively by non-specialist staff. 3.7 The response focused on constructive solutions to ensure the final guidance, when published, can be successfully implemented across all of Scotland's
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diverse local authorities, balancing national ambition with local operational realities. 3.8 The recent consultation on new statutory guidance signals a fundamental shift in the scale and nature of the Council’s climate change duties, moving from a position of guidance to one of legal compliance. The introduction of legally binding Carbon Budgets, for instance, will require a far more rigorous and structured approach to performance management than is currently in place. Our analysis of the draft guidance shows that meeting these enhanced requirements will demand substantial new investment in resources, particularly for developing robust data collection and management systems. Furthermore, the move towards mandatory reporting of Scope 3 emissions, especially for our complex supply chain, underscores the urgent need to build internal capacity and specialist expertise in carbon accounting and data analysis to ensure the Council can meet its future statutory obligations. 4.0 STRATEGIC CLIMATE ACTION EXAMPLES & ACTIVITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE BOARD 4.1 The Council's approach to integrated climate action is demonstrated through several current initiatives that combine adaptation and mitigation objectives within single interventions. This approach reflects the emerging concept of "Adaptive Mitigation," which places equal strategic emphasis on building resilience to climate impacts while achieving proportionate emissions reduction within local operational realities. 4.2 Burnett Building Climate Adaptation Project 4.2.1 The Burnett Building intervention on Campbeltown's waterfront provides a practical example of climate adaptation in action. Built in 1899 on reclaimed land, the building has experienced structural challenges directly attributable to current climate change impacts including rising sea levels, intensified rainfall patterns, and saltwater intrusion. 4.2.2 The Council's response utilised innovative, low-carbon engineering solutions through GEOBEAR's geopolymer injection technique. This achieved structural stabilisation while delivering significant carbon savings of approximately 50.7 tonnes, a reduction of nearly 78% compared to traditional methods. Crucially, this solution is not only carbon efficient but also cost efficient compared to traditional methods and lends itself well to future similar projects. 4.2.3 The project provides a replicable model for other coastal heritage assets facing similar climate pressures, demonstrating the practical integration of adaptation and mitigation in operational decision-making. 4.3 Nature Restoration Fund Initiative 4.3.1 The Council has agreed Phase 1 funding from the Nature Restoration Fund to begin a comprehensive assessment of Council land assets. This initiative demonstrates strategic integration of carbon sequestration, biodiversity restoration, and climate adaptation through nature-based solutions. 4.3.2 The programme will establish quantified baselines for sequestration potential and climate adaptation benefits across suitable Council land holdings. This
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dual-purpose approach ensures enhancement projects deliver measurable outcomes against both mitigation and adaptation objectives while supporting biodiversity recovery targets and building internal capacity for natural asset management. 5.0 DECARBONISATION TRACKER UPDATES 5.1 The Council maintains routine progress monitoring through its Decarbonisation Tracker system. The latest update confirms tangible progress on estate energy efficiency, including the rollout of enhanced building management system controls and the installation of renewable heat pilots, such as Air Source Heat Pumps, to gather performance data for future capital programmes. The Council have installed 4G communications systems at 33 sites, primarily schools, enabling remote access to Building Management Systems (BMS). This technology allows for quicker, more efficient, and more effective methodology for monitoring and energy management activities. Additionally, the team has completed the installation of Thermostatic Radiator Valves throughout Cardross Primary School, Islay High School, and Dunbeg Primary School. These installations provide improved temperature control and energy efficiency in these educational facilities. 5.2 In transport, fleet optimisation measures are being implemented, including targeted driver efficiency training and route analysis to reduce fuel consumption. This work complements ongoing transition planning for vehicle electrification. 5.3 To prepare for future mandatory Scope 3 reporting, foundational work is underway, including the development of a sustainable procurement charter to engage our supply chain and initial scoping for the required data systems. 5.4 The tracker system is also used to proactively monitor and manage operational risks, such as national supply chain pressures and changes to external funding landscapes, allowing for adaptive forward planning. 6.0 COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP CLIMATE ACTIVITIES 6.1 The Council's climate work includes comprehensive Community Planning Partnership arrangements, recognising that effective climate action requires coordinated effort across multiple agencies and community stakeholders alongside the Council's own operational activities. The CPP has established dedicated governance structures including Climate Change Working and Steering Groups, supported by a dedicated Climate Change Project Manager to coordinate partnership activities. 6.2 The partnership has developed the Argyll and Bute Climate Action Strategy, funded by CPP partners including the Council, with project leadership hosted by Argyll Countryside Trust. This comprehensive strategy received formal approval in April 2025, establishing a region-wide, community-led approach to achieving net-zero and climate resilience through extensive engagement with communities and stakeholders across Argyll and Bute.
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6.3 The strategy establishes the vision that "We make Argyll and Bute climate ready by acting together to understand and adapt to our changing climate." The CPP maintains a dedicated climate change signposting page providing information and resources, alongside monthly climate funding opportunity searches to support community and partnership climate action initiatives. 6.4 This collaborative framework ensures that Council climate actions align with broader community objectives while maximising impact through coordinated delivery across multiple agencies. The partnership approach recognises that the most significant climate challenges and opportunities extend beyond individual organisational boundaries and require collective action to achieve meaningful progress towards regional climate resilience and net-zero objectives. 7.0 DRAX FOUNDATION: LED LIGHTING PROGRAMME FOR SCHOOLS 7.1 The Council has successfully partnered with the DRAX Foundation to deliver a fully funded programme to upgrade lighting to energy-efficient LEDs in seven schools located in the area surrounding Cruachan Power Station. At the time of writing this report, the installation programme is reaching its successful conclusion. This represents a strategic investment of partnership funding of approximately £148,000 to make Council’s learning estate more energy efficient. We will continue to work with DRAX and other similar partners to develop future projects. 7.2 The upgrades have been completed at Park Primary School, Taynuilt Primary School, Inveraray Primary School, Dunbeg Primary School, Dalmally Primary School, Barcaldine Primary School, and Lochnell Primary School. This initiative not only delivers significant energy efficiency savings, contributing to the Council's decarbonisation targets, but has also substantially improved the quality of the learning environment for pupils and staff across these sites. The Council is grateful to the DRAX Foundation for their generous support in delivering this valuable project. 8.0 WOODLAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR KILMORY 8.1 Argyll and Bute Council has commissioned Argyll Countryside Trust (ACT) to prepare a Woodland Management Plan for Kilmory Woodland, including a proposal for the restoration of Kilmory Walled Garden. The Woodland Management Plan will provide a comprehensive baseline review of Kilmory Estate’s woodland resource and recommendations for future management. It will address the barriers communities face to regularly visiting and benefitting from the woodlands. The plan will focus on encouraging more use and enjoyment of the woodlands by local people. It will draw together the unique combination of activities and interests within and around the woodland park, including productive forestry requiring assessment, access routes, outdoor learning, social enterprise, a rainforest hub, volunteer activity, a prize plant collection in the Victorian walled garden, development of a business park, and Argyll and Bute Councils’ headquarters. 8.2 ACT will also prepare a phased and costed restoration plan for Kilmory Walled Garden, including a detailed plant inventory utllising historical records and detailed tree and vegetation surveys, a proposed programme of works including establishing a tree risk assessment process, and a volunteer engagement
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strategy. The plans will be completed within 12 months of commissioning in June 2025 9.0 CONCLUSION 9.1 This report demonstrates the Council’s clear understanding of the evolving statutory climate duties and its proactive stance in preparing for them. Our strategic approach provides a robust framework for action that is tailored to the unique context of Argyll and Bute. 9.2 Practical examples such as the Burnett Building and Nature Restoration Fund initiatives show this strategy in action, delivering integrated and cost-effective solutions that build resilience and reduce emissions simultaneously. This evidence-based approach ensures the Council is well-positioned to meet its future obligations in a way that is both responsible and delivers lasting value for our communities 10.0 IMPLICATIONS 10.1 Policy The final statutory guidance will necessitate a review of the Council’s climate-related policies to ensure full compliance and will inform the continued development of the Net Zero Route Map. 10.2 Financial New duties, particularly around adaptation and Scope 3 reporting, will have resource implications. Proactive work on externally funded projects (e.g., Nature Restoration Fund) and cost-efficient solutions (e.g., Burnett Building) demonstrates a commitment to prudent financial management. 10.3 Legal The report outlines the evolving legal duties for the Council under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, as shaped by the new statutory guidance. 10.4 HR As noted in the consultation response, meeting the new duties will require ongoing upskilling and capacity building across services, which will be integrated into existing professional development frameworks 10.5 Customer Service The Community Planning Partnership provides a public-facing resource via its climate change signposting web page, enhancing access to information for residents. 10.6 Risk The report identifies and addresses climate-related risks (e.g., infrastructure vulnerability at the Burnett Building) and the strategic risks associated with non- compliance with evolving statutory duties. The Decarbonisation Tracker is used to monitor and manage operational delivery risks.
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10.7 Climate Change The entire report is dedicated to outlining the Council's strategic response to its climate change duties, covering mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development. 10.8 Fairer Scotland Duty 10.9 Equalities – protected characteristics The principles of a Just Transition are embedded in the strategic approach, ensuring climate actions are developed and implemented equitably. 10.10 Consumer Duty The Council's consultation response explicitly considered socio-economic impacts, and the Community Planning Partnership's community-led strategy ensures local needs are central to climate action. 10.11 Island Communities The consultation response specifically highlighted the unique challenges and considerations for our island communities. 10.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing The proactive approach to building a climate- resilient and sustainable region supports the general principles of protecting the wellbeing of children and future generations. Douglas Hendry, Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services Policy Lead Climate Change & Environment, Councillor Luna Martin For Further Information:- Ross McLaughlin, Head of Commercial Services Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre ross.mclaughlin@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix A - Climate Change Decarbonisation Tracker – July 2025 Appendix B – Climate Change Draft Guidance Consultation Response
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Appendix A – Climate Change Decarbonisation Plan Tracker – July 2025 ACTION LEAD (L) AND PARTNERS TARGET or MILESTONE FUNDING COMMENTS W1 –Develop and Implement Waste Strategy (L) Roads and Amenity Services, Community, commercial customers Implementation of the Waste Strategy transitioning to Landfill ban compliant Residual Waste Recovery solutions by 2025. External funding and support being sought from the Scottish Government Please see Environment, Development & Infrastructure Reports – links below: WASTE UPDATE.pdf (argyll- bute.gov.uk) Waste Update – EDI committee 20/6/24 GENERAL WASTE UPDATE.pdf EDI committee 12/9/24 Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee 19/12/24 – Waste Landfill Ban Update WASTE LANDFILL BAN UPDATE Environmental, Development and Infrastructure Committee – Waste Landfill Ban Update 19/6/25 WASTE LANDFILL BAN UPDATE 002 004.pdf W2 – Promote the Waste Hierarchy through community Education (L) Roads and Amenity Services Evidence of community Education Not secured New Web content and Education materials for Primary and Secondary Schools were developed and delivered to online Education Environment Summit October 21 and the COP 26 Event on the 6th November 21. Advised that this action has paused/stopped. W3 – Reduce Council use of disposable and single use plastics across all departments and settings (L) Procurement and Commercial Services, all Council Services Adoption of new working practices and procurement No specific funding in place, research required to impact on operation costs A report on Single Use Plastic went to the Policy and Resources Committee on 9 December 2021, and the following recommendations were approved: • Note and consider that the various Services that currently
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purchase SUP products consider whether these products are essential or if there is a potential alternative that would meet the Service requirements, prior to orders being placed via PECOS or contacting the Procurement, Commercial and Contract Management Team (PCCMT) for a procurement process to be carried out. • Note and consider that the Sustainable Procurement Policy will be updated to reflect the Climate Change Board desire to limit SUP where possible –wording has been included in the Annual Review 2023/2024 version of the Procurement Strategy 2022/2025 as follows: “To provide procurement support to any strategic decisions taken by the Council in relation to the usage of Single Use Plastic products and their recyclability.” • Note and consider that the Commodity Sourcing Strategy templates used for Regulated Procurements have been updated to include a question regarding SUP. Changes in legislation were brought into force by the Scottish Government on the 1st June 2022 restricting single-use plastic cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers and balloon sticks, expanded polystyrene food containers and expanded polystyrene cups and other beverage containers, as well as all
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products made of oxo-degradable plastic. Some products already changed and others under review. W4 – Extend and explore pre-ordering for school food to reduce food waste (L) Commercial Services and Education Evidence of extension of pre-ordering & food waste reduction Project funded and solution procured Full implementation of Cashless Catering and Pre-ordering system is completed. E1 – Deliver Renewable Sourcing Strategy 2 (L) Commercial Services Adoption of Strategy RSS2 consultancy work funding to be confirmed; expectation is that project implementation will be through combinations of prudential borrowing (subject to business case approvals) and/or external funding. RSS2 next stage development work includes specification development and preparation of invitation to tender for specialist consultancy support. Current work in progress; intended to be market tested early 2024. It is now considered that RSS2 will be included within the Net Zero Routemap. Following limited response from hubNorth and some discussions with other potential providers, we have gone to the market with a further RFI and responses received in June 2024 will be used in the development of the procurement strategy for Argyll & Bute Council Net Zero Routemap. Net Zero Route Map is currently being rescoped following returns of RFIs. Opportunities to take a refined set of offers to the market are currently being explored. It is expected the NZRM will be co-developed in-house alongside specialist external partner/s. The Council is in an advanced stage of developing a comprehensive Net Zero Route Map that is currently in draft form and will be subject to an engagement and approval process in due course. Once ratified, this will
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replace our existing decarbonisation plan and provide the structured delivery mechanism for our climate change priorities. E2 – Delivery of Non-domestic Energy Efficiency Framework (NDEEF) Projects (L) Commercial Services Evidence of delivery of projects Project development work is funded by combinations of the Scottish Government and the procured provider (costs absorbed within the tender process). Funding for project implementation will come from Council approved capital allocations: • Climate Change 20/21 - £500K • Climate Change 21/22 - £600K • Asset Sustainability – £175K Non Domestic Energy Efficiency Fund (NDEEF1) Energy Performance Contract was signed on 16 July 2021 (circa £1.25m investment with 10 year payback). The originally intended mini project list has been fully delivered. Following on from the P&R Committee report in May 2023: May PR - Climate Change -NDEEF Progress update.pdf (argyll-bute.gov.uk), four final mini projects, which were added as contract variations, remained to be implemented. Tarbert School LED lighting was installed in the 2023 school summer recess; Kilmory Nursery solar pv was installed in September 2023; the intended low carbon heating solution and pv installation at Cardross PS have been intentionally delayed whilst we try to access a recently launched funding scheme: Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund | Salix Finance. A bid was submitted by the 5/12/23 fund deadline (value £460K with the Council needing to contribute 20% of that). Bid outcomes will be communicated February 2024. Bid was unsuccessful and subsequently £150k of funding which was in the 2025/26 capital plan for a replacement heating system has been brought forward. Delivery of the high efficiency heating system will be Summer 2024. High efficiency heating system installed and commissioned during Summer 2024
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including full BEMS controls upgrade and 4G wireless router install for remote monitoring of system and optimisation of performance. 86kW roof mounted solar PV system installed and commissioned at Cardross Primary School during October 2024 school holidays. This was the final NDEEF1 mini project and now concludes the installation phase of this project. The Monitoring and Verification (M+V) Phase undertaken by the independent M+V Specialists EEVS Insight Ltd will run until Q3 2025. The final 15% contract retention payment will be released on successful independent verification of the Investment Grade Proposal (IGP) energy savings. In addition to the above, the procurement sourcing strategy for the next batch of sites, using designation NDEEF2, is under way. A spend to save investment of £2Million is being targeted. Awaiting formal Scottish Government launch of new NDEEF framework which is currently expected Oct 2024. Launch date of new framework now anticipated to be Jan/Feb 2025. New NDEEF framework delayed until Oct 2025 at the earliest. Approximately £1M of spend to save investment on energy efficiency projects is now being targeted to be delivered.
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E3 – Delivery of additional solar installations at Council assets (L) Commercial Services Evidence of delivery of projects Consultancy work funding to be confirmed; expectation is that project implementation will be through combinations of prudential borrowing (subject to business case approvals) and/or external funding. Best solar pv opportunities are being delivered within NDEEF (Ref item E2) and advantage is also being taken to install solar pv solutions within the asset sustainability capital programme where possible e.g. as a component of roof upgrades. The potential for a large solar pv ground array at the Kilmory Estate is currently being limited due to electric grid constraints – engagement with SSEN is ongoing to try to identify solutions. The Council now has 27no solar pv installations in operation amounting to over 1.3MW capacity. DRAX have offered installation of free solar pv at Dalmally PS as part of the community benefits flowing from the planned expansion of Ben Cruachan power station. Discussions have been going on from June 2024. No significant updates on DRAX solar offer except the Dalmally proposal has been deemed not-financially viable by DRAX. Alternative sites or technologies are currently being considered. DRAX have given initial support to a request to fund a replacement PV system at Taynuilt Primary School. A costed quote is now required from the council to secure the funding circa £26k E4 – Delivery of Water Efficiency Audits across our Estate (L) Commercial Services Evidence of delivery of projects Works items are generally small scale and are being funded through existing approved budgets where possible; Significant Council wide asset verification exercise and ensuring water use minimised.
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otherwise costs will be met from savings generated. The asset verification element of this project is substantially complete and substantial savings have been identified and recovered. A case study is being prepared to demonstrate the range of tasks undertaken and to convey the scale of savings made and refunds received. The final stage of work involves an exercise to reduce water consumption (with carbon emissions reduction) over a number of sites and is underway. Program to introduce Water efficiency measures has commenced and will be complete by Q1 2025. Costs finalised and a program developed for the introduction of water efficiency measures focussing on reducing consistent excessive consumption at public toilets. Material water savings have been identified and recovered, with a focused programme to introduce water efficiency measures set to conclude by Q1 2025. Program to reduce water use at public toilets ongoing and will now run until Q4 2025. E5– Delivery of Energy Efficiency Scotland Programme (L) Housing Services, Registered Social Landlords Evidence of delivery of projects Funding amounts are determined by localised factors and is paid as a proportion of the Scottish Governments’ Heat In Buildings Strategy In July 2025 Argyll and Bute Council was awarded a Grant of £2,229,827 through the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland – Area Based Scheme (ABS) to facilitate the installation of insulation measures to privately owned and privately rented properties in mainland and island addresses throughout Argyll and Bute. Non-means tested grants of between
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£9,000 and £21,600 are available to eligible households for the application of insulation, helping to significantly reduce household consumption of energy on a “Fabric First” basis contributing towards the Scottish Government’s carbon reduction targets. The Council also continues to investigate avenues to work in partnership with RSLs in Argyll and Bute. Whilst these carbon reductions do not contribute directly to the Council’s Decarbonisation Plan they help to reduce carbon usage across Argyll and Bute. E6 – Complete LED streetlight replacement programme (L) Roads and Infrastructure Services Evidence of delivery of projects Fully funded through prudential borrowing The Council has 14442 streetlights in total so carbon emissions have already been greatly reduced by the LED Upgrade Project. Now only limited numbers of wall mounted and decorative / heritage style lanterns / luminaires require to be converted to LED. These works should be completed this financial year 2025/26. In 2015/16, figures were CO2 totals – 3140 tonnes. 2024/25 emissions were 720 tonnes in total. Year to date (end of May 2025) carbon totals – 90 tonnes. E7 – Continue support of ABRA and review Renewable Energy Strategy annually (L) Economic Development Evidence of delivery of projects Officer resource to support currently funded ABRA met in October 2024 and reviewed the REAP, a revised Action Plan is being prepared. ABRA met May 2025. SSE Networks continue upgrade works to transmission grid to
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275kv. Carbon Neutral Islands Capital Fund projects for 2024/25 continue to progress and applications are being prepared for 2025/26 funding. Work has commenced on a review of Council guidance on community benefits associated with renewable developments and will be informed by the Scottish Government review which started early in 2025. E8 – Continue support for offshore development of renewables (L) Economic Development Evidence of delivery of projects (expected late 2020s/early 2030s) Officer resource to support currently funded Scottish Power Renewables are progressing the Machair Wind project and ESB are progressing Malin Wind, both are expecting to seek consent during the mid-2020s with generation commencing in the early 2030s. T1 – Develop a Fleet Replacement Strategy supportive of fuel efficient, electric and hybrid vehicles (L) Roads and Infrastructure Services Adoption of Strategy Part for current financial year The Fleet Replacement Strategy is complete but is subject to on-going change in line with legislative changes as it is an operational document. T2 – Develop a vehicle routing system that will reduce road miles for operations (L) Roads and Infrastructure Services Evidence of delivery of projects Part for current financial year This is progressing. The project has slipped slightly due to staff availability and the data gathering and cleansing stage taking longer than we might have hoped. There was a report to EDI in March which sets out the revised position and project timeline. T3 – Develop an electric vehicle infrastructure strategy (L) Roads and Infrastructure Services Evidence of delivery of projects Part for current financial year The development of the EV network is funded by external grant monies from Transport Scotland, and the costs of developing the strategy in terms of staff time are covered via existing budgets Ultimately the cost recovery model The strategy and expansion plan is in place – we cannot move forward with a delivery programme until such time as our funding from SG is confirmed. The national EVIF programme is seeing some delays and changes in guidance and application process. All Councils are in the same position and we are in discussions with TS/SG on how the
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programme will operate going forward and when we are likely to see a funding award. We have, through a separate fund accessed via HiTRANS, progressed the installation of 8 new rapid chargers across the area in the last quarter of 2023 and these are in place and being well used. This brings our network up to 37. We have also introduced new charges which are designed to cover all asset management costs for the network. These costs fall now to the Council after having previously been funded through grants. We are also continuing to progress installs at Council hub offices with the next sites being Union St Rothesay and Kintyre House Campbeltown. We have now secured a provisional allocation of £1million from Scottish Government to expand our EV network and are currently out to tender for a site assessment exercise. Further reports on this will be made to EDI committee as appropriate. T4 – Support Digital by Default theme Service Review & Recovery Plan to reduce need to travel All Council Departments Evidence of delivery of projects Part for current financial year Council is adopting ‘Our Modern Workspace’ programme and Digital First approach as services change and evolve post pandemic. T5 – Develop new active travel plans for Council buildings and our towns (L) Economic Development Evidence of delivery of projects No active travel funding is provided by Council. All costs, including internal The purpose of active travel is to make it as easy as possible and help to
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staff costs (1.7FTE), have to be funded via successfully securing external challenge funds. As all active travel work is currently reliant on securing external funding, the projects which are progressed are those which can successfully secure external challenge funding. External competitive challenge funds are time consuming to secure and projects have to be shaped to fit with external funders’ aspirations and requirements by the 1.7FTE Active Travel staff in the Strategic Transportation Team. However, at present these are the only available source(s) of funding made available to deliver active travel improvements. 2023/24 Progress The 1.7FTE Active Travel Team secured £2.56M external challenge funding in 23/24 for development and delivery of 22 active travel projects across Argyll and Bute, requiring 18 separate competitive challenge funding applications to 5 separate funds. Projects funded via the active travel team within Strategic Transportation in 2023/24 included: • New cycle parking at the community owned Port Ellen Playing Fields Community Development, Islay. encourage individuals, businesses and visitors to choose to walk, wheel or cycle for local journeys. Increasing activity and reducing sedentary behaviour has significant health benefits and can increase accessibility to essential services, education, employment, retail and leisure. Walking and cycling are lower cost travel modes and, if they are a viable option, can help the 20% of households (2022 census) reduce social isolation and other households reduce their reliance on private cars, particularly multiple car households (34% of Argyll and Bute households; 2022 census). No Council funding is currently expended on Active Travel work, with all costs, including internal staff costs (1.7FTE), having to be funded via successfully securing external challenge funds. As all active travel work is currently reliant on securing external funding, therefore the projects which are progressed are those which can successfully secure external challenge funding. Argyll and Bute Active Travel Strategy: Officers are working to develop an Argyll and Bute Active Travel Strategy and present it to members for approval. The Active Travel Strategy will provide the overarching context for the Council to support and promote active travel across the Council area. Having an adopted and current Active Travel Strategy is increasingly becoming a pre-requirement to access Scottish
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• Funded Cycling UK to run the Dunoon Cycle Bothy • Funded ACT to upcycle 65 bikes to return to the local Mid-Argyll Community to increase opportunities to cycle. • Creation of new Smartphone Apps for Tobermory and Bowmore (adding to the existing popular apps for Campbeltown, Dunoon, Helensburgh, Oban and Rothesay) • Design work progressed for ambitious walking and cycling projects including: • Campbeltown, commenced initial design work on Phase 4 Active Travel Improvements (Esplanade and Kinloch Park) (initial Feasibility). • Dunoon, Town Centre to Hunters Quay Active Travel route (Concept Design). • Helensburgh: Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath (Developed Design)and Helensburgh – Garelochhead Cycleway (final Technical Design). • Islay, Bowmore to Bridgend Path (with Islay Community Access Group) (final Technical Design). • Jura, Craighouse to Corran Sands Active Travel Route (Concept Design). • Lochgilphead: Front Green to Crinan Canal (Concept Design)and Town Centre to Joint Campus Active Travel Routes (final Technical Design). Government derived active travel funding. Active Travel Delivery Plan: Following approval of Active Travel Strategy, an Active Travel Delivery Plan will be developed to create a prioritised list of active travel projects for the whole of Argyll and Bute. Active Travel Projects: The majority of external funding available is provided by the Scottish Government via a number of distribution organisations who are paid to distribute these funds. The focus for Scottish Government Active Travel funding is to develop and deliver infrastructure projects and associated behaviour change. As such, the focus for the very limited staff capacity in the Active Travel Team has been to develop and deliver infrastructure projects across Argyll and Bute with a focus on our main towns and locations with strong community support. Active Travel Plans for Towns: There are Active Travel Plans in place for the main towns in Argyll and Bute, albeit some are now quite historic. The town Active Travel Plans focus on identifying potential active travel route networks for key towns. These provide a framework for the development of new active travel routes, which will enable and encourage residents, businesses and visitors to choose to travel more actively. No funding is currently secured to enable
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• Rothesay, Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Improvements (Concept Design). Oban, Oban Town Centre North Active Travel Improvements (George St and Corran Esplanade) (Concept Design) – concept design proposals rejected by OLI Area Committee on 25 June 2024. the Active Travel Plans for towns to be updated. Council Staff Travel Plan: Officers are exploring options to develop a Council Staff Travel Plan. However, this is challenging due to the ongoing uncertainty of longer-term staff profiles and bases. There is currently no funding secured to enable this work to be progressed. It should be noted that successful Staff Travel Plans require to have strong support from senior managers/elected members, who also require to act in accordance with the Plan, and from enabling departments, e.g. finance and HROD. Once developed, to be fully effective it is likely that a Staff Travel Plan would require changes to the Council’s travel policies and expenses policies. Staff Travel Plans focus on measures to make it easier and preferable for staff to choose to walk, cycle, use public transport or car share to commute to work or for work journeys, or use economical pool vehicles for work journeys. A travel plan should encourage staff to choose the most economical and least environmentally damaging travel mode. Engagement will be required with services which manage staff in buildings and/or council buildings as this is essential to creating deliverable and effective travel plans for staff. This includes Estates, HROD, SMT and building users.
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PA1 – Review Council Flooding & Coastal Protection Policy (L) Roads and Infrastructure Services Review of policy No specific funding in place, research required to impact on operation costs Reviews are in process. PA2 – Review Council Sustainable Procurement Policy (L) Procurement Review of policy No specific funding in place, research required to impact on operation costs The Sustainable Procurement Policy has been merged with the Procurement Strategy for 2025-2028 to create the Sustainable Procurement Strategy, this will continue to be reviewed on an annual basis. OFF1 – Develop opportunities for environmental sustainability projects with ACT and partners (L) Climate Change Board, ACT and partners Delivery of projects Limited funding via ACT for existing projects SSEN compensatory planting – Phase 1 and 2 complete at Kilmory. Ongoing maintenance. ACT working with community and SSEN to develop a BNG project in Cowal which if approved would see 50 hectares of Rainforest cleared of invasive rhododendrons and form part of the landscape scale rainforest restoration project in West Cowal. ACT is leading a landscape scale rainforest restoration project in Knapdale, working with agency funders and private investors. Both projects are endorsed by the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest. https://savingscotlandsrainforest.org.uk/projects ACT is delivering a 5-year programme of native tree planting with Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition. We have started the planting of 100,000 trees in West Cowal. This planting will offer opportunities for carbon credits for landowners.
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With support from National Lottery Heritage Fund , Nature Restoration Fund and DRAX, ACT have established a Rainforest Squad to undertake a programme of training in woodland management, The Squad are currently clearing Rhododendron ponticum from rainforest in North Knapdale and are based at ACT Rainforest Hub at Kilmory, where ACTs MAKI Pups, tree nursery and ReCycle project are also based. The Hub is being used for community training and workshops, volunteer activities. ACT undertaking peatland restoration on Islay, Jura and Kintyre supported by ScotGov’s Peatland Action and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, we also have a habitat trainee 1- year opportunity . ACT now employes 34 people across Argyll and Bute in the environmental sector. ACT is hosting the Community Planning Partnership’s Climate Action Manager to develop a Climate Action Strategy and Action Plan over a 2 year period. The CPP agreed an approach of developing an enabling strategy early in order to allow more space to focus on developing the action plan. The CPP Management Committee approved the enabling strategy at its December 2024 meeting and the Action Plan is now under development, structured around the Priority Areas for Action agreed by the Management Committee. The CPP’s Climate Change Working Group ran a workshop in March 2025 to review the first draft of the Action Plan, ensuring alignment of structure with other action plans across CPP members. In the wake of recent storms across Argyll and Bute, resilience has been
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increasingly prominent in feedback so far received from CPP partners and the wider community, including the first round of 2025 Area Community Planning Groups. This is reflected in the Action Plan at its current stage of development. The CPP in December agreed to review periodically the spread of actions across the Priority Areas it had agreed, and an early consideration may be the extent to which to emphasise resilience among the broader set of Priority Areas: In addition, ACT has secured funding for 25-26 to continue partnership with the Third Sector Interface and Time for Change to deliver the ABCAN (Argyll and Bute Climate Action Network) Hub. The ABCAN project, which is Scottish Government funded, has supported 17 community groups with funding to undertake climate action in 24 /25, 56 since ABCAN was launched in late 23.totalling over £50k. The Team continues to engage with local communities on climate action, climate literacy, place planning with a climate lens and working to develop the partnership network across Argyll & Bute and engaging with the strategic activity of the CPP Climate project. • ABCAN collaborated with Sniffer/Adaptation Scotland and the Mod Committee and launched a bilingual version of the ‘Climate Community Adaptation Routemap’ during Mod week in Oban. This smaller introductory version of the Routemap will work to address the lack of climate change materials in Gaelic, prompting future developments in translation and
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community access to climate change information. • ABCAN staff carry on the work of the Sustainable Food Partnership. Two events have run at the end of FY 24/25 to build the localised networks which will enable the creation of an SFP. All this work will support and underpin any future work on the Good Food Nation Act Carbon Literacy Training – Free CL training has been on offer to all A&B residents for the past year and over 15 officers and management have attended this training. ACT is keen to support Argyll and Bute Council in achieving Carbon Literate Organisation silver accreditation. Climate resilience workshops have also been delivered online and in person throughout Argyll and Bute. • ACT worked with A&B Education and the Developing the Young Workforce to host and deliver the multi school Landscapes and Natural Diversity STEM event at Kilmory in March 25 . We continue to work with all relevant partners to both deliver on appropriate climate change education but also look to link with resilient skillsets and employers, within nature restoration, and beyond in the renewable sectors. • ACT delivered a ‘healthy happy homes event in Helensburgh in January 25 working with Argyll & Bute Council, Home energy Scotland, Poverty alliance etc. (Over 120 attendees)
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• Work continues on deliveryOutdoor STEM Learning at Kilmory (adjacent MAKI Pups), working with every Primary class at Lochgilphead Primary. Work with rural schools in Mid Argyll will take place at, or around, the school grounds. Additionally we are continuing our work with the many home educating families who attended sessions last academic year. • The Outdoor STEM team delivered a climate resilience workshop to teachers and other educators, through the Outdoor Woodland Learning group in mid-September 24. This session was based on developing school grounds to be increasingly climate resilient. • reCycle is fully operational again thanks to funding from Grants for All COMMUNITY PROJECT TRANSITION FUND, HITRANS People & Place Programme, and the Argyll & the Islands Community Led Local Development Fund • Working to the aim of encouraging people to cycle as part of their everyday short journeys has climate outcomes, whilst also addressing rural travel poverty, health and wellbeing improvement, and waste reduction through bicycle reuse. COMM1- Develop and deliver Communications Plan to support Decarbonisation Plan (L) Climate Change Board and Delivery of Communications Plan Part of Communications Support External communications We continue to promote actions the council is taking, and actions that others can take, to
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Communications Team develop climate-friendly Argyll and Bute. For example: • Promoted Outdoor Classroom Day and the excellent outdoor learning opportunities in Argyll and Bute. • Promotion of council’s new fuel-efficient Pingo bus. • Better Journeys Active Travel Scheme – comms campaign and photo winner. • Ongoing promotion of various active travel consultations in Argyll and Bute. • Council’s announced Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy priorities. • Islay received share of £1 million from Scottish Government’s Carbon Neutral Islands (CND) Capital Fund. • Shared success of Grow Food Grow Dunoon, Rosneath Proud and Scenic Sandbank being recognised by KSB on work to improve communities for climate changes, nature and people through national “It’s Your Neighbourhood Initiative”. • Ran a successful Argyll and Bute wide schools recycling competition. • Bute Community Forest won Community Led Regeneration category at 2024 SURF awards. • Month-long festive recycling social media campaign. • New Active Travel Strategy. • Promotion of help available through Home Energy Scotland. • From field to fork and zero air miles - Jura Small Isles School adds local venison to the menu.
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• Promotion of Islay High School’s bee- keeping club. • Ongoing recycling help and advice on social media platforms. • Promotion of the council’s Home Energy Efficiency Team drop in events in Campbeltown and Dunoon. • Share, Repair, Aware campaign. • Funding for Strategic Housing Fund for Housing Emergency projects. • Council or join leading energy efficient programme. • As part of ongoing commitment to deliver a net zero Argyll and Bute, the council responded to SG consultation about community benefit funds • Promotion of active travel holiday apps. • Shared Love Food Hate Waste’s Easter recycling campaign on social media platforms • Re-launched the council’s Be A Great Visitor Campaign to run from April until September. • Celebrated wild venison in schools project winning the UK’s Best Sustainable Project at the Public Sector Catering Awards 2025. • Supported No Mow May. • Promoted Burnett Building in Campbeltown – conservation via environmentally friendly means. • Celebrated Oban High winning the Keep Scotland Beautiful Eco Committee of the Year Award. • Encouraged people mto vote for Dunoon Grammar after school was shortlisted in the People’s Choice Award for reusable water bottles.
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• Promotion of HIRTANS funding for active travel infrastructure in the workplace. • Ongoing promotion about recycling and food waste. • Bike Week social media posts. COMM2 - Engage with community and partners and deliver Climate Change Directory for our region (L) Community Planning and Development Team Delivery of engagement map In place until end of financial year The CPP Climate Change signposting page is available at https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/cpp-climate- change with information and links updated as required. The Climate Change Project Manager, appointed by the CPP, has worked with the CPP Climate Change Working and Steering Groups to write the Argyll and Bute CPP Climate Change Strategy. This strategy has been approved by the CPP Management Committee and is available with appendices on the signposting page. A dedicated Climate Change funding opportunities search is conducted monthly and is also available through the signposting page. (see also updates from ACT and partners within this report) COMM3 - Monitor the delivery of actions in the Climate Change Action Plan and review in 2025 (L) Climate Change Board Review of this plan by December 2025 Monitored through Tracker to be submitted quarterly to Policy & Resources Committee. Completed – next review Dec 2025
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Appendix B - Consultation on draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies: response The consultation can be found here 1. With respect to the protected characteristics, could the content of the Statutory Guidance be changed or added to, to strengthen any positive impacts or lessen any negative impacts as it is implemented by public bodies? Yes. To be effective, particularly for authorities managing diverse geographical areas including island and remote rural communities and facing resource limitations, the guidance must incorporate more practical, simplified tools for assessing equalities impacts by non-specialist staff. It should advocate for a phased approach, acknowledging the time needed to build capacity for comprehensive assessments. Crucially, it needs to champion robust cross-departmental collaboration and clear governance to ensure equalities are integral to climate action across all services, rather than an isolated or under-resourced task. Explicit reference to duties under all relevant equalities legislation, including the Islands (Scotland) Act, would reinforce this. 2. With respect to inequality caused by socio-economic disadvantage, could the content of the Statutory Guidance be changed or added to, to strengthen any positive impacts or lessen any negative impacts as it is implemented by public bodies? Yes. The guidance requires practical strengthening to address socio-economic disadvantage effectively. It should provide clear decision-making frameworks and operational tools for frontline teams, enabling them to assess and mitigate negative impacts in communities facing challenges such as fuel poverty or limited rural transport. This is vital for authorities operating with constrained resources. The guidance must better address the temporal challenge of balancing urgent climate action with ensuring a just transition, offering methods to sequence interventions appropriately. Stronger support for cross-departmental collaboration is needed for holistic socio-economic impact assessments to inform climate strategies effectively. 3. Does the guidance make it clear how public bodies can fulfil the requirement to ‘best calculate’ the climate impact of their actions? Partially. While the aspiration is clear, the guidance currently lacks sufficiently practical and simplified tools or methodologies for calculating climate impact that are usable by non-specialist staff working within existing operational constraints and limited resources. Authorities, especially those with restricted technical capacity or fragmented data, need clearer frameworks for prioritising material emissions and guidance on proportionate, minimum acceptable calculation approaches. Acknowledging the temporal aspect of building this capability, through a staged approach, and promoting cross-departmental data governance and shared responsibility would significantly improve clarity and successful implementation.
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4. Does the guidance make it clear how public bodies should take future climate scenarios into account when making plans and investment decisions? No, the guidance is not adequately clear or practical here. There is a pressing need for simplified, actionable guidance and tools, such as adaptable risk assessment templates or relevant modelling examples, to enable authorities to effectively select and apply climate scenarios within established operational, financial, and capital planning processes. This is particularly pertinent given existing budget cycles and significant resource limitations. The guidance must better address the challenge of managing differing timescales (e.g., short-term budgets versus long-term scenarios) and proactively support cross-departmental consistency. Centralised climate scenario data and analysis would be invaluable for authorities with limited in-house technical expertise. 5. Do you have any comments about the guidance provided in this chapter (chapter 5) on complying with the first duty? While the chapter's thematic focus for emissions reduction is understood, it does not sufficiently address the practical operational realities, acute resource constraints (including skilled personnel and finance), or the temporal complexities of balancing immediate actions with long-term decarbonisation. For authorities managing ageing assets, geographically dispersed infrastructure, and legacy systems – common in rural and island contexts – more realistic, phased approaches aligned with existing capital programmes and replacement cycles are essential. The guidance must more strongly advocate for, and provide practical advice on achieving, robust cross- departmental collaboration, shared ownership of emissions reduction, and effective governance to drive organisation-wide change within these constraints. 6. Do you think the Carbon Management Plan template is suitable for its intended purpose? No, the Carbon Management Plan template, as presented, is largely unsuitable for many public bodies, especially those with significant operational remits or severely limited dedicated climate change resources. Its impracticality stems from insufficient alignment with existing operational planning cycles and data systems, an implicit assumption of readily available technical expertise which is often not the case, and a failure to adequately address the temporal and cross-departmental nature of effective carbon management. For it to be fit for purpose, it requires redesigning for genuine operational usability, offering a more flexible, phased or tiered approach, simplified data requirements, and clear guidance on integrating departmental responsibilities with corporate processes, recognising carbon management as an evolving, dynamic commitment.
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7. Do you think the Climate Change Plan template for local authorities is suitable for its intended purpose? No, the Climate Change Plan template for local authorities is generally considered unsuitable in its current iteration. It appears disconnected from prevalent operational realities and often assumes a level of cross-departmental coordination, data maturity, resources, and organisational readiness that many authorities, particularly those with limited capacity, do not currently possess. The template inadequately addresses significant temporal challenges (such as developing comprehensive long- term plans while needing to take immediate, impactful action) and the critical need for seamless integration with existing corporate planning and budgetary cycles. A more practical, phased, and tiered approach is strongly recommended, featuring simplified requirements for resource-constrained authorities and clearer guidance on establishing practical departmental responsibilities and integration mechanisms. 8. The guidance lays out an approach whereby public bodies should: review the Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP); identify the objectives relevant to them; contribute towards those objectives; and, where relevant, report annually on progress in their public bodies climate change duties report. To what extent do you agree with this proposed approach? Somewhat disagree. While the proposed approach is logical in principle, its practical implementation presents considerable challenges for many public bodies. Specifically, for those without dedicated adaptation expertise or existing comprehensive climate risk assessments, the capacity to thoroughly review SNAP, accurately identify all relevant objectives, and translate these into actionable operational plans is severely limited by resource constraints. The guidance does not sufficiently address the temporal aspects of adaptation (such as balancing immediate resilience needs with progressive long-term planning) nor does it adequately detail the mechanisms for the essential cross-departmental coordination and ownership required to make this approach effective in practice. 9. Do you have any other comments about the guidance provided in this chapter (chapter 6) about complying with the second duty? The adaptation guidance, though setting comprehensive expectations, falls short in delivering practical, actionable advice tailored for resource-constrained, operationally-focused, and cross-departmentally complex organisations. There is a critical need for practical tools readily applicable by operational teams (e.g., climate- resilient maintenance specifications, adaptable business continuity templates for diverse climate hazards, robust decision frameworks for prioritising adaptation measures). The guidance should also more effectively address how to manage diverse timescales and inherent uncertainties with limited specialist expertise. Simplified risk assessment methodologies and clear frameworks for fostering genuine cross-departmental collaboration and shared responsibility are vital,
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particularly acknowledging the unique and pressing challenges faced by rural and island authorities managing extensive vulnerable infrastructure with limited resources. 10. Having considered the content of the chapter (chapter 7), is it clear how public bodies should implement the third duty, to act in the most sustainable way? No, the guidance regarding how to act sustainably is largely unclear on practical implementation. It is perceived as overly theoretical, failing to furnish actionable tools, pertinent operational examples, or clear pathways for procurement teams and decision-makers, especially within resource-constrained environments where a deep-rooted culture of sustainability may not yet be established. The guidance needs to more effectively address the challenge of balancing sustainability objectives with immediate service delivery pressures and prevailing budget constraints. Furthermore, it should provide tangible strategies for managing the temporal aspects of this duty (integrating short-term operational needs with long-term sustainability goals), systematically building organisational literacy, and fostering the essential cross-departmental collaboration and shared ownership required for meaningful and lasting change. 11. Do you have any other comments about the guidance provided in this chapter (chapter 7) about complying with the third duty? This chapter often seems disconnected from common operational and organisational realities, frequently assuming a level of institutional maturity, available resources, and cultural embedding of sustainability that is not yet widespread. There is a strong requirement for practical tools, support for phased approaches, and assistance for the necessary cultural change and capacity building, especially recognising that limited staff often have responsibility for all three climate duties. Effective frameworks for cross-departmental collaboration and supportive governance structures are vital. The inherent tension between short-term operational and budgetary pressures and long-term sustainability goals needs to be more explicitly and pragmatically addressed, providing realistic examples and decision-making support relevant to resource-constrained authorities. 12. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed baseline reporting of the scope 3 emission categories outlined in section 8.3.5.1 of the guidance? Somewhat disagree. While comprehensive Scope 3 reporting is a laudable long- term objective, the proposed baseline presents immediate and significant practical challenges. For many public bodies, the current absence of robust data, suitable systems, necessary technical expertise, and available resources makes the task of collecting and reporting this information accurately and consistently a major
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undertaking. This requirement can appear disconnected from operational reality and constitutes a substantial additional burden. A phased approach to Scope 3 reporting is strongly recommended, commencing with a smaller, more manageable subset of emissions based on reasonably available data, and gradually expanding as local capabilities and systems mature. Essential supporting elements include practical guidance on data collection and estimation, standardised methodologies, and ideally, centrally provided tools, alongside frameworks for effective cross-departmental data governance. 13. Do you think that any other categories of scope 3 emissions should be included in the recommended baseline for reporting, where these are relevant and applicable? Please tick all that apply. No. Expanding the list of Scope 3 categories at this juncture is not supported. The predominant view is that the immediate and overriding focus must be on establishing robust, practical, and manageable systems for the currently proposed baseline categories (or potentially an even more limited initial set that reflects existing capacities). There is a strong preference for a carefully phased, temporally-nuanced, and holistic approach to all Scope 3 reporting, ideally underpinned by centralised tools and clear, consistent methodologies, rather than prematurely broadening the scope when capacity for existing expectations is already severely stretched. The priority must be to improve cross-departmental data collection and governance for the categories already proposed before considering any expansion. 14. Do you think that the guidance fulfils its stated purpose of providing support to public bodies in putting the climate change duties into practice? Don’t know. Although the guidance offers a comprehensive framework, it frequently falls short of providing the essential practical support required for effective implementation, particularly for public bodies grappling with significant resource constraints, diverse operational complexities, or those at an earlier stage of their climate action journey. The guidance can often seem disconnected from these day- to-day realities, lacking the readily actionable tools, simplified approaches, and tailored support necessary. Key areas urgently needing improvement include more effective strategies for managing temporal challenges (such as building crucial capacity incrementally over time) and practical methods for fostering genuinely effective cross-departmental working. Without substantial revisions to address these shortfalls, including the possibility of more direct centralised support and resources, the guidance risks setting expectations that are, for many, unachievable. 15. Do you have any further comments about the guidance?
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This guidance represents a significant and notable increase in expectations for public bodies. However, it consistently fails to adequately address the fundamental practicalities of implementation, particularly concerning pervasive resource constraints (in funding, essential skills, appropriate tools, and available staff time), the critical necessity of phased and temporally aware approaches to action, and the absolute imperative for genuine, embedded cross-departmental collaboration supported by robust governance. There is a strong, clear, and repeated call for the Scottish Government to commit substantial additional resources and to provide more tangible, centralised support mechanisms (such as standardised practical tools, targeted training programs, shared service models, clear sector-specific advice, and dedicated funding streams). Without this commitment, there is a very high risk that the guidance will remain aspirational at best, potentially becoming counterproductive by creating unfunded mandates, and could inadvertently exacerbate inequalities between well-resourced and under-resourced public bodies. A fundamental shift towards actively supporting practical, integrated, and adequately resourced climate action is urgently required across the entire Scottish public sector.