Climate Change Plan: Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee letter to all Local Authorities

Overview

Draft Climate Change Plan 

The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee is one of several Parliamentary committees which is scrutinising different aspects of the Scottish Government’s draft Climate Change Plan (CCP). 

The Scottish Government’s draft Climate Change Plan 2026-2040 was published on 6 November, and must be laid in the Scottish Parliament for 120 days.  During this time committees may scrutinise and publish reports on the draft CCP, and the Chamber may debate or consider motions on it.  

The Committee’s focus is on the buildings element of the CCP, and on the implications for local authorities in the general delivery of the CCP.   We are gathering evidence from a range of stakeholders to help inform our scrutiny of the CCP, which will conclude with a report to the Scottish Government early next year. 

On buildings, the CCP calls on Local Authorities to:   

• build on Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies to coordinate and sponsor development of place-based projects, seeking out opportunities to aggregate projects into programmes;    

• explore opportunities for developing heat networks alongside industry partners, including providing anchor loads by committing to connect local authority buildings; 

• collaborate across neighbouring authorities to join up on heat plans at an appropriate spatial level, while agreeing planning projects to prioritise;     

• partner with community-focused organisations – such as Local Energy Scotland, and retrofit delivery providers such as Home Energy Scotland – to align efforts in reaching local goals and engaging effectively with communities; and     

• continue to deliver energy efficiency and clean heat projects across the social housing stock under local authority ownership.     

For each of the five calls, the form provides space for local authorities to respond to the following question:

• Your views on this call and whether local authorities have sufficient capacity and resources in order to deliver this.

We would also welcome any broader views you may have on the CCP and the role that local authorities will have in meeting the Scottish Government’s emission reduction targets. 

How to respond

Please provide your response by completing the submission form below by 5 December 2025.