Explanatory Notes

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2024

2024 asp 15

22 November 2024

Overview of the Act and General Notes

Interpretation

Part 1: Emissions Reduction Targets
Chapter 1: Modification of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009
Sections 9 to 12: Reporting and assessments
Section 12: Assessing the impact of major capital projects on meeting targets

70.Section 12 of the Act amends sections 33 and 35 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 so that reports under section 33 of that Act have to provide details of assessments of the impact of major capital projects on meeting Scottish carbon budget targets (for an explanation of the term “Scottish carbon budget target” see paragraph 13 above).

71.The amendment to section 35 of the 2009 Act creates a requirement for the Scottish Ministers to include in climate change plans their proposals and policies for assessing the impact of major capital projects on meeting Scottish carbon budget targets (for an explanation of the term “climate change plan” see paragraph 43 above). As part of setting out those proposals and policies, the Scottish Ministers are to define what constitutes a “major capital project”.

72.The amendment to section 33 of the 2009 Act creates a requirement for the Scottish Ministers to describe, in a section 33 report, the assessments of major capital projects that they have carried out during the period to which the report relates in accordance with the proposals and policies for carrying out those assessments included in the latest climate change plan. A section 33 report is a report produced at the end of each period covered by a Scottish carbon budget (see paragraph 34 above).