To meet Scotland’s climate change targets, emissions from all sectors of the economy will need to be reduced. This includes emissions from homes, which today account for 25% of Scotland’s CO2 emissions. According to the UK Committee on Climate Change’s latest advice1, by 2030 emissions from heating homes will need to have been reduced by 33%2 on 20143 levels to keep Scotland on the most cost-effective path to meeting its climate change targets. Over half of this reduction will need to come from improving the energy efficiency of homes, with the rest achieved by switching to renewable heating systems, including electric heat pumps powered by renewable and low carbon electricity and low carbon heat networks.
This briefing sets out what policies and proposals need to be included in Scotland’s forthcoming Climate Change Plan in order to ensure a sufficient contribution to emissions reduction from the existing housing stock. This in turn, will also deliver a range of other benefits in terms of alleviating fuel poverty, boosting the economy, and improving health outcomes.