Yousaf urged kick-starting the heat pump revolution together with urban pilot projects

Scotland has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 75% between 1990 and 2030.

Emissions have been reduced by around 50% over the past 30 years, so the same progress is needed over the next decade to keep the targets on track.

One of the Scottish Government’s most challenging tasks is to transform the way buildings are heated, away from fossil fuel boilers and towards more sustainable systems such as heat pumps and better insulated buildings.

Read more: Patrick Harvie’s heat pump strategy in doubt as progress falters

Green Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie is expected to present updated plans for his strategy later this year as the Scottish Government’s progress on increasing the proportion of buildings using renewable heating systems has stalled.

Activists are calling for attention to be given to upgrading the heating of offices and other commercial buildings as well.

A climate group made up of academics and experts has urged Humza Yousaf to use the government program next week to push urgent measures to speed up progress.

A new report from the Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) calls on Mr Yousaf to “create the right environment for the commercial construction sector to engage in a large scale renovation and thermal decarbonisation pilot in every Scottish city”.

It adds that many owners and tenants of offices, shops and industrial buildings “are looking to meet their own net-zero commitments by greening their real estate portfolios and workplaces”.

Read more: Harvie calls for UK action to ensure heat pumps lead to lower energy bills

However, the document warns that there is “a lack of clarity around standards and thermal technologies, making it difficult to plan the work package and raise the necessary funds,” adding that “this hurdle to implementation has passed the right balance can be struck.” Regulation, incentives and support for coordination”.

CERG has called for Harvie’s forthcoming Building Heat Bill, to be announced in next week’s program for government, to include “regulatory requirements for energy efficiency and the phase-out of fossil fuel heating for all buildings, including non-residential buildings.”

CERG has also called on the Scottish Government to “support pilot projects in every city”.

The report emphasizes that this could be achieved if ministers “commit to work with city local authorities, investors, developers and key commercial building owners and tenants to pilot large-scale renovation and thermal decarbonization programs involving public and private assets in every city are involved.”

It goes on to say: “Where possible, these projects should also consider opportunities for generating energy.”

The group has also urged the minister to “introduce a net-zero test to inform all policy and investment decisions”, which could potentially call into question future road improvement projects, such as doubling the A9.

CERG has also called on the Scottish Government to “enable local authorities to provide the funding needed to drive forward climate change mitigation and adaptation” and to “introduce fiscal levers as part of a coherent strategy to address climate change.” Reduce car dependency and make places better for people”.

Read more: In the new climate plan, SNP wants to aim to renovate housing and transport

The report adds: “If implemented effectively and widely, these proposals could represent a significant step in Scotland’s response to the climate emergency.”

“The four proposals include two overarching, systemic proposals that will have far-reaching impacts across sectors and locations, and two proposals that focus on rapid action in high-carbon and priority sectors where implementation is lagging behind, there are no clear plans and they are implemented early on.” The commitment of business and the public is of the utmost importance for a just transition.

“CERG believes that meaningful, measurable action against these four proposals this year is essential to achieving 2030 climate goals and giving businesses, investors and citizens the clarity they need.”

The report stressed that “all proposals are the responsibility of the Scottish Government and are strongly aligned with the Scottish Government’s commitments and priorities”.

Stefanie O’Gorman, Director of Sustainable Economy at Ramboll and member of CERG’s Steering Group, said: “The rapid scale-up of action needs to start now.

“Any delay increases the social, economic and environmental costs of the just transition to net-zero, as well as the costs of adapting to climate impacts such as increasing severity of storm events and overheating of buildings and flooding.”

Read more: Gas boilers will be penalized in energy efficiency renovation

Morag Watson, Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables and a member of the CERG Steering Group, added: “A stable and consistent policy and regulatory environment and a clear commitment to achieving net-zero and climate resilience are essential to build trust and the Build investor readiness.” from companies to action.

“We see the implementation of the CERG proposals as a litmus test of the government’s commitment to early corporate engagement.”

Last week, Mr Yousaf said failure to deal with the climate crisis could be “utterly catastrophic”, adding that “the world must act with an urgency that matches the scale of the crisis that is currently unfolding”.

In a speech introducing US climate chief John Kerry in Edinburgh, the First Minister stressed that “the Scottish Government will do our part”.

Mr Yousaf said Scotland “of course needs to reduce our own emissions as soon as possible”.

He said: “Scotland has some of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets in the world. And we have already halved our greenhouse gas emissions over the past three decades.

“But we have to face the fact that the most difficult part of our journey is still ahead of us. So we have to go further and get faster.”

The First Minister acknowledged that “a green transition has some very difficult elements”.

He added: “Some of the decisions we need to make will be tough – like how we replace gas boilers in homes, how we say goodbye to oil and gas from the North Sea, and how we decarbonize our agriculture and transport sectors.”

“When we make these difficult and difficult decisions, we also have to show that we bring benefits to people. And that is a key goal of this government.”