Highland Council agrees response to Scotland’s Draft Climate Change Plan

Highland Council has agreed its response to the Scottish Government’s Draft Climate Change Plan 2026-2040 following discussion at the recent meeting of the Council’s Climate Change Committee.

The Draft Plan sets out Scotland’s pathway to achieving net zero by 2045 and outlines a sector-based approach across buildings, transport, waste, energy supply, industry, agriculture, and land use. It places strong emphasis on delivering a just transition, securing economic opportunities, addressing biodiversity loss, and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Chair of the Climate Change Committee, Councillor Kate Willis, said: “Members welcomed the opportunity to shape the Council’s cross-service response. Our response recognises that while the Draft Plan is well structured and comprehensive, rural and island areas such as Highland face very different delivery challenges due to our geography, dispersed population and infrastructure constraints.

“We strongly support the Plan’s commitment to a place-based approach including the forthcoming Rural Delivery and Islands Plans. These must clearly set out how the Scottish Government will support a fair, inclusive and locally led transition for rural and island communities.

“Successful delivery of the Climate Change Plan will rely on stronger recognition of the role of regions such as the Highlands, alongside locally resourced action that empowers local authorities as delivery partners and delivers benefits for our communities.

“Communities across the Highlands will play a critical role in shaping and delivering national climate ambitions, and it is vital that they see clear, tangible and enduring benefits from the change they are being asked to support.”

The Council’s agreed response also highlights:

• The need for sustained and predictable investment to enable retrofit, clean heat deployment, transport decarbonisation, public-sector building upgrades, and nature restoration.
• Support for expanding skills and workforce capacity, particularly in retrofit, clean heat installation, renewable energy, adaptation and nature-based solutions.
• The importance of improving grid capacity and local energy resilience, ensuring communities benefit directly from the region’s role in renewable energy generation.
• The need to embed climate adaptation and resilience, recognising that many Highland communities are already experiencing significant climate impacts.
• Ensuring fair community benefit and equitable pricing so communities share meaningfully in the value created by the transition.

Consultation responses received from local authorities, stakeholders and the public will inform the final Climate Change Plan, due to be presented to the Scottish Parliament early 2026.