09 SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS
TARGETS
1. Should a Scottish target be based on carbon dioxide only or the basket of six greenhouse gases?
2. Should the Bill contain provisions to alter which gases are included, for example if the reliability of data for a particular gas improves or if science changes in the future about which gases cause climate change?
3. The Scottish Government wishes to ensure that the Bill gives sufficient incentives to invest in energy efficiency and renewable electricity. Should the targets be based on source emissions; an end-user inventory; or on individual targets for energy efficiency and renewable electricity? Do you have any other suggestions?
4. Do you agree that the Bill should allow the means of measuring the target to be changed through secondary legislation to reflect international developments or unforeseen consequences of the Bill?
5. Should the emissions reduction target take account of the abatement effort made by companies under emissions trading schemes? If so, how?
6. Do you agree that international credits should be counted towards Scottish targets? Should there be limits on credits counted towards Scottish targets?
7. Should the Bill allow the level of the 2050 target to be changed through secondary legislation? If so, should this only be allowed on the basis of independent, expert advice, to reflect international developments or unforeseen consequences of the Bill? Should any changes to the target be limited to an increase in the target?
SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK
8. What factors should be taken into account when setting the level of budgets?
9. How long should interim budget periods be?
10. How many years in advance should emissions budget periods be set in order to provide sufficient time to develop infrastructure?
11. What should be the limit (in terms of absolute quantity or as a percentage of the budget period) on the amount of emissions which the Government can borrow from a following budget period?
12. Should the Bill include an interim point target? If so, what year (or years) should it be for (2020, 2025, 2030, etc.)? How should the level be chosen?
REPORTING SCRUTINY AND FRAMEWORK
13. Should the Scottish Ministers be required to report on any other issues related to climate change in addition to the requirements already set out. If so, what and how often?
14. Is a process of Parliamentary scrutiny the appropriate way of holding the Scottish Government to account if targets or budgets are not met?
15. What should be the primary source of advice to the Scottish Government for setting emissions targets or budgets and why? Options include: the proposed UK Committee on Climate Change, a new Scottish Committee on Climate Change, an existing public body in Scotland, or the Scottish Government itself.
16. If it were to be an existing Scottish public body, which public body is most suited to carrying out this task and why?
17. Which organisation should be tasked with monitoring the progress of the Scottish Government on reducing emissions and why? Options include: the proposed UK Committee on Climate Change, a new Scottish Committee on Climate Change, an existing public body in Scotland, or the Scottish Government itself.
18. If it were to be an existing Scottish public body, which public body is most suited to carrying out this task and why?
19. Should additional independent mechanisms for scrutinising the effectiveness of the Scottish Government's policies in reducing emissions be created by the Bill (in addition to any scrutiny already provided by the Scottish Parliament)?
20. If so, which organisation is best placed to carry out this function and why? Options include a new Scottish Committee on Climate Change or an existing public body in Scotland.
21. If it were to be an existing Scottish public body, which public body is most suited to carrying out this task and why?
22. Are there any other functions related to climate change, existing or new, which should be carried out at arm's length from the Scottish Government and why?
SUPPORTING MEASURES
23. Should the Bill contain enabling powers to introduce a duty on certain parts of the public sector (i.e. local authorities and large public bodies) to take specified actions on climate change or other specified environmental issues? Why?
24. What should such a duty (or duties) include?
25. Should the Bill contain enabling powers to introduce statutory guidance for certain public sector bodies (i.e. local authorities and large public bodies) on specified climate change or other environmental measures? Why? Are there gaps in any existing guidance?
26. What should this guidance include?
27. Should the Bill contain enabling powers to create a requirement for certain public sector bodies (i.e. local authorities and large public bodies) to make regular reports on specific measures they are taking to tackle climate change (whether mitigation or adaptation) or other environmental issues? Why? What should be included in such reports?
28. As a potential non-legislative measure, should current Best Value guidance be amended to take specific account of climate change mitigation and adaptation? If so, how should Best Value guidance be amended?
29. Are there any amendments to existing legislation or any enabling powers needed to allow for variable charging (for example by local authorities) to incentivise action or eliminate perverse incentives?
30. Are there any provisions to help Scotland adapt to the impacts of climate change which should be included in the Scottish Climate Change Bill?
31. Should provisions within the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, be amended in order to provide clearer links with emissions reduction? If so, how should this be done?
32. What are the equalities implications of the measures in the proposals for the Scottish Climate Change Bill?
33. Is there any existing legislation within the competence of the Scottish Parliament (devolved) which needs to be amended so that appropriate action on climate change can be taken by sectors in society?