PUBLIC SECTOR CLIMATE ACTION GROUP
MINUTES of 4th MEETING
5 OCTOBER 2010
COSLA, ROSEBERY HOUSE
Present
Chair:
Councillor Alison Hay, COSLA Spokesperson for Regeneration and Sustainable
Development
Members:
Crawford Gillies, Chair, Scottish Enterprise
Ronnie Mercer, Chair, Scottish Water
David Sigsworth, Chair, Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Ian Marchant, Convenor, 2020 Climate Group (Observer)
Apologies:
Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change
Willy Roe, Chair, Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Bill Matthews, NHS Board Chairs Group
Official Support:
Scottish Government: Bob Irvine, Alastair Merrill, Gavin Barrie, Gabby Pieraccini,
Jenny Brough, Mary Mowat, Alistair Montgomery (Secretariat)
COSLA: Anil Gupta, Gillian Fyfe
Summary of Discussions
Agenda Item 1. Welcome, Introductions and Apologies
Apologies were noted from the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate
Change, whose attendance was required at a meeting of the Transport,
Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, Willy Roe and Bill Matthews.
Agenda Item 2. Draft Minutes of Meeting 9 June 2010
Minutes of 9 June meeting were agreed.
Matters Arising
SEPA highlighted the Inverdee House building as a key case study in embedding
green procurement. A short paper on this could be provided for the next meeting.
On planning, SEPA has looked at a number of Development Plans which could
generate information that would be useful to COSLA members.
Scottish Enterprise advised that Scottish Government has been having discussions
with OfGEM on grid connection issues, and would therefore be taking forward open
action item re OfGEM. It was noted that there was a specific issue around the Low
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Carbon Network Fund and that a panel will be meeting in the next few weeks to
consider bids.
It was noted that a paper on carbon assessment would be provided to the Group and
there was agreement that this should be taken at the next meeting.
The meeting was advised that a number of business organisations and
representative groups had been sent the Scottish Government’s consultation on draft
guidance to public bodies in relation to their climate change duties.
It was noted that it would be helpful to have a summary of climate change action
among the Group’s organisations.
Action Points:
SEPA to provide a case study on Inverdee House for next meeting.
An item on Carbon Assessment to be taken at next meeting.
Summary of climate change action among the Group’s organisations to be produced.
Agenda Item 3. Update Paper 4.1
2010/11 Timeline - Updated
It was suggested that it would be helpful to know the leads for each of the timeline
entries.
Action Points:
Leads to be shown against timeline entries.
New Order to Set Annual Targets for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
It was advised that, following the deliberations of a short-life cross-party working
group, a draft Annual Targets Order had been laid in the Scottish Parliament. The
targets were more stretching than in a previous Order rejected by Parliament to take
account of Committee on Climate Change analysis outlining a potentially larger
impact of recession on Scottish emissions and policy actions not included in the
Committee’s analysis. The draft Order was being considered by the Transport,
Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee who will vote on whether to
recommend that the Parliament approve or reject the Order.
Agenda Item 4. The Impact of Public Procurement on Climate Change
It was highlighted that the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Procurement Action
Plan provides the framework to allow public sector bodies to describe sustainability
activities in a consistent way. It outlines 10 steps to embed sustainability at the heart
of the organisation and its procurement process. No standard methodology exists to
measure carbon in the procurement process - various schemes exist but are
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voluntary and in the absence of a standard pan-public sector approach cannot be
used to discriminate between suppliers. The Action Plan encourages carbon impact
to be addressed at the outset of the procurement process, using UK Government
Buying Standards, to allow all tenderers’ offerings deliver minimum guaranteed
standards.
In discussion, the importance of capturing success stories was
recognised, as well as the desirability of developing a standard approach to carbon
assessment. Members wished to have a discussion on the subject at the next
meeting, which would also be taking a paper on carbon assessment.
Action Points:
Procurement to be discussed alongside carbon assessment.
Agenda Item 5. Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP)
Ministers are considering the potential content of the RPP alongside their
preparation for the Spending Review. It is anticipated that Parliament will be given
the opportunity to consider the draft RPP and draft Budget in parallel. Options for
presenting the RPP together with the Low Carbon Economy Strategy and the Public
Engagement Strategy are also being explored.
The Group discussed how
prioritisation might be tackled in the RPP, in terms of the significant economic and
other benefits that will arise from investing in climate change action, and particularly
in the context of the current financial situation. Proposals not taken forward, or
measures that failed to deliver anticipated emissions reductions, posed a risk to
delivery of the interim 42% target and being able to plan for overachievement would
be preferable. The role of different elements of the public sector in delivery,
including Community Planning Partnerships was also discussed. The Group also
discussed potential options for monitoring the progress and success of actions to
reduce emissions, including the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) (which the
2020 Climate Group was actively considering). The Group’s member organisations
also agreed to consider how they could help promote the core messages of the RPP
around the time of publication, to ensure that the need for action on climate change
and the potential opportunities associated with action was delivered to as wide an
audience as possible through as many different channels as possible.
Action Points:
RPP to be considered at next meeting.
Group to be provided with appropriate briefing/update paper on RPP ahead of next
meeting if timing of next meeting falls after RPP has been published.
Group members to be involved with preparation for publication of RPP.
Agenda item 7 was taken ahead of item 6.
Agenda Item 7. Public Engagement Strategy
Scottish Ministers are required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act to publish a
Public Engagement Strategy (PES). The development of the PES is connecting with
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other key documents, including the Report on Proposals and Policies. Discussion
centred on how best we can collectively support public engagement. Agreed that
while Government has a clear role, public engagement can only be effective if other
organisations and groups take the lead with their audiences, and many are doing this
already. The financial climate and the nature of the challenge requires a smarter
approach. The Group agreed this and commented that it is important to target
specific groups, initially focussed on enhancing the ‘coalition of the willing’, rather
than try to use blanket marketing campaigns. Should instead focus on messages
that are consistent and relevant to each audience while getting across our identified
actions for change. And should step back from trying to do it all centrally – others
could lead with their audiences, the important issue is to agree consistent core
messages. Eco-congregation Scotland is an example of a model that targets a
specific group of people. Zero Waste is an example of bringing together messaging
on a particular topic. Scottish Enterprise is running focus Groups with SME’s which
could offer engagement opportunities. Comment was made that, in addition to key
actions, it is crucial to have an over-arching vision – saying what a low carbon
society is, and why Scotland must move towards that. Scottish Government
confirmed that this was already in hand.
Agenda Item 6. Public Bodies Climate Change Duties
A Scottish Government consultation on draft guidance aimed at assisting public
bodies in complying with their climate change duties was launched on 20 September
and will close on 26 November. Responses to the consultation will inform
development of the final guidance which will be published by 1 January 2011 or as
soon as practically possible thereafter. The potential role of existing groups and
networks was noted in discussion on raising awareness of duties, along with the
importance in awareness-raising activity of maximising coverage across the wide
range of organisations to whom the duties apply It was also noted that because the
public sector organisations range from very small to very large in size, they would
also have varying needs in terms of support, and this should be considered as part
of planning for capacity building work.
Action Points:
Final draft of guidance to be circulated to Group when available.
Agenda Item 8. AOB
Climate Week is scheduled for 21-27 March 2011. There might be opportunities to
support this initiative.
Agenda Item 9. Next meeting and agenda items
Next meeting: Date to be agreed around December 2010. It was agreed that Group
meetings should be set in advance for 2011.
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