Carbon

Overview

Scotland’s Climate Change Plan commits the Scottish Government to becoming a net zero country by 2045. To meet this target, the government has developed a framework to measure carbon emissions from the earliest stages of infrastructure projects, providing more accurate measurements of carbon as well as opportunities for reductions in emissions to be found.

Background

The Deals programme includes over 90 buildings projects as well as more than 85 infrastructure projects. The long-term nature of the City Region and Growth Deals programme has allowed the Scottish Government to develop and apply international carbon management best practice to the projects, which will result in significant net zero benefits for Scotland.

New carbon guidance has been developed for project owners which ensures that whole life carbon is predicted and managed in accordance with climate change targets.

Projects can be measured against five impact control categories according to their potential to directly increase or decrease carbon emissions. They can also be measured against three impact influence categories based upon the project’s potential to indirectly influence carbon emissions beyond their control boundary.

This proportionate combination of qualitive and quantitative carbon management has been well received by stakeholders across the UK and is being recognised as an emerging form of ‘Net Zero Test’.