On 20 April 2023, the Auditor General for Scotland published How the Scottish government is set up to deliver climate change goals: Governance and risk management arrangements for net zero targets and adaptation outcomes.
The report says:
"Given the urgency, further improvements to key aspects of governance are required. Adapting to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, has had less focus than reducing emissions. It is not clear enough how some Scottish Government groups link together to ensure a coordinated approach, risking duplication of effort and inconsistency. The lack of frequent and consistent reporting, alongside gaps in performance monitoring, make it difficult to gain assurance of overall progress. There has been no workforce plan in place for the Director General for Net Zero area since it was established in November 2021, although one is expected in spring 2023".
Read the report on Audit Scotland's website
Information about the Public Audit Committee's consideration of the report can be found below.
18 May 2023
The Committee took evidence from:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Rebecca Seidel, Senior Manager; and Sally Thompson, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 18 May 2023
Read the Official Report, 18 May 2023
Read the meeting minutes, 18 May 2023
Decision: The Committee agreed to invite the Scottish Government to give oral evidence at a future meeting.
The Committee took evidence from:
Roy Brannen, Director-General Net Zero; Kersti Berge, Director of Energy and Climate Change; and Phil Raines, Deputy Director for Domestic Climate Change, Scottish Government.
Followed by:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; and Sally Thompson, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 7 September 2023
Read the Official Report, 7 September 2023
Read the meeting minutes, 7 September 2023
Decision: The Committee agreed to write to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
Decision: At its meeting on 26 October 2023 the Committee agreed correspondence to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee and agreed to close its scrutiny of How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals: Governance and risk management arrangements for net zero and adaptation outcomes.