Health, Social Care and Sport Committee Report on the Draft Climate Change Plan

The Committee has heard extensive evidence on the potential co-benefits for public health of action to reduce carbon emissions. However, the Committee would like to see greater detail and more explicit explanation in the Plan regarding how climate actions across portfolios will acknowledge and serve the wider public health landscape.

The Committee also concludes that health outcomes and impacts on health inequalities should be made more explicit in the Plan, and that these should be integrated into policy appraisal and budget decisions.

The Committee further highlights evidence that a "health in all policies" approach should be taken in implementing the Plan, whereby climate measures are designed and delivered to reduce emissions while maximising health gains and reducing inequalities. In this context, the Government should explore innovative approaches to implementation, such as the use of community wealth-building models.

The Committee is concerned that the draft CCP fails to fully address the significant impact of certain pollutants such as ozone and ammonia, or the specific public health impact of poor indoor air-quality. The Committee echoes calls from witnesses for improved monitoring frameworks and action in these areas, and considers that monitoring should track both indoor and outdoor air‑quality outcomes to ensure that improvements in buildings and transport deliver - rather than risk undermining - health and wellbeing.

The Committee also notes a widespread view that the draft CCP fails to sufficiently acknowledge or address the complex role of food in meeting climate and health objectives. The Committee highlights concerns raised in its report on the proposed National Good Food Nation Plan about the risks of taking a siloed approach, and reiterates its call for the Scottish Government to set out more clearly how it will lead work to foster improved cross-sector and cross-portfolio collaboration.

The Committee notes stakeholder concerns that the draft CCP lacks quantifiable metrics in many areas and that this could lead to difficulties in tracking delivery and outcomes. It therefore calls for stronger governance, monitoring and accountability mechanisms within the Plan. These should include clear indicators of health, wellbeing and equity impacts alongside emissions outcomes, reflect place‑based variation, and embed public‑health expertise in the design and interpretation of these metrics so that co‑benefits and risks are properly captured and used to inform appraisal and budget decisions.

The Committee recognises calls for clear communication and engagement on issues arising from the plan - particularly by implementing more accessible messaging, encouraging stronger community involvement in design and delivery, and placing greater emphasis on lived experience of individuals and groups most affected by climate change measures.

On the issue of decarbonisation of the NHS, the Committee welcomes the preventative approach highlighted in evidence by the CMO. In this context, it would welcome a broader emphasis on prevention of health harms in the CCP as a whole.

The Committee welcomes evidence that a growing number of health boards are implementing sustainable travel schemes and options for patients and staff, and encourages further sharing of best practice in this area. The Committee notes that health boards should maintain momentum in collaborating with other authorities and providers to ensure that large hospitals are treated as sustainable, connected transport hubs for people attending appointments as well as visitors.

The Committee recommends that NHS Scotland further strengthens its approach to sustainable procurement by setting clear expectations for reducing food waste, supporting sustainable and locally‑produced food where possible, and phasing down avoidable single‑use plastics while maintaining patient safety. The Committee further recommends that NHS Scotland improves the quality and integration of procurement data to support robust monitoring, circular‑economy approaches and transparent assessment of progress across health boards.

On the subject of innovative approaches to reducing emissions, the Committee acknowledges the work done by the National Green Theatres Programme and welcomes further dissemination of similar good practice across the country to support more sustainable delivery.