Sustainability
The Scottish Parliament is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and using fewer resources.
Annual sustainable development report
The Parliament’s environmental impact from 2020 to 2021 is set out in the sustainable development report.
2020-21 sustainable development report5MB pdf posted 04 November 2021
Sustainable development
Sustainable development means the development of societies which can survive and prosper in the long term. The concept emerged when people began to realise that some types of economic activity were harming societies and the environment.
For a number of years the Scottish Parliament has been working towards using sustainable development as a lens for parliamentary scrutiny. Our aim is to support more holistic consideration of public policy, draft legislation and budget proposals, so as to increase policy coherence.
One of the ways we are doing this is through our sustainable development impact assessment (SDIA) tool. This is a discursive tool, designed to help users engage with a subject and unpack it through group discussion, leading to a deeper and broader analysis.
As well as supporting more rigorous scrutiny, the tool can help with other types of decision-making processes, such as developing procurement contracts, or managing facilities.
Recommended version of our SDIA tool for those external to the Scottish Parliament. Version 2.2 of the tool gives equal weight to the various aspects of sustainable development
SDIA tool356.2KB pdf posted 14 July 2022
Explanatory notes466.3KB pdf posted 14 July 2022
Recommended version of our SDIA tool for use in the Scottish Parliament - on scrutiny and corporate/operational matters. Version 3 of the tool includes some added focus on topics central to the Scottish Parliament’s strategic plan – human rights, equalities, climate change and participation.
SDIA tool371.2KB pdf posted 14 July 2022
Explanatory notes611.4KB pdf posted 14 July 2022
Biodiversity
How the Parliament’s local ecosystem is supported and protected is set out in the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) biodiversity statement.
Biodiversity is the range of living things and systems on Earth. It includes:
- animal and plant species
- genes
- ecosystems
- landscapes
The more plant, insect and animal species there are in one area, the greater the biodiversity and the healthier the ecosystem.
Biodiversity Statement 20211.8MB pdf posted 01 April 2022
Aithris Bith-iomadachd Pàrlamaid na h-Alba 20211.8MB pdf posted 01 April 2022
BSL: watch Biodiversity Statement 2021
Reducing our carbon footprint
We plan to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by 66% in 2026. We will achieve this by reducing our gas and electricity usage and cutting down on business travel. These emissions will also decrease through grid decarbonisation as the UK power grid moves to more sustainable energy sources.
Our targets are set out in the latest Carbon Management Plan.
Carbon Management Plan 2021 to 2026479.8KB pdf posted 19 November 2021
Energy performance certificate
The Parliament updated its energy performance certificate on 16 August 2019. The Parliament’s EPC rating is C.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) measures a building's carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions are rated on a scale of A to G, with A being the least polluting.
Energy Performance Certificate117.7KB pdf posted 05 July 2020
Environmental management system
The Scottish Parliament has adopted an environmental policy. To ensure this is properly followed, it uses an internationally recognised environmental management system (EMS).
"ISO 14001:2015" sets the standards that organisations should follow to help them
- reduce waste
- improve resource efficiency
- cut waste management costs
The Parliament building and the surrounding grounds received its ISO 14001:2015 certificate from the International Organisation for Standardisation in September 2017.
ISO 14001:2015 certificate242.9KB pdf posted 29 September 2020