Question reference: S6W-12889
- Date lodged: 8 December 2022
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 December 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how its upcoming Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will take account of (a) The Carbon Capture Crux: Lessons Learned report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and (b) the recommendation to have a plan B for achieving the equivalent abatement should Negative Emission Technologies, such as carbon capture, fail to deliver, as set out in the previous parliamentary session's Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee response to the Draft Updated Climate Change Plan, published on 4 March 2021.
Answer
The Scottish Government has drawn upon a range of evidence and analysis, including the The Carbon Capture Crux: Lessons Learned report, during the development of the draft version of the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.
The UK Government’s decision to not award the Scottish Cluster Track-1 status in their CCUS cluster sequencing process has generated significant uncertainty on the timely deployment of CCUS in Scotland and, therefore, our ability to achieve our emissions reduction targets and economic ambitions as part of a just transition.
Delays in the deployment of CCUS infrastructure in Scotland will require contingency planning (Plan B) to identify the additional emissions reduction effort that may be needed from other sectors to meet Scotland’s net zero commitments. This will be explored in the 2023 Climate Change Plan.