Task force to drive decarbonisation should be based in Scotland, report argues

A nationwide task force should be created to drive the UK’s progress in decarbonising homes and be based in Scotland to bring green tech jobs to the country, a think tank has argued.

Our Scottish Future suggests a specialist unit modelled on the vaccine task force set up during the Covid pandemic is needed to implement measures to reduce domestic heating emissions.

The think tank has worked out gas boilers will need to be replaced by heat pumps in homes at a rate of 200,000 a year in order for the Scottish Government to hit its target of achieving net- zero by 2045.

Its report argues the scale of the project requires an “NHS for climate change”, with the new task force placed under the umbrella of a GB energy company proposed by Scottish Labour.

The paper, written by retired offshore industry engineers Will Sutton and Chris Bond, states: “A UK-wide approach would benefit implementation in several ways.

“It could tackle the market reforms which are required to tip the balance away from cheaper gas and towards more costly electricity.

“It could set out a UK-wide plan, supported by Britain’s banks, to provide loans to homeowners wishing to invest in carbon free heating systems.

“It could also regulate the thousands of installers and engineers who will be needed over the coming decade to carry out the work of insulating and transitioning millions of homes.

“Given the scale of what is being proposed, what we in effect need is an NHS for climate change: a major new UK-wide body, working through local centres, to train, equip, fund and regulate this task.”

The report praises the Scottish Government’s climate ambitions but says its plan to hit net-zero by 2045 will be missed unless there is greater co-operation across the UK.

The paper states: “To its credit, the Scottish Government has set up an agency to oversee grants for homeowners, Home Energy Scotland.

“But the myriad of Scottish ministers and directorates which all hold a say on policy are a recipe for bad decision making.”

The report comes after the independent Climate Change Committee similarly warned greater co-operation between the UK and Scottish governments will be needed to achieve net-zero ambitions.

Zero carbon buildings minister Patrick Harvie said: “The Scottish Government is leading the way on reducing carbon emissions from buildings.

“Just this week I presented to parliamentary committee my proposals to end fossil fuel heating in new buildings, from next April, which the Climate Change Committee has praised as being at least a year ahead of the rest of the UK.

“We will consult on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill very soon and set out ideas for regulations that will drive the development of heat networks and widespread adoption of climate-friendly heating systems.

“We are committed to using the powers that we have to change the way we heat and insulate homes, but we can do so much more if the UK Government matches our level of ambition and leads on those reforms which lie within its control.

“I will highlight these reforms again when we meet with our UK counterparts later this week.”

The UK Government has been asked for comment.