An energy expert has likened Scotland’s Draft Climate Change Plan to flat-pack IKEA furniture, saying it lacks the detailed instructions needed to achieve net zero emissions.
Call for a dedicated emission control centre
Professor Paul de Leeuw, director of Robert Gordon University’s Energy Transition Institute, gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee on 7th January 2026. He urged the Scottish Government to create a dedicated control centre focused solely on reducing emissions.
“The UK Government has mission control; what Scotland needs is emission control,” Professor de Leeuw told the committee. “We need a team that looks at nothing else but emissions on an annual and five-year basis.”
He recommended that the proposed Scottish Emission Control Centre operate in five-year windows, prioritising actions that deliver the greatest emissions reductions quickly.
Draft climate change plan overview
The Draft Climate Change Plan, covering 2026–2040, was published in November 2025. It outlines policies and proposals to meet statutory emissions reduction targets and supports Scotland’s goal of reaching net zero by 2045. A public consultation on the draft runs until 29th January 2026.
Describing his reaction to the draft, Professor de Leeuw said: “When I read the Draft Climate Change Plan, I had an IKEA moment: I know what the starting point is, I know what the end point looks like, but missing is the instructions and the plan in the middle. If we want to have something credible, then we need to make sure we manage the journey and have a credible plan in the middle.”
Key observations on the draft plan
Professor de Leeuw shared three main observations:
- The plan functions more as an emissions reduction framework than a detailed roadmap. Several elements are not covered, including resilience and adaptation.
- While there is a lot of detail, it is unclear who pays for what, who benefits, and who is responsible for specific actions. Clear guidance for business and industry is essential.
- The cumulative impact on business, industry, and consumers is unclear. Prioritisation and multi-year funding are needed to ensure actions are achievable.
He emphasised that large-scale funding is required and that actions cannot all be delivered simultaneously without diluting resources.
Citizen well-being and economic balance
Professor de Leeuw highlighted the importance of placing citizens’ welfare at the core of climate decisions.
“Improving the welfare and well-being of Scottish citizens has to be at the heart of Climate Action,” Professor de Leeuw said. “Whatever we put in place cannot jeopardise the fundamentals of what it’s all about. We can get to Net Zero and have no economy and no jobs. It has to be about finding the right balance, the right outcome, doing it in the right way, and getting the right outcome for the people. We have to carry society with us.”
Role of technology
On technology, Professor de Leeuw underlined the importance of carbon capture and storage. “There are six industrial clusters in the UK but only one in Scotland: the Acorn Project and the Scottish cluster. If we’re serious and want to play, we need to make sure we have all the tools in the toolbox. That has to include carbon capture and storage.”
The Acorn Project in north-east Scotland aims to develop carbon capture and storage infrastructure by repurposing existing pipelines to store CO2 emissions from industrial sites.
Committee scrutiny
The Economy and Fair Work Committee’s scrutiny comes as the Scottish Government seeks input on how to deliver emissions reductions while supporting economic growth and a just transition for workers.