GR Direct - Sony - Save up to £500
Tuesday 22 July 2025
 17.4°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Climate / Report calls for greater support for councils in drive to reach net zero

SIC leader Emma Macdonald said ‘the scale of investment required to transition to a net zero community is challenging and we cannot do this alone’

“THE SCALE of investment required to transition to a net zero community is challenging and we cannot do this alone.”

That is the message from Shetland Islands Council leader Emma Macdonald following the publication of a Scottish Parliament committee report which called for greater support for local authorities in the push to net zero.

On Monday Holyrood’s net zero, energy and transport committee published its new report on the role local government will play in delivering a net zero Scotland.

The committee said that Scotland will not meet its ambitious target of being net zero by 2045 without a “more empowered local government sector”, with better access to the skills and capital it needs.

SIC political leader Emma Macdonald. Photo: Shetland News

Committee convener Edward Mountain said: “Over the course of almost a year of evidence-taking, it’s clear that unless key barriers facing local government are dealt with, we will not reach net zero by 2045.

“Local Government is the layer of democracy closest to communities. They have local knowledge and capacity to lead by example and are also uniquely well-placed to form the partnerships we’re going to need at a local and regional level.”

The challenge of Shetland reaching net zero was spelled out to councillors last year.

Officials warned that it is unlikely that Shetland will achieve net zero across all sectors by 2045 without an “overhaul” of the economy, land use and consumer habits.

This is due to Shetland’s geography and the signifiant portion of emissions that are associated with sectors difficult to electrify, such as marine vessels, or those not directly linked to energy consumption like land use and agriculture.

Responding to the parliament committee’s report, SIC leader Macdonald said: “I welcome that the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recognises the leadership that local councils are demonstrating in responding to the climate crisis.

Become a member of Shetland News

 

“The scale of investment required to transition to a net zero community is challenging and we cannot do this alone.

“For the committee to recognise the need for a Government-led investment strategy to develop co-funding models with private investors is particularly valuable.

“We are already playing our part in engaging our community about the scale of the challenge, so that everyone in Shetland can help shape and deliver Shetland’s net zero future.”

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:

  • Removal of third-party ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 

Sign up
for our Newsletters

Stay in the loop with newsletters tailored to your interests. Whether you're looking for daily updates, weekly highlights, or updates on jobs or property, you can choose exactly what you want to receive.

Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

  • Removal of third-party ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.