Dr Cornelia Helmcke, Senior Policy Fellow at the University of St Andrews’ Centre for Energy Ethics and member of the Alliance’s  Emerging Research Leaders Programme, represented the Scottish Research Alliance for Energy Homes and Livelihoods (SRAEHL) at a public roundtable at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 18th November. 

The Scottish Government laid the Draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) before Parliament at the beginning of November and has committed to bringing forward a Heat in Buildings Bill. As part of the Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee’s response to the ‘buildings’ chapter of the CCP, members of the public, including those representing industry, local authorities, and research institutions were invited to share their views. 

Cornelia drew on her experience and incorporated insights gathered during SRAEHL cross-sectoral events, using this evidence to strengthen her perspective and highlight systemic challenges within the research landscape. 

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Upon review of the CCP, there were two central points that I welcomed: the first is the Scottish Government’s emphasis on tackling fuel poverty alongside efforts to address emission reduction targets. Second, its intention to take a technology-neutral approach – one that supports “a range of clean heating technologies” appropriate to context.

Nevertheless, the Building chapter seems to centre on the further development of heat networks and on widening the role out of heat pumps and retrofit. These technologies make sense in densely populated areas that are well connected to the electricity grid. There is no explicit strategy to overcome the complex challenges faced by communities and councils further north: the population density does not accommodate heat networks and there is often not the grid capacity, nor the skills, to undergo a substantial rollout for heat pumps and retrofit. On top of that, these regions have the highest electricity prices, the highest fuel poverty rates and old, exposed building structures.

In our collective response, I emphasised that we need to redirect the approach. For long-term interventions, the public must be consulted and kept engaged, and beyond that, communities and councils must be informed through regular knowledge exchange of what is working elsewhere. Communities must be provided with the skills, capacity, and funding to achieve the desired long-term engagement.

A key aim of the Alliance is to connect sectors, to help break down sectoral silos which requires unprecedented collaboration, coordination and focus. The Alliance drives cross-sector collaboration by connecting local authorities, funding bodies, academics and industry partners to support localised progress. Through initiatives such as Incubators, Writing Retreats and Crucible events, it fosters knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices – support that remains crucial and currently absent from the CCP.

Funding was largely approached as “let’s continue what we already do,” without critical reflection on the effectiveness of existing funding. Under the current model, between short lifespans and levels of competition, the potential for learned pathways and trial and error is eradicated: we get the people in, build up skills, and then the project ends and people leave again.  

Collectively, we concluded that the Climate Change Plan reads less like a plan, but more like a vision statement. To achieve these ambitious climate change goals, we need upfront funding and infrastructural investment. The returns will outweigh the costs of staying inactive.

If the draft CCP stays as it is now, local authorities will be further burdened. To support the just-transition locally, support must be in place to rejuvenate the local government sector so they can be active players in overcoming fuel poverty and climate change. 
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A recording of the full evidence submission can be watched here. 

The next consultation of the Draft Climate Change Plan is open until Thursday 29th January 2026. More information about the consultation can be found here. 

If you would be interested in contributing to a collective response on behalf of the Alliance for Energy, Homes and Livelihoods, please get in touch.