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Radical action must be taken now to curb the worst outcome from our current climate crisis. The Scottish Government has been a world leader in climate action as a result of legally binding emissions reductions targets established by the 2009 Climate Change (Scotland) Act. The Managing Climate Risk conference, organised by Holyrood Insight, drew attention to enhancements to the 2009 Act that introduce a legally binding monitored commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Importantly, the conference pinpointed key areas for action together with the challenges of, and practical opportunities arising from, delivering on commitments. Delivering on the Scottish commitment requires transformation in the community, public sector and businesses. During the conference approaches to altering structures and strategies were set out alongside a variety of other ways to incentivise and support change in people’s day-to-day behaviour. There have been easy wins in electricity generation but now energy efficiency measures must be mainstreamed and the transportation system be completely rethought. Emissions reduction must be part of a coordinated global effort; Scotland can achieve net zero in way that brings communities together and encourages health benefits.

This report is based on an independent online survey of people engaged in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in Scotland, October 2018. The survey was designed to contribute to research into effective SEA in the Scottish context (as documented in McLauchlan and João 2019). This report begins with information about the survey respondents, then provides a summary of responses to the questions set out in Appendix A. There were 35 full responses, from local authorities, statutory consultation authorities, other public bodies, NGOs and the Scottish Government. All respondents had been involved with SEA for a period of more than 3 years; 21 people had ten years’ experience or greater. Many of the questions were open ended and this yielded much information about people’s experience of and engagement with SEA.

This report intends to inform the debate about whether an independent organisation to administer Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is needed to support the Scottish Ministers desire to make Scotland a world leader in SEA. Interlocking roles an independent body could perform were developed from literature about the administration of environmental assessment in several countries and studies regarding “effective” SEA; arguments for and against a freestanding administrative body have then been assessed in the context of these roles and existing/proposed Scottish legislation.