Setting our circular economy objectives within the wider strategic framework and mainstreaming across policy is vital to meeting our objectives.
Ongoing Activity
Delivering economic transformation requires action across all areas of our economy. That is why we recently published a 10-year National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The Strategy aims – within the powers currently available to us – to ensure Scotland maximises its economic potential to create a more prosperous and fairer economy and society for all, highlighting the opportunity a circular economy can provide.
Our draft National Planning Framework 4 was laid before the Scottish Parliament in November 2021, and, once adopted at the end of the consultation process, will help ensure that we make best use of our assets and infrastructure to support emissions reduction. Through this framework, we are updating our planning policies to reflect the opportunities that arise from the shift towards a circular economy. Planning can support development which better reflects the waste hierarchy, prioritising the reduction and reuse of materials, and facilitating the infrastructure we need to make this possible.
Through Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) we provide a range of support to businesses and communities to make the changes we need to see to help deliver these aims. This includes partnering with Social Investment Scotland to deliver the £5m Social Enterprise Net Zero Transition Fund delivery of its Circular Cities and Regions programme and a business support programme.
We are changing what and how we buy things too. Public procurement in Scotland has a value of over £13 billion per year and is a significant lever in changing behaviour. Following the previous circular economy bill consultation, we have taken further action to embed circular economy principles in public procurement processes.
In November 2019, we established the National Climate and Procurement Forum with key sectors, to provide leadership and direction to support the climate emergency response, including supporting the circular economy. In early 2021, we issued a policy note, which sets out that we expect public bodies to use their public procurement spend to support climate and circular economy ambitions. We continue to promote the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Procurement Toolkit . We will also look to identify areas where regulations under section 82A of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 could enhance circular economic opportunities in relation to the procurement of goods, works or services.