On 25 June 2026, EPRC’s Dr Liliana Fonseca and Dr Neculai-Cristian Surubaru from Edinburgh Napier University hosted a policy workshop at EPRC. The event brought together local authority officers, researchers and policy intermediaries to discuss how to strengthen the capacity of Scottish local authorities to deliver on Net-Zero and climate-related policies and commitments.
The workshop forms part of a wider project funded by the British Academy Policy Convening Fund, in collaboration with the British Academy Sustainable Futures Public Policy Team and the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN). This initial session marks the first stage of a broader engagement process, which will culminate in a high-level policy roundtable in Autumn 2026 with senior decision makers.
The event aimed to generate actionable insights into the institutional, governance and organisational challenges facing Scottish Councils as they work to deliver climate objectives related to Net-Zero, mitigation and adaptation.
Discussions were grounded in both research evidence and lived practitioner experience, focusing on how governance structures, resources, and coordination mechanisms shape local delivery.
Participants explored key questions, including:
- What are the main bottlenecks limiting effective climate action at the level of local councils?
- Where are the most urgent capacity gaps?
- What practical /actionable priorities could strengthen the delivery of climate related policies across Scotland?
Key themes from the discussion
Several key themes were discussed ranging from staffing, funding, but equally leadership and organisational culture. Equally, issues around managing risk and clarifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations of local public administrators also arose.
Finally, participants stressed the importance of collaboration, trust and place-sensitive approaches. While knowledge-sharing and partnership working were viewed as essential, there was broad agreement that climate policies and solutions need to reflect the different circumstances faced by local authorities across Scotland.
From discussion to policy engagement
Insights generated during the session will be synthesised and used to:
- Refine the agenda and key questions for the Autumn high-level roundtable;
- Inform discussions with national policymakers, local government representatives and other stakeholders involved in Net-Zero and climate policy delivery;
- Contribute to policy change by developing actionable recommendations and advocating for changes and improvements in the delivery of climate related policies.
By connecting local delivery challenges with national policy discussions, the project aims to support more coherent, coordinated and effective approaches to climate governance in Scotland.
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