Further detail

Section 1 – Organisation Profile

This section provides an overview of the size of our organisation, our budgetary provision for the report year and, our remit as a Scottish public body. This sets the context and scale of our operations and therefore provides a practical benchmark and justification for the environmental impact that we have. In essence, as a national service with over 300 sites and a fleet of 3,400, it is realistic that our carbon footprint is several thousand tonnes of CO2e. As can be seen from Figure 1, our carbon emissions have reduced significantly in the past 10 years, whilst maintaining our service to the public. Our challenge in the coming years will be to meet our own strategic target of 35% emissions reduction by 2026, based on our 2019/20 baseline. We must also endeavour to meet the aims of the Scottish Government of achieving zero direct emissions by 2038 and Net Zero emissions by 2045.

Section 2 – Governance and Management

We provide an overview of the governance and management arrangements for climate change/sustainability in our organisation.

Governance
Within Police Scotland (PS), all information relating to sustainability and climate change impact is discussed and agreed at Departmental, Portfolio and Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) level. The ESB is a Primary Board within the governance structure of Police Scotland with the authority to approve strategies, Government reports and budget. All Police Scotland sustainability activity is overseen and advised on by the SPA, providing sign off on key strategies and performance. This now includes a recently agreed annual submission to the Policing Performance Committee, and submission of our annual Climate Change Report to the SPA Board. Conversely, the Sustainability Team support the SPA in providing technical advice, building audits and project assistance where required. Please see Figure 3.

Figure 2 - Governance of climate change
Scottish Police Authority Board
Overall responsibility for performance and legislative compliance in relation to climate change. Signs off and approves all Strategies developed in support of this subject area. The Board provides direction to subordinate committees and the Sustainability Team through review and feedback on key documents such the Climate Change Report to the Scottish Government.
Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee (SPA) Strategic Leadership Board (PS) Policing Performance Committee (SPA) Environmental Sustainability Board (PS)
Responsibility: assists in identifying and managing risk throughout the organisation. This includes two identified risks related to climate change:
Risk 812 – Effective governance of climate change.
Risk 1001 – Cost of utilities, relating to finance implications and climate change mitigation. Responsibility: Primary Board. Discusses and manages all strategic function within Police Scotland. This includes sign off Climate Change Report and other relevant information such as external funding requests and key projects related to climate risk and opportunity. Responsibility: Reviews quarterly and annual sustainability performance reviews. Reviews CIPFA Sustainability Performance review, developed for 28 UK forces including Police Scotland. Responsibility: Oversees and directs all work relevant to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainability . Discusses key project funding. Supports the Sustainability and Utilities Teams in ongoing or prospective project implementation.

Executive Team
Description: accountable for implementing and operating effective governance, risk management and internal controls. This includes monitoring performance in line with climate change targets and objectives.
Management Positions with key responsibilities
• Chief Constable, Police Scotland: Sign off Public Bodies Duties Climate Change Report: Office of Chief Constable of Scotland
• Chief Executive Officer, SPA: Sign off Public Bodies Duties Climate Change Report: Scottish Police Authority
• Deputy Chief Constable; Professionalism: Responsible for implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation across Police Scotland and oversight of risks and opportunities related to Estates and other service functions for both PS and SPA.
• Chief Financial Officer: Responsible for the management of risks and opportunities related to climate change in reference to impact reduction of corporate service functions such as Estates (including SPA), fleet and procurement. Directly manages the Sustainability Team.
The ESB has recently been replaced with a CFO Sustainability Committee meeting.

Management
Management of climate change within our organisation is scaled to meet the level of decision that requires to be taken. Day to day management of projects is undertaken by the staff and project leads within the Sustainability Team. Longer term decisions regarding programmes and strategy are discussed and agreed amongst senior team leaders. This is to ensure that our sustainability work underpins other objectives such, as the National Estates Plan or Fleet decarbonisation. In essence, sustainability programmes should be woven in to all our objectives and are never standalone activities. Please see Figure 4. The graphics below are included within the Report.

Figure 3 - Management of climate change

Section 3 – Emissions, Targets and Projects

Section 3 within the Report, “Emissions, Targets and Projects” makes use of our input of utilities data. This is combined with embedded relevant conversion factors as published by UK Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy to generate carbon emission tonnage values.
Within Section 3, there is reference to Scope1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. The definition of each “Scope” type is as follows: -

Table 2 - Explanation of Scope types
Scope type Description
Scope 1 Direct emissions from activities owned or controlled by an organisation e.g. emissions from owned boilers and vehicles. This takes into account all fossil fuel consumed within our buildings and vehicles.
Scope 2 Indirect emissions are a consequence of an organisation’s energy use but occur at sources not owned or controlled by an organisation e.g. consumption of purchased electricity and consumption of heat provided via district heat networks.
Scope 3 Other indirect emission as a consequence of an organisation’s actions occurring at sources neither owned nor controlled by the organisation and are not classified as Scope 2. This includes waste disposal, water consumption and supply chain emissions.

For all 3 scopes, our total “reportable” emissions for FY 2024/25 are 39,105 tCO2e as shown in Figure 2 above. This represents a 20.81% reduction on emissions in comparison with 2019/20, our reference year as identified in our Environmental Strategy. Please see Figure 5.

Figure 4 - Breakdown of emissions.

Whilst our Scope 1 emissions have reduced, the rate of reduction has slowed. This is a pattern seen across Scotland’s public sector organisations and recognised as such by the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy.

In May 2024, the Cabinet Secretary at the time contacted all Chief Executives and Chairs of public bodies advising that scaling-up of project delivery in the decarbonising of building heating was required. This means moving away from fossil-fuel sourced (i.e. gas) heating towards renewable heat. This situation remains and whilst there is currently no legislative requirement, there is ever-increasing suggestion and encouragement to adopt renewable heat alternatives to gas and particularly grid-gas heating of buildings.

The Cabinet Secretary also reiterated the Scottish Government best practice advice of “fabric first.” This entails the retrofit of buildings to improve insulation/draught proofing and upgrade windows and doors. This helps to reduce heating demand and improve comfort levels for building users. This approach supports the Scottish Government’s aim to encourage public sector bodies to improve existing buildings rather than build new.

Whilst we recognise this best practice approach, there are instances where refurbishment of existing buildings will not be economically or physically practicable and that construction of a new building is the best option for Officers, staff, and service users.

All of the above are relevant and key elements within our own Estates Masterplan project to review our Estate to ensure that it is fit for purpose, supports the delivery of local policing services and achieves best value for the public. Estates Masterplan is an evolving process not only considering our own buildings but also exploring new collaborative opportunities with local partners.

Our Report for 2022-23 was the first year that we provided data on emissions from electric vehicles and district heat network systems. That detail was expanded and enhanced in 2023-24 and has been again in 2024-25 incorporating greater detail in our emissions from Waste and Business Travel, including air, rail travel and hotel stays. This is a deliberate approach towards year-on-year improvement and greater accuracy in our reporting.

Whilst Figure 1 earlier demonstrates that our emissions have been reducing, the pattern of year-on-year reductions has slowed to the point where we have effectively plateaued. The impact of this flat lining is that we are unlikely to achieve 35% emissions reductions (from 2019-20 levels). During 2024-25, in keeping with Government strategy to move away from Scope 1 emissions (burning of fossil fuels), we have reduced our consumption of natural gas by some 4.67%. However, this rate of reduction in consumption is currently too slow. Again, by following Government strategy to move more towards electrification, our annual electricity consumption has increased both in buildings and fleet operations. We now operate 881 battery electric vehicles (BEV), 124 diesel hybrid and 195 petrol hybrids. In overall terms, the rate of reduction of natural gas consumption must increase significantly whilst maximising electrical consumption efficiency to reduce carbon emissions.

Whilst achieving a 35% CO2e emission levels reduction by 2026 (from 2019- 20 CO2e emission levels) is at risk, we continue to strive towards as close to 35% reduction as we can possibly do by means of ever-increasing development of electrification of the vehicle fleet, building energy efficiencies, building rationalisation, implementation of renewable energy generation and a reduction in carbon generation sources for grid electricity.

Section 4 – Adaptation

Climate change adaptation recognises that even if all greenhouse gas emissions were to cease immediately, there would still be change within the climate system that would last for centuries. This means that as well as emission reduction, we must adapt our buildings, people, and processes to a changing climate. As an organisation, we are already adept at climate impact planning in terms of emergency response resilience, and public safety in the event of extreme weather. Our aim is to improve these processes outwith the area of emergency response to ensure that we have increased resilience within our infrastructure.

In the reporting year we continued to maintain our business continuity and emergency planning procedures as standard. In collaboration with colleagues and Departments, we have raised the profile of climate change risk assessment and adaptation, to ensure that our existing plans take account of potential risks. Thanks are due entirely to Kreska Podgorska, Police Scotland Sustainability Project Officer, for the creation of the Force’s Adaptation Strategy.

Figure 5 - Adaptation Strategy overview.

To support the implementation of the Strategy, the Sustainability Team has developed an Adaptation Assessment Tool. This tool will be used to review and provide climate impact risk assessment and advice in relation to our major building projects. The Team is currently testing this tool using the proposed Oban new build project as a test case.

Figure 6 - Adaptation Assessment Tool overview.

Section 5 – Procurement

The Report references our extended 2021-24 Procurement Strategy which defines compliance guidelines in terms of regulated procurement for Police Scotland, SPA and Forensic Services. Thanks must go to Procurement colleagues for their assistance in completing this part of the Report and their continuous assistance and support to identify and maximise sustainability opportunities.

Carbon emissions related to procurement are classed as Scope 3. Whilst we are not in control of emissions related to the manufacture and transport of the materials that we consume, our purchasing decisions can and do have an impact on markets and suppliers. This means that we have responsibility to procure goods and services that have the least impact on our environment, therefore driving preferences within markets.

The 2025-28 Procurement Strategy is now effective, and information will be incorporated within 2025-26 annual reporting. SPA and Forensic Services are included in this work – particularly in relation to procurement of FS-specific goods, assets, and services.

Procurement recognises that it will be a key driver in achieving these goals through its existing supply chain, how it engages with the market, the relationships it develops with its suppliers and stakeholders, internal and external and in the way it procures goods, works and services to meet current and future requirements.

The Procurement Dept adopted the expectations of SPPN 3/2022 Public Procurement – taking account of climate and circular economy considerations which are all considered at the outset of our sourcing strategies. These guidelines and Sustainable Procurement Tools help the Authority align with legislation, ensuring compliance with climate change duties in all contracts, where appropriate.

Aligning itself to SPPN 3/2022, Procurement is committed to ensuring that environmental sustainability sits at the heart of our working practices to support Police Scotland and SPA to comply with other relevant legislation in relation to the Procurement Climate Emergency Response.

Section 6 – Validation

We continue to ensure that all quantitative and qualitative data undergoes internal validation through discussion and evidence gathering with colleagues. Our emissions are based on data provided to us by colleagues from internal and external teams. Our calculations and assumptions (where required) are based on emissions conversion factors provided by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as well as carbon accountancy approaches set out by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and DEFRA guidance.

Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Services (SFRS) have a reciprocal agreement to review carbon reporting data. Whilst a formal analysis and appraisal of this year's Report has not taken place, our business and working relationship is such that discussion and evaluation of aspects of respective Reports will take place during meetings and calls.

Table 3 - Data source and validation

Emission source Metric Information Source Reporting Timescale Validation Source
Electricity kWh EDF (National Framework) Monthly Inspired Energy bureau service
Gas kWh Total (National Framework Monthly Inspired Energy bureau service
Burning Oil litres Various suppliers Quarterly Inspired Energy bureau service
Gas Oil litres Various suppliers Quarterly Inspired Energy bureau service
Water m3 Business Stream (Scottish Water commercial supplier) Monthly Inspired Energy bureau service
Waste tonnes Green Zone Waste (Via OCS Quarterly OCS, FM Team, and Finance
Diesel litres Various suppliers (Via Allstar) Monthly Finance – Business Intelligence Team
Petrol litres Various suppliers (Via Allstar) Monthly Finance – Business Intelligence Team
Business Mileage miles Enterprise Fleet hire
Annually Shared Services – Admin Team

Climate Change Duties Report Excel Documents
The Scottish Government provide an annual excel based pro-forma report for all public bodies to complete. The questions to be answered within the report are agreed by Legislative Instrument by the Scottish Parliament.
Unfortunately, due to the formatting of the document, we are unable to convert to PDF or Word documents in order to view the metadata contained within each section. However, these documents will be made available on request and the Sustainability Team will be happy to provide further explanation on the content.