Scotland’s Emissions Update

Three new Scottish Government publications published this week provide an updated picture of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions, including consumption-based emissions, agriculture trends, and overall national performance.

Together, they offer valuable insights for rural and island stakeholders, particularly those involved in farming, land use, energy, and community-led climate action.

The three publications, ‘Scotland’s Carbon Footprint: 1998–2022’, ‘Agriculture emissions at second-lowest level since 1990’ and ‘Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics 2024’ provide complementary perspectives on Scotland’s emissions. These include:

• Territorial vs consumption emissions: The Greenhouse Gas Statistics track emissions produced within Scotland, while the Carbon Footprint captures the global impact of Scottish consumption. Together, they give a fuller picture of climate impact.
• Rural and agricultural importance: The agriculture report highlights the sector’s central role in emissions reduction – particularly important for rural economies, land managers, and crofters.
• Progress and remaining challenges: While long-term reductions are significant, all three publications point to slowing progress and the need for accelerated action in harder-to-decarbonise sectors such as transport, heating, and agriculture.
• Global-local connections: Rising emissions embedded in imports demonstrate how local consumption choices influence global emissions – relevant for rural supply chains and food systems.
• Opportunities for communities: The transition to net zero presents economic opportunities, including in renewable energy, sustainable farming, and community-led initiatives across rural and island areas.

Presenting to the Scottish Parliament (9 June 2026) to discuss Scotland’s progress in greenhouse gas emissions reduction, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin said:

“I am acutely aware of the responsibility we all have to limit and mitigate the impacts of climate damage and to take effective action on its causes. These impacts are felt by people both at home and abroad.”

Adding, “Climate action is not just about reducing emissions. It is also an economic, social and health opportunity – it will make people’s lives better. It is creating thousands of jobs with many more to come, it will provide warmer homes, it has huge potential to reduce the cost of living, and it will strengthen the resilience of communities to not only protect themselves against the impacts of climate change, but also make their neighbourhoods nicer places to live.”

Agriculture is at the heart of Scotland’s net zero journey, a contributor to emissions, but also uniquely positioned to help remove carbon, support rural economies, and deliver climate solutions on the ground.

Farmers and crofters face significant challenges in reducing emissions as many of the gases produced in agriculture, such as methane and nitrousoxide, are inherently difficult to manage. Livestock systems remain a major source of these emissions, meaning that reducing them without impacting productivity is complex. At the same time, farmers must continue producing food efficiently, balancing climate goals with economic viability and, in many cases, long-standing cultural and land-use practices.

Climate change is already affecting farming through more extreme weather, making long-term planning more difficult. Farmers also need to develop new knowledge, such as carbon management and precision agriculture, and operate within wider supply chains that may not yet reward low‑carbon production. Together, these pressures mean that achieving net zero requires not only changes in farming practice, but strong support, clear policy and a fair transition for rural communities.

Financial pressures also present a major barrier. Moving toward low‑carbon farming often requires investment in new equipment, infrastructure and skills, while farm incomes can be uncertain and margins tight. To support this, the policy landscape is changing, with new schemes, conditions and reporting requirements being introduced.

Scotland’s approach to net zero agriculture combines legislation, funding and practical guidance to support change across the sector. The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 and Agricultural Reform Route Map set the direction, while schemes like AECS and investment funding help farmers adopt low‑carbon practices.

Publications in Five Points

We’ve highlighted five key aspects of each publication below:

• Scotland’s carbon footprint measures emissions linked to consumption, including imported goods and household activities.
• Between 1998 and 2021, the footprint fell by around 20%, showing long-term improvement despite fluctuations.
• Emissions peaked in 2007 before declining significantly, reflecting economic and policy changes.
• Imported goods account for a growing share of emissions, highlighting global supply chain impacts.
• Household emissions (e.g. transport and heating) remain a consistent contributor, with pandemic-era reductions rebounding afterward.

Agriculture emissions at second-lowest level since 1990

• Agricultural emissions were 7.5 MtCO₂e in 2024 — the second-lowest since records began in 1990.
• Emissions fell slightly (0.4%) from 2023, continuing a long-term downward trend.
• Reductions are largely driven by declining livestock numbers, especially cattle and sheep.
• Suckler beef remains the largest contributor, accounting for over 40% of sector emissions.
• Some increases in fuel use and fertiliser application highlight ongoing challenges in arable and mixed farming systems.

Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics 2024

• Scotland’s total emissions have fallen by over 50% since 1990, reflecting sustained long-term progress.
• Emissions decreased slightly in 2024, though the rate of reduction has slowed compared to previous years.
• The largest reductions historically have come from electricity generation and the shift to renewables.
• Transport, buildings, agriculture, and industry remain key sources requiring further action.
• Scotland remains committed to reaching net zero by 2045, with future progress depending on changes across all sectors.

You can find the full reports at the following links:

• Scotland’s Carbon Footprint: 1998–2022 – https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-carbon-footprint-1998-2022/
• Agriculture emissions at second-lowest level since 1990 – https://www.gov.scot/publications/agriculture-emissions-second-lowest-level-since-1990/
• Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics 2024 – https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-greenhouse-gas-statistics-2024/