Scotland will achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Find out how the historic environment will contribute to this target.
Our approach to achieving our outcomes is to facilitate and coordinate a wide range of actions, development, and dissemination activities that move us forward. You can find more information on our current work underway to achieve each outcome on these pages.
All progress is reported against our original Baseline Assessment (2024), Baseline Refresh (2026) and supporting Strategic Insight Statements.
The historic environment sector has made important progress in responding to the climate crisis through collaboration and practical climate action at local and national level. However, progress is uneven, with activity often concentrated within a relatively small number of organisations and projects, and limited reporting of emissions.
For success by 2028:
What needs to continue: climate action planning; Carbon Literacy activity; energy efficiency improvements; sharing practical learning and capacity building.
What needs to grow: Retrofit delivery and uptake; climate and green skills provision; innovation and technology adoption; partnerships with housing, construction and energy sectors; climate and nature programmes.
What needs to improve: Emissions measurement and reporting; data quality; reporting consistency; evidence of collective impact.
The Historic Environment Scotland (HES) Climate Change, National Strategy and Grants team has developed a new Carbon Calculator to support organisations across Scotland’s historic environment sector in understanding and measuring their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We are currently testing the calculator and are looking for organisations interested in better understanding their carbon footprint to take part. If you would like to participate, please email carbon@hes.scot.
Participating organisations will receive a copy of the calculator, along with guidance and support to help them complete it.
We also monitor and report existing data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the organisation and sector. These graphs show progress toward reducing our carbon footprint as a sector over time. For meaningful comparison, emissions are presented in three separate groupings: HES as a statutory body due to the scale of its estate (336 Properties in Care); the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the National Museums of Scotland as a cluster due to the comparability of their collections and assets; and the remaining organisations (the National Lottery Heritage Fund, VisitScotland, NatureScot, South of Scotland Enterprise, National Records of Scotland, Scottish Canals and Highlands and Islands Enterprise), which report on their own organisational emissions.
Awareness of climate risks affecting Scotland’s historic environment is increasing and organisations are increasingly demonstrating how heritage can contribute practical solutions to climate mitigation and adaptation challenges.
For success by 2028:
What needs to continue: Route Map to Net Zero development; adaptation planning; coastal monitoring; heritage risk monitoring; knowledge exchange.
What needs to grow: Adaptation partnerships; climate resilience skills; nature-based approaches; place-based resilience initiatives; integration with wider climate adaptation and land management programmes.
What needs to improve: Climate risk assessment; climate resilience planning; climate adaptation evidence; long-term preparedness; evidence and advocacy.
Long term sustainability depends on attracting, developing and supporting future generations of heritage professionals, craftspeople and volunteers. Progress has been made in strengthening strategic relationships and pathways into traditional building skills. The Skills Investment Plan (SIP) for the historic environment (2024) has produced detailed action plans.
For success by 2028:
What needs to continue: Skills Investment Plan (SIP) delivery; Heritage Careers Week; apprenticeships and training; education partnerships.
What needs to grow: Entry pathways and career routes; vocational opportunities; employer engagement; climate and digital skills; workforce development opportunities.
What needs to improve: Recruitment; retention; workforce data; work-based learning evidence; succession planning.
Housing crises declared by local authorities across Scotland have intensified the need to ensure that existing housing stock is fit for both current and future needs. With 17% of Scotland’s homes built before 1919, the retrofit of these older properties is becoming increasingly important. In response, we have seen the historic environment sector working with construction, housing providers, homeowners and researchers to share learning and expertise, and provide practical support to those delivering retrofit projects on the ground.
Credit: Under One Roof
Support targeted for specific audiences can be particularly effective. By helping owners understand how traditional buildings can be maintained and upgraded, this work supports the continued use of existing buildings and helps avoid the carbon impacts associated with demolition and replacement.
For example, Under One Roof, the charity that provides repair and retrofit support for tenement flat owners in Scotland, provides tailored information for those maintaining or retrofitting traditional tenement buildings. This includes targeted in-house support, as well as signposting owners to work created by others, including Historic Environment Scotland, The University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh World Heritage. This support forms an important piece of the wider efforts to reduce emissions, improve building performance and support a sustainable future for Scotland's traditional housing stock.