Applying the “Unlocking a Better Future” framework for a just transition in Scotland

The project analysed gaps in existing policy levers and applied the Unlocking a Better Future framework (UBF) to create evidence-based recommendations for the Scottish Government. They outline how Scotland can drive the societal changes needed to address the climate and nature emergencies and achieve a net zero, nature-positive society.

Achieving this transformation will require changes in people’s lifestyles and behaviours, as well as in the design of a wide range of social policies across key systems, including food, housing, transport, energy, health and education. The project aimed to identify where the Scottish Government could most effectively apply its policy levers to promote these societal shifts, using an evidence-based approach.

The project applied the UBF framework to analyse gaps in Scotland’s current policy levers and identify opportunities for societal and economic transformation. Building on existing policies and measures, these opportunities were further developed into a set of recommendations. The recommendations were revised through several rounds of feedback from the Scottish Government Policy Team and two consultative workshops with stakeholders from government and civil society.

This project is part of a broader set of research projects commissioned to help inform the development of outcome pathways for Scotland’s Environment Strategy. Complementary projects by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and Global Footprint Network (GFN) focused on economic and global footprint outcomes, respectively, supported by additional projects from the James Hutton Institute. An additional objective of the SEI research project was to consolidate recommendations from all three research projects into a holistic framework, addressing the Environment Strategy outcomes for economy, society and global footprint.

The final phase of the project involved suggesting indicators to track progress towards achieving the transformative changes necessary to address the nature and climate emergencies in Scotland.

For true transformation, policy measures must adopt a whole-of-government approach and coherently set the course for deep societal and economic shifts. If implemented, the recommendations from this project could significantly address gaps in Scotland’s current policy landscape and accelerate efforts to tackle the climate and nature crises.