The Scottish Government has set out a bold ambition to deliver a just transition to net zero by 2045. Over the next two years, Future Economy Scotland will undertake a major research project that aims to develop bold but credible policies to achieve this goal. As the first output in the project, this paper outlines the challenges and opportunities associated with delivering a just transition in Scotland, and sets out the scope of work we will undertake over the next two years.

The paper is structured in three parts. In part 1, we provide an overview of the major economic and environmental challenges Scotland faces. In part 2, we set out the definition of just transition that we will use for out project, and outline a high-level vision for what Scotland’s economy could look like following the successful delivery of a just transition by 2045. The paper concludes by outlining the scope of work that Future Economy Scotland will undertake over the next two years.