The Scottish Government has committed to bringing forward the world’s first Community Wealth Building Act within this Parliamentary session. This not only represents an opportunity to mark a defining directional change in Scotland’s approach to economic development – it can also set a precedent that extends beyond Scotland’s borders. Should the act prove transformative, it can create a ripple effect, enabling Scotland to become a test case example for other countries to replicate and build on.

To date, the links between Community Wealth Building (CWB) and a just transition have been relatively underexplored in Scotland. The origins, visions and missions of a just transition and CWB are complimentary. This report aims to demonstrate how - if true to its purpose and ambitious in its aims - Scotland’s embrace of CWB can be a powerful instrument to achieve a rapid and just transition to net zero.