Why Kate Forbes is forcing a SNP rethink on Scotland's wood burners' ban

The Scottish Government has U-turned on its proposed ban on log burners, reportedly due to the concerns of rural communities championed by Kate Forbes.

The Deputy First Minister, and MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, has been a vocal critic of the proposed ban, due to the many rural and island constituents who do not have access to the main gas supply.

She has confirmed a review of the ban is underway. From April 1, all new homes in Scotland had been banned from installing wood-burning stoves and other direct emission heating systems such as oil.

Across the UK, there has been an 89 per cent increase in PM2.5 emissions from wood burning as a fuel between 2010 and 2021, according to statistics published by the UK Government.

According to the charity Asthma & Lung UK, air pollution from wood burning has steadily increased in the past 30 years “to the point where it is now the second largest source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in Scotland”.

Particulate matter (PM2.5) consists of fine particles that, once in the air, are harmful to human health. These are particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres that can penetrate deeper into the lungs, the heart and blood stream.

Exposure has been linked to the increased likelihood of developing lung and heart disease, cancer, strokes, mental health issues and dementia.

Across the UK, there has been an 89 per cent increase in PM2.5 emissions from wood burning as a fuel between 2010 and 2021, according to statistics published by the UK government.

Joseph Carter, head of Asthma & Lung UK Scotland, said: “We are disappointed to see the Scottish Government U-turning on plans to tackle domestic burning in new properties. Around 2,700 Scots die early every year due to dirty air, with burning of wood and coal being a contributing factor.

“We recognise the concerns of people living in very remote communities, but the new standards already allowed for stoves in exceptional cases where heat pumps were not a viable option. On the week that Scotland is taking bold steps to tackle air pollution in three of our biggest cities through low emission zones, it is disappointing to see bold action on domestic burning being scaled back.

“For the vast majority of people living in Scotland, burning wood and coal is not necessary. It is a secondary heat source that puts the health of everyone at risk.”

New regulations came into force in April that broadly ban burning stoves from being installed in new-build homes. However, the new rules have no impact on properties that already have the appliances.

Writing on X when the ban came into force, Ms Forbes said: “This has just been brought to my attention by more than a few concerned Highlanders who heat their homes (as thousands do) using wood burning stoves, especially older residents who rely on them during a time of crippling energy price rises. I’m seeking urgent clarification.”

According to the Scottish Government, heating homes contributes to around a fifth of Scotland's carbon emissions.

Anna Gardiner, a policy adviser at Scottish Land & Estates, an association of rural property and business owners, said the organisation “would very much welcome a rethink” by the Scottish Government on wood burning stoves.

“The premise of improving energy efficiency and lowering emissions is widely supported, including by rural communities,” she said. “We recognise that there is a real need to address climate change. However, this needs a carefully thought-out plan, which joins up many elements involved in heating buildings.

“This is particularly true in rural communities where energy needs and energy availability differ from an urban context, and fuel poverty is a far greater issue. For many people living in Scotland’s rural and island communities, wood burners are the cheapest, most efficient way to warm their homes because of a ready supply of local timber.

“The gas grid present in cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow does not exist in many rural settings. We did not support a ban on installing wood-burning stoves in new rural homes and we’re pleased the Government may be reviewing the policy.”

Ms Gardiner said “there may be a later time when changes to legislation becomes more acceptable”, but stressed both electricity transmission and clean heat technology “would need to improve significantly” before her organisation would support a change in legislation.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said moving to low carbon heating was “essential to hitting our climate targets and delivering warmer, greener homes”.

“Heating our homes and buildings accounts for about a fifth of all of Scotland’s emissions, so the shift to clean heating systems can't come soon enough,” he said.

"This is a simple and much-needed change that won't impact on a single existing home. It was widely consulted on when the Scottish Greens were in government, and any attempt to water it down or drop it would be unjustified."

Ms Forbes, in an column published in the independence-supporting newspaper The National, said “the dedication and determination of local communities surpass anything that has gone before”, but they are “rightly impatient and intolerant of any active efforts by well-paid public officials to disrupt, delay or undermine their efforts to build resilience.

She wrote: “I think that is why so many recent government policies – local and national – have gone down like a lead balloon in local communities. And it’s why the most recent decision to semi-ban log burners in new builds seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“Think about it. Against the backdrop of depopulation and all the added challenges of rurality, including higher costs, longer waits and less choice, communities need as much support as possible.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said “ministers committed some weeks ago to listen to the concerns raised in relation to wood burning stoves” and this is “ongoing”.