In preparing this report the Commission has instructed a  research team at the University of Aberdeen’s Just Transition Lab, Dr Daria Shapovalova, Prof Keith A. Bender, Prof Clare E. Bond,
Prof John Bone and Prof Tavis Potts, to undertake this work recording regional planning for the North East of Scotland. 

In October 2024, the Just Transition Commission visited Aberdeen for a series of meetings with the North East communities, workers, industry, and local authorities. This report was commissioned by the Just Transition Commission with a view to examine the critical considerations for regional Just Transition planning in the North East of Scotland.

The report covers:

• Critical aspects of regional Just Transition planning (Section 2)
• Good practices from the EU, where regional planning is key to Just Transition funding distribution (Section 3)
• A systematic review of Just Transition activities and evidence in the North East of Scotland (Section 4)
• Relevant regional and local policies and plans (Section 4)
• Options and next steps for Just Transition planning in the North East of Scotland (section 5)

Key issues analysed throughout the report are:

1. Geographical scale of planning: separating North East (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire) from Moray for future planning might ease delivery due to existing cooperation and joint regional strategies.
2. Evidence base: consideration of existing research, as well as quantitative and qualitative data to supporting the future Just Transition planning in the region.
3. Responsible bodies: local authorities, communities, and stakeholders should be empowered with more mandate and resources for effective regional planning, moving away from a centralised approach.
4. Timeliness and policy coherence: future plans must align with existing sectoral policies and undergo policy coherence assessments. At the same time, timely planning is crucial to maintain public support and momentum, and can be facilitated by existing evidence and engagement practices.
5. Guiding principles and frameworks: Scotland’s clear Just Transition principles framework is supported by multi-stakeholder studies, reflecting priorities in the region.
6. Public and stakeholder engagement: reforming engagement frameworks and adoptingdeliberative approaches are essential for building social consensus around JustTransition.
7. Monitoring and evaluation: future plans must include robust M&E frameworks,leveraging existing knowledge and research.
8. Funding: The Just Transition Fund for North East and Moray requires evaluation and reform to ensure transparency, alignment with regional priorities, and accountability