Scottish officials are reconsidering the ban on woodburning stoves in new builds after rural communities raised concerns about their job prospects and comfort during cold months.
In May, the BBC reported that the government would look into amending the law requiring new homes to use energy-efficient systems like heat pumps for warming the indoors.
The legislation, which initially went into effect on April 1, was intended to help Scotland meet its goals of significantly reducing pollution by 2045. A government spokesperson explained that heating homes and buildings accounts for roughly 20% of the country's carbon pollution.
Heat pumps are a popular choice for people aiming to reduce their energy costs and help the environment. According to the International Energy Agency, the devices are around three to five times more efficient than gas boilers, with the potential to eliminate the equivalent of "the annual CO2 emissions of all cars in Europe today."
There is also the fact that burning wood — while more planet-friendly than dirty fuels like gas, oil, and coal, per the BBC — releases fine particulate matter linked to lung and organ damage.
In July, the Wakefield Council in England's West Yorkshire issued its first fine for burning wood after passing measures aimed at curbing harmful pollution in December. The United Kingdom (of which Scotland is a part) also previously backed plans to standardize heat pump installation.
However, as reported by the BBC, members of rural Scottish communities pointed out that many people rely on woodburning stoves as an alternative energy source during power outages, while older residents turn to them for their affordability.
While Scotland has heat pump incentives to reduce the upfront cost, one community argued that banning woodburning stoves would be "a disaster."
"They provide hot water in winter when solar thermal can't," Isle of Eigg (@isleofeigg) wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Island timber harvesting provides local affordable fuel & jobs."
"There is no doubt that 'bad air quality' contributes to many underlying health issues," one Redditor wrote in r/Scotland on a post discussing the ban. Yet the poster believes that the legislation is an example of "this and many other governments [hunting] for 'solutions' that are 'easy', not solutions that matter," and advocated for more nuance from policymakers.
Now, the legislation is under review. On May 28, as reported by the BBC, Climate Action Minister Gillian Martin told Holyrood that she would take into account the unique needs of urban and rural communities, considering culture and traditions in addition to sustainability.
"I want to ensure climate-friendly alternatives to direct emissions are promoted in appropriate ways across Scotland with no unintended consequences with regard to fuel poverty and sustainability, particularly in rural communities," Martin said.
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