SNP and Green ministers have been told to act urgently and set out how they will get 2030 legal climate targets back on track – including piloting large-scale transformation of how commercial buildings are heated in Scotland’s cities.

Scotland has pledged to cut 1990 levels of carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.

Emissions have been cut by around 50% in the last 30 years, meaning the same level of progress is now required in the next decade for the aims to remain on track.

One of the toughest tasks facing the Scottish Government is transforming how buildings are heated – with a move away from fossil fuel boilers to sustainable systems such as heat pumps and better insulated properties.

Read more: Patrick Harvie's heat pumps strategy in doubt as progress stutters

Green Zero Carbons Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie is set to table updated plans for his strategy later this year, with the Scottish Government’s progress in increasing the proportion of buildings with renewable heating systems having stalled.

Campaigners are calling for attention to also be given to cleaning up how offices and other commercial buildings are heated.

A climate group made up of academics and experts has called on Humza Yousaf to use next week’s Programme for Government to bring forward urgent action to ramp up progress.

A new report by the Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) has called on Mr Yousaf to “create the right environment for commercial building sector commitment to a large-scale retrofit and heat decarbonisation pilot in every Scottish city”.

It adds that many owners and tenants of offices, shops and industrial buildings “are looking to meet their own net-zero commitments through greening their property portfolios and workplaces”.

Read more: Harvie calls for UK action so heat pumps lead to lower energy bills

But the document has warned that “there is a lack of clarity on standards and heat technologies, making it difficult to plan the package of works and raise the necessary funding”, adding that “this barrier to delivery can be removed through the right balance of regulation, incentives, and support for coordination”.

CERG has called for Mr Harvie’s upcoming Heat in Buildings Bill, set to be announced in next week’s Programme for Government to “include regulatory requirements for energy efficiency and phase out of fossil-fuel heating for all buildings, including non- domestic buildings”.

CERG has also called for the Scottish Government to “support pilot projects in every city”.

The report stresses that could be done if ministers “commit to work with city local authority leaders, investors, developers and key commercial building owners and tenants to pilot large-scale retrofit and heat decarbonisation programmes involving public sector and private assets in each city.

It adds: “Where possible these projects should also consider energy generation opportunities.”

The group has also called for minister to “introduce a net zero test to inform all policy and investment decisions”, which could potentially put future roads improvements projects, like dualling the A9, in doubt.

CERG has also appealed for the Scottish Government to “enable local authorities to unlock the finance needed to drive action on climate change mitigation and adaptation” and “introduce fiscal levers as part of a coherent strategy to reduce car reliance and improve places for people”

Read more: SNP to target cleaning up housing and transport in new climate plan

The report adds: “If effectively and comprehensively addressed, these proposals could deliver a significant step change in Scotland’s response to the climate emergency.

“The four proposals include two cross-cutting, systemic proposals which will have far-reaching impact across sectors and places and two proposals focused on fast-tracking action in high carbon, priority sectors where delivery is lagging, clear plans are lacking, and early business and public engagement is paramount for a just transition.

“CERG believes meaningful, measurable action against these four proposals this year is essential to meet the 2030 climate targets and give businesses, investors and citizens the clarity they need.”

The report has stressed that “all proposals are within the powers of the Scottish Government and strongly align with the Scottish Government’s commitments and priorities”.

Stefanie O’Gorman, director of sustainable economics at Ramboll, and steering group member of CERG, said: “The rapid scale up of action must start now.

“Every delay increases the social, economic, and environmental costs of the just transition to net zero, as well as costs of adapting to climate impacts like increasing severity of storm events and overheating of buildings and floods.”

Read more: Gas boilers set to be penalised under energy efficiency overhaul

Morag Watson, director of policy at Scottish Renewables and steering group member of CERG, added: “A stable and consistent policy and regulatory environment and a clear commitment to delivering net zero and climate resilience are essential to build investor confidence and a willingness on the part of businesses to act.

“We see action on CERG’s proposals as a litmus test for the government’s commitment to early engagement with business.”

Last week, Mr Yousaf said that failure to tackle the climate crisis could be “utterly catastrophic”, adding that “the world must act with an urgency which matches the scale of the crisis unfolding right now”.

In a speech introducing US Climate Enoy John Kerry in Edinburgh, the First Minister insisted “the Scottish Government will play our part”.

Mr Yousaf said that Scotland “must, of course, reduce our own emissions as quickly as we possibly can”.

He said: “Scotland has set some of the most ambitious targets for cutting emissions anywhere in the world. And we’ve already halved our greenhouse gas emissions in the last three decades.

“But we need to face up to the fact that the hardest part of our journey is still to come. So we have to go further and we have to go faster.”

The First Minister acknowledged that “there are some very tough elements to a green transition”.

He added: “Some of the choices we have to make will be difficult – for example, how we replace gas boilers in homes, how we move away from North Sea oil and gas, and decarbonise our agriculture and transport sectors.

“So as we take those tough and difficult decisions, we also need to show that we are delivering benefits to people. And that’s a key aim of this Government.”