Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG)

What Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) does

Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) is a non-profit policy advisory collective founded in 2019 in Scotland, following Scotland's declaration of a climate emergency. It convenes climate leaders from Scotland's private, public, and third sectors — including delivery organisations and membership bodies — to produce practical, implementable policy recommendations targeted at the Scottish Government. Its core outputs are policy publications, briefing papers, opinion pieces, parliamentary evidence submissions, and direct engagement with Ministers and officials, covering topics such as the Climate Change Plan, Net Zero Assessments, climate financing, transport, heat networks, and agricultural transition.

CERG is not a technology company: it has no proprietary platform, software product, or commercial offering. Its 'product' is a continuously updated library of policy reports (approximately two to four per year since 2019) and a convening function that brings together over 25 supporting member organisations, including Scottish Power, Scottish Water, SCDI, WWF Scotland, NFU Scotland, Jacobs, Ramboll, and the University of Edinburgh. Influence is exerted through direct ministerial meetings, parliamentary committee engagement, publications on cerg.scot, and a LinkedIn channel.

The business model is foundation-grant-funded: CERG discloses funding from the European Climate Foundation and the William Grant Foundation. With approximately 5 staff coordinated by a secretariat function (currently Kate Studd, previously Elizabeth Leighton), operations are deliberately lean. The single primary 'customer' is the Scottish Government; secondary stakeholder engagement spans local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, and private/third-sector member organisations. CERG provides its recommendations free of charge as a public-policy service, and its revenue mechanics are grant-driven rather than commercial, with notable successes including the adoption of its Net Zero Assessment proposal into a Scottish Government pilot in autumn 2024.

Name

Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG)

Legal name

Climate Emergency Response Group

Website

https://cerg.scot

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) is a Scotland-based, non-profit advisory collective founded in 2019 that convenes private, public, and third-sector climate leaders to produce practical policy recommendations and briefings for the Scottish Government on climate delivery and net zero.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Policy Advisory Services

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Reporting (GRI/SASB/ISSB/CSRD) (EUAHAJAB)

Keywords

• Climate policy advisory
• Government consulting
• Environmental policy research
• Sustainability recommendations
• Net zero strategy

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: CERG receives funding from philanthropic foundations to support its operations and policy research work. The group gratefully acknowledges funding support from the European Climate Foundation and the William Grant Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CERG is a non-profit policy advisory collective that provides practical, workable climate policy recommendations to the Scottish Government. It produces reports, briefing papers, and recommendations on climate delivery mechanisms, governance, financing, and implementation, and engages directly with Ministers, officials, and parliamentary committees to influence Scotland's response to the climate emergency.

Product overview

Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) is a policy advisory collective rather than a technology product company. Its primary offerings consist of climate policy publications, briefing papers, and recommendations to the Scottish Government. These include reports such as 'Delivering a Thriving and Resilient Scotland,' 'Embedding delivery in Scotland's Climate Change Plan,' and 'Stepping Up to Delivery.' The group also publishes news articles and opinion pieces on climate policy topics including transport, heat in buildings, Net Zero Assessments, and private finance for clean energy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Climate Policy Publications and Recommendations
• Direct Government Advisory Engagement
• Parliamentary Engagement and Evidence Submissions

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2019, CERG's recommendations have been incorporated into Scottish Government's Programme for Government and specific policy proposals
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Scottish GovernmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERG works directly with the Scottish Government to inform and influence its response to the climate emergency. The group provides practical recommendations for the Programme for Government, Climate Change Plans, and budget decisions. Scottish Government officials engage with CERG through consultations, workshops, and direct meetings.
• Supporting Member OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERG is supported by a network of organizations including: Changeworks, Climate KIC, CPT, Cycling UK in Scotland, Energy Saving Trust, Jacobs, Kensa Group, Living Streets Scotland, Nature Friendly Farming Network, NFU Scotland, Nourish Scotland, Ramboll, SCDI, Scottish Land and Estates, Scottish Cities Alliance, Scottish Power, Scottish Water, Scottish Renewables, Soil Association Scotland, Solace Scotland, Sunamp, Sustrans, UK 100, University of Edinburgh, WWF Scotland, Zero Waste Scotland, and 2050 Group. These organizations provide expertise and support for CERG's policy recommendations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Carbon Trust: Advisory organisation supporting governments and businesses on decarbonisation and sustainability strategy. Comparable to CERG in its mission to accelerate climate action through practical advice, though operating commercially and at much greater scale across multiple geographies.
• Climate Change Committee: Statutory independent adviser to the UK and Scottish Governments on climate targets and progress. Comparable to CERG in its delivery-focused climate policy advisory role and statutory engagement with the Scottish Government, but operating at higher institutional scale and with formal statutory authority.

Direct peers

• E3G: Climate change think tank operating across the UK and EU that produces policy analysis, convenes stakeholders, and advocates practical climate policy to governments. Comparable to CERG in its delivery-focused, cross-sector convening approach and foundation-funded, non-partisan policy advisory model.
• Scottish Environment LINK: Scotland's umbrella coalition of environmental charities. Comparable to CERG in operating specifically within Scotland as a coalition shaping environmental policy and engaging with the Scottish Government, though oriented toward NGO advocacy rather than cross-sector business/policy advice.
• Climate KIC: EU-backed climate innovation community and knowledge hub. A documented CERG supporting member; comparable as a cross-sector convening body focused on climate solutions and system-level transition advice, though operating at pan-European scale.
• Green Alliance: UK environmental think tank that convenes leaders across sectors to develop and advocate practical environmental policy proposals to government. Highly comparable to CERG in mission, cross-sector convening model, and policy-advisory posture, though operating at UK-wide rather than Scottish level.
• Aldersgate Group: UK alliance of businesses, policymakers, and civil society advocating for a sustainable economy. Comparable to CERG as a cross-sector coalition producing evidence-based policy recommendations on climate and sustainability directly to government.
• UK 100: Network of UK local government leaders committed to clean energy and climate action. A documented CERG supporting member; comparable as a cross-sector coalition directly advising government on climate delivery and renewable energy policy.

Emerging players

• WWF Scotland: Scotland-focused arm of WWF advocating on climate and environmental policy to the Scottish Government. A documented CERG supporting member; comparable as a Scotland-specific climate policy advocate, though operating as a campaign-focused NGO rather than a cross-sector advisory collective.

Regional players

• Scottish Renewables: Trade body representing the renewable energy industry in Scotland. A documented CERG supporting member; comparable as a Scotland-specific climate/energy policy advocate engaging the Scottish Government, though representing a narrower sectoral constituency.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climate-emergency-response-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG)