Gillian Martin asks about Brexit and says there are uncertainties around the transition period and beyond.

Ms Cunningham replies the Scottish government cannot assess this risk, as it is almost impossible to factor what might or might not be a result of Brexit.

She says her expectation is the UK government will meet additional and ongoing costs arising from Brexit.

The climate change minister says: "We are still in a period of uncertainty."

There are issues around future funding that are uncertain, so the budget is done on a cost neutral basis, she adds.

Ms Hamilton asks about blue carbon research, and what funding has been allocated.

This research relates to the ability of Scotland's marine environment to store carbon dioxide and mitigate against the effects of climate change.

We've spent £450,000, I think, since 2018, replies the cabinet secretary.

The publication of the results will take place this year, she adds, and we'll review that and then work on an evidence map going forward.

Ms Cunningham tells the committee flood funding of £42m annually is an adaptation issue and says the Scottish government puts cash towards the work of the CCC on adaption.

The climate change secretary says adaptation is in different places in the budget, but there is no new line in the budget on adaptation.

She says we need to be conscious of the wildfire issue, given what is happening in Australia and notwithstanding the current Scottish weather.

Coastal erosion is also an issue, adds the minister.

Image source, bbc

Ms Hamilton asks about funding of £2.7m for Flood Risk Management projects.

The minister cites a number of projects which will receive cash, with the most going to SEPA work on forecasting and flood warning.

This budget line has not increased, she says.

Ms Hamilton ask why there has been a real terms decrease of 11% for the river basin management plan

The minister explains this is a one year issue in terms of the budget.

Image source, Getty Images

The cost of policing the UN climate change conference in Glasgow later this year has now been estimated at £250m.

The "indicative" figure is detailed in a paper, external which will go before the Scottish Police Authority on Wednesday.

About 30,000 people, including 200 world leaders, are expected to attend COP26 from 9 to 20 November.

Police Scotland, the second largest force in the UK after the Met, will draft in officers from across the country for the summit under mutual aid arrangements.

Read more here.

Mr Ruskell asks about a £9m increase in the Sustainable Action Fund.

What additional work will the SAF fund make over the next year?

It relates to COP26, says the cabinet secretary, with most of that going to the event and the rest going to public engagement (£1.1m)

Is the Climate Challenge Fund continuing, he asks.

Yes, she replies, some of it will go toward a climate change town fund. The funding will become more flexible, says Ms Cunningham.

Tory MSP Finlay Carson says: "You're buzzing about peat, and we're buzzing about COP26."

Mr Carson asks about contingency funds for COP26.

Ms Cunningham explains there is a 15% contingency fund.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks: "Why is the climate change policy budget line static?"

That is how the government is managing things across all policy areas, replies Ms Cunningham and this cash is not outcome based.

The minister says the budget line is for officials to provide advice across portfolios and it does not require increased funding.

Ms Beamish says the land reform budget is reducing, which "seems disappointing".

The minister says the creation of the Scottish Land Commission did result in some efficiencies and the budget line will not affect delivery through the Land Fund.

The fund is over subscribed and there is huge demand, she says, and it will not be changing.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish turns the committee's thoughts to the Regional Land Use Partnerships and the two pilots in progress.

The Scottish Government has asked the Land Commission to advise on the establishment of regional land use partnerships, a commitment in the 2019 Programme for Government, external.

Read more at the Scottish Land Commission website, external.

Ms Cunningham tells the committee that a Land Use Partnership Team within the Scottish government will be set up.

Ms Cunningham says the huge win in the budget for her portfolio is the peatland restoration money.

It promises £20m, with a commitment to invest more than £250m over 10 years.

The cabinet secretary explains the recent Committee for Climate Change report and the land use report make the arguments for the nature based solutions in the budget.

She says the CCC report was extremely timely and it aligned brilliantly with the budget and has been tremendously helpful.

Committee convener Gillian Martin asks how the budget aligns with climate change policy.

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham explains the government is in the process of updating the climate change plan, creating a somewhat unusual budgetary scenario.

Ms Cunningham says aligning the budget with climate change policy does not work due to the ongoing work on the climate change plan.

She cites increased investment in areas that are more challenging to decarbonise - like heat, transport and agriculture.

There's quite a lot of ambition in the budget across portfolios to tackle the climate emergency, she explains.

The witnesses are ready for questions from the committee:

• Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham
• Simon Fuller, deputy director of rural and environment science and analytical services, Scottish government
• Graham Black, director of Marine Scotland, Scottish government
• Helena Gray, deputy director climate change (Domestic Policy), Scottish government

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks about projects cited in the budget that actually reduce emissions.

The methodology is externally set and breaks down low, neutral and high carbon spend, the minister replies.

She says there is additional funding for new initiatives, with £500m more being spent on low carbon infrastructure next year than in the last.

Within the £1.8bn for low carbon infrastructure in the budget, there is £500m specifically for measures that tackle the climate emergency, adds David Stevenson.

Image source, bbc

Last week's Finance and Constitution Committee quizzed Kate Forbes on the budget, a mere public finance minister then.

Here's a snap shot of the climate change element of the evidence session:

Climate change spending is going up, conceded Patrick Harvie, but that's after two years of going down. And could the minister point to spending choices that reduced the carbon footprint, rather than pouring concrete and asphalt into making life easier for motorists?

The cars on those improved roads should be increasingly electric by the end of this decade, responded Ms Forbes.

Is there anything to lower the cost of bus travel, asked Mr Harvie? Had the minister, for instance, considered making bus fares free for people aged under 25?

One could see the direction of low-carbon travel to this line of questioning. Greens and Labour are arguing for that policy, and may wish to get political concessions, as well as the ticketed variety, as the price of a budget deal.

With the kitty empty, there's nothing like enough money or time to implement it in 2020-21, but with a pledge to look into it, that could be a handy giveaway a year from now, ahead of the May 2021 Holyrood election.

Mr Carson asks about the potential for repairs to rural roads being kicked into the long grass.

That's the heart of the challenge, replies the minister, saying simplistic decisions must be avoided and the longer term prioritised.

Ms Forbes says the government's approach is very much to shift from high carbon infrastructure to low carbon infrastructure, but not to take a simplistic view.

Image source, CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/PA WIRE

Finance ministers from NI, Scotland and Wales have written a joint letter seeking urgent talks with the government ahead of the Budget.

The ministers want to discuss its impact on devolved administrations.

They also want the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay to clarify plans for the forthcoming UK comprehensive spending review.

The new chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is expected to deliver the Budget on 11 March.

• Stormont to get an extra £1bn from Westminster
• Finance package keeps NI in 'austerity trap'
• No extra cash for budget deals
• Read more here

Mr Carson asks if a document that actually lays out specific outcomes on the budget lines will be published.

Ms Forbes replies if that is the best option it will be considered.

The Tory MSP asks about the 11% increase in low carbon infrastructure spend.

The new finance secretary says that is higher than the overall increase in the Scottish budget.

Ms Forbes says, including financial transactions, £1.8bn will be spent on low carbon infrastructure, nearly tripling the amount of investment since 2017/18.

Ms Beamish wonders when the joint working group on the budget will be set up. When will the remit be agreed, she asks.

I believe the response to that is 'imminently' says Ms Forbes.

There needs to be an evidence based approach, says Conservative MSP Finlay Carson.

We are considering the committee's request, says the minister, saying there are unprecedented challenges.

Ms Forbes says the approach to climate change should be evidence led.

The minister adds the policy measures in the budget aim to take Scotland on a trajectory towards net-zero.

She says these build on work that has already been done by the Scottish government.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish pivots to the updated climate change plan to be laid out in April, and the funds required for this.

Ms Forbes explains there are means by which action can be taken without having to wait until the next budget to allocate funding to tackle climate change.