EMISSIONS IMPOSSIBLE
New plan branded ‘weak and reheated’
environmental groups reacted with anger yesterday as the SnP-Green government scrapped a key 2030 climate target.
Campaigners hit out at the move to ditch the aim of slashing Scotland’s emissions by 75 per cent by the end of the decade as “the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament” and condemned new measures as “weak” and “reheated”.
Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan insisted to MSPs that the goal of achieving net zero for Scotland by 2045 – five years ahead of the UK – remained intact.
She announced 19 climate measures, including tripling the number of electric vehicle charging points, with an additional 24,000 by 2030.
McAllan also pledged to “explore” an integrated national ticketing system for all public transport in Scotland – first mooted by Nicola Sturgeon in 2012 – plus policies to decarbonise farming and boost nature.
But green groups tore into the Scottish Government, with Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, calling its actions “a reprehensible retreat caused by its recklessly inadequate level of action to date”. He added: “The announcement of largely recycled measures represents baby steps.”
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns, Imogen Dow, hit out at the “weak package of reheated ideas”. She added: “SNP and Green ministers choosing to scrap these climate commitments is the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament.”
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: “It’s bitterly disappointing that Scottish Government delays in delivering its own policies, over many years, has led to this announcement.”
It follows the independent Climate Change Committee’s warning last month that Scotland’s 2030 target was now unreachable because of a lack of progress.
The Scottish Government has missed its legally binding annual emissions reduction targets in eight of the last 12 years.
Addressing MSPs, McAllan warned “full delivery” of the Scottish Government’s plans would depend on Westminster “reversing the nine per cent cut to our capital budget”.
She insisted: “We are being held back.”
Delays in delivering its policies have led to this news Lang Banks WWF Scotland director