Green energy powerhouse status could go up in smoke
address the root causes of the issues.
The UK has been seen as an important driver of climatechange policy across the EU, with the Scottish Government stating the EU's climate and energy objectives are increasingly important in reaching domestic targets.
Antony Froggatt, senior research fellow in Energy, Environment and Resources at Chatham House, said: “It is important that the governments in Westminster and Holyrood make clear their energy and climate policy objectives and put forward credible strategies to enable them to be met.
“All parties will need to convey to consumers and policymakers across Europe the mutual benefits and opportunities from a strong energy relationship. They will need to do this as early as possible in the Brexit negotiations, as well as think of new ways to co-operate in a post-Brexit world.”
Since the UK voted to leave the EU environmental campaigners have raised a number of key concerns as to how withdrawal will impact across a number of areas. The concerns have intensified since last November and the election of Donald Trump, with many fearing Brexit comes as a time when the EU was standing up to the US President on climate and environmental issues.
As well as how the UK will abide by EU air pollution standards there are anxieties over how it will police and enforce rules on chemicals, wildlife habitats and water quality that have been handled for decades by EU bodies such as the European Commission and courts and how will Westminster and the devolved administrations replace billions of pounds in EU funding for low carbon infrastructure, managing the countryside and associated research.
Green MSP Mark Ruskell is a member of Holyrood's Environment Committee. He believes the issue around improving air-quality standards will be one of the biggest issues facing the UK post-Brexit.
He said: “This is an issue Westminster is already dragging its feet on and where the Scottish Government also clearly has a responsibility. The concern is that when Brexit happens we will fail to meet those legal limits set by Europe and this has direct implications for people's health. In Scotland annually 2,500 die where air pollution is a factor. We have 32 areas already breaching European air quality limits and plans for just one low emissions zone.
“Our only hope to deliver the action needed to address our problems is the continuation of European legal targets and not make them or the policies needed to address pollution a matter of political choice. Governments need to be forced into taking the required action.”
Jenny Hogan, director of Policy at Scottish Renewables, added: “The UK Government has maintained its commitment to UK climate-change targets and the international Paris Agreement, which sends an important signal to the renewables industry. The upcoming Clean Growth Plan is expected to set out how ministers intend to meet these targets.”