The road to zero carbon emissions – how does Scotland get there?

Comment Stuart Haszeldine

emissions reduction targets – 56 per cent by 2020 The new Climate Change Bill commits Scotland to eliminating 90 per cent, and preferably 100 per cent, of carbon emissions by 2050. And that’s not weak, its really hard.

Nowhere in the world has a country pledged to do this entirely in its own territory. Even iconic Sweden allows itself to buy in carbon reductions from around the planet.

In Scotland, we will have to invent this last and hardest change for ourselves.

Going for zero carbon will be an innovation and social challenge amongst global leaders.

What does a zero carbon future in 2050 look like? The pathway is partly visible.

We will have renewable electricity – nearly done. Our housesandofficeswillbeimmense According to the Scottish Government, the new bill means Scotland will have the most ambitious emissions reduction target for 2050, based on domestic effort alone, and will continue to be the only country with legally binding annual aims. ly more efficient for heating, so cheaper to run and good for the health of people struggling to pay bills – just starting. Our transport will be more public, and those with personal cars will run on electricity or hydrogen – already under way. Heating in homes and buildings will be from renewable electricity or hydrogen gas – currently deep in debate.

Our large industries will be supplying domestic and export markets with low-carbon bio-plastic, paper, glass, cement, steel, and carbonneutral whisky. We’ll also export design and manufacture of community energy and offshore renewables.

This is a California-style innovation opportunity – if Scotland is bold enough to take it on. Our universities can lead the discoveries, and new businesses can develop here,

The bill sets a 2050 goal for emissions to be cut by 90 per cent from 1990 baseline levels, but also requires a target date for reaching net-zero to be written into law as soon as it can be set credibly. Ministers say they will strive for the most ambitious migrate here and stay here.

In the important detail are many changes in established ways of behaving. To achieve zero emissions, Scotland will need to build a takeaway service to collect carbon dioxide and pipe it to geological storage deep beneath the North Sea. We will also need to develop “negative emissions” carbon – that’s recapturing carbon dioxide already emitted.

And very probably, entirely new innovations to capture carbon from thin air.

Our immediate challenge is to make sure the country can achieve not just a 90 per cent fall in emissions by 2050, but even better a 110 per cent cut. And create the new businesses in Scotland to do that. l Professor Stuart Haszeldine is professor of Carbon Capture and Storage at University of Edinburgh target possible. The country will also have the toughest interim targets for 2020, 2030 and 2040.

The new climate goals cover all greenhouse gases – including methane and nitrogen oxides – and emissions from international aviation and shipping.