The Scottish Government’s draft climate change bill has been branded “hugely disappointing” by campaigners.
The document, published today, will immediately set a target of a 90% emissions reduction by 2050 according to the Scottish Government.
That’s above the current 80% target which was hailed as world-leading when introduced.
The UK Committee on Climate Change said the target is “at the limit of feasibility”.
However environmental group Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said it is “hugely disappointing” the bill does not aim for a net zero emissions target.
Climate change secretary Roseanna Cunningham said the legislation will be “tougher” than the 100% reduction goal set by other countries because it will be more demanding.
She said: “Our 90% target will be tougher even than the 100% goal set by a handful of other countries, because our legislation will set more demanding, legally-binding, annual targets covering every sector of our economy.
“By 2030, we will cut emissions by two-thirds and, unlike other nations, we will not use carbon offsetting, where other countries are paid to cut emissions for us, to achieve our goal.
“The fight against climate change is a moral responsibility but Scotland’s academic and engineering expertise, coupled with our outstanding natural resources, mean it is also an economic opportunity.
“Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our age and Scotland’s international leadership means our plans must be ambitious, credible and affordable – which is exactly what the new Climate Change Bill delivers.”
Despite that, Tom Ballatine chairman of Stop Climate Change Scotland, said the legislation doesn’t go far enough.
He said: ““It’s hugely disappointing that the Scottish Government has failed to live up to its own rhetoric on global climate change leadership, by failing to set a net zero emissions target in the Climate Change Bill published today.
“The Government claims Scotland it will be one of the first countries to achieve zero emissions, but the Bill does not commit to that. It sets a target of only a 90 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050.
“By failing to ally with the global momentum towards zero emissions, led by countries like France, Sweden and New Zealand, Scotland is missing a huge opportunity to end its contribution to climate change in a generation, attract clean investment and retain its position as a leader on the global stage.
“We’re now calling on MSPs from all parties to push for stronger targets on emissions – net-zero by 2050 at the latest, 77 per cent by 2030 and the action needed to deliver on them in line with the Paris Agreement.”
The Scottish Government has disregarded the voices of over 19,000 people in Scotland who asked for a net zero target by 2050 at the latest, as well as the voices of eminent global scientists, members of the farming community, faith leaders and those at the front line of climate change impacts around the world. As it stands, this Bill does not deliver on the Paris Agreement, and it does not deliver climate justice to those who already feeling the devastating impacts of climate change.”
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