CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT SHOWS WE MUST GO BEYOND CURRENT PLANS
Scottish Green MSPs are urging ministers to act on the recommendation of the independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC) to "go beyond" current and proposed policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Scottish Government has missed the first two annual emissions reduction targets and today's CCC report says achieving future years' targets will be more difficult.
The report supports what the Green MSPs have been calling for including:
-An increase in the rate of investment in renewable electricity generation
-Smarter travel choices
The report also highlights:
-Uncertainty over renewable heat
-A drop off in the rate of cavity wall insulation
-Poor availablity of data in the industrial sector
-The need to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill
Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, said:
"This report is the latest of many wake-up calls for the Scottish Government. It's pointless taking pride in world-beating emissions reduction targets if you repeatedly fail to meet them, and fail to indicate any plan to change course.
"Last year's consultation over the government's proposals and policies was a sham. Ministers failed to heed the growing range of voices calling for radical measures to move Scotland towards low carbon transport, well-insulated homes and renewable energy.
"In the next few months we'll learn if Scotland has missed its third annual target in a row. Unless we see a meaningful commitment from the Scottish cabinet to change course it will be hard to take the SNP's paper commitments seriously."