Scottish Government must take action to cut number of flights
The Scottish and UK Governments are failing to show climate ambition, and must take urgent action to reduce the number of flights taking off and landing in Scotland, say the Scottish Greens, who have accused them of offering “hot air and environmental window dressing.”
The call comes as the Scottish Government published a new Aviation Statement and Key Priorities document, which embraces calls for more flights and for Scotland to be “at least as well-connected as leading peer regions.”
The Scottish Greens have called for both governments to work together to deliver an Air Departure Tax on flights taking off in Scotland and a frequent flyer levy on the small number of people who are responsible for the majority of aviation, with exceptions for those in remote areas who are using lifeline services.
These changes would help to fund urgent investment to cut the price of rail and ensure it is always an affordable and viable alternative to domestic flights.
The party’s Co-leader, Patrick Harvie MSP, said: “The Scottish Government is trying to have it both ways on aviation, pretending they can get lower emissions with more flights.
"The only way to reduce the damage done by aviation is to cut the demand for flights, anything else is simply hot air and environmental window dressing.
“With the new climate plan due to be published in the months ahead, they must be bold and show the kind of ambition that is so lacking in today’s utterly dismal announcement.
“Taxation has a key role to play if we are to transform the way we travel, with a particular focus on shifting frequent business travellers away from high carbon aviation and onto low-carbon rail. That means investing in public transport and ensuring that it is always reliable, affordable and available.
“We won’t deliver the climate action we need with business as usual. It needs politicians and governments that will live up to the urgency of the crisis we face."
An important step would be the introduction of Air Departure Tax, which was created by the Scottish Parliament in 2016, but has yet to be introduced as they have been unable to secure an exemption for lifeline island flights from Westminster.
Mr Harvie added: “If the UK government is remotely serious about working with Scotland to cut our emissions then the Air Departure Tax must be applied and fast.
“Pressure must be put on the new Labour government to work positively and constructively with the Scottish Parliament to protect our environment and deliver the change that is badly needed.”
