Stop the climate climbdown
Responding to the latest annual report on the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie called for action and a robust timeline for delivery.
The Bill, which was under development by Mr Harvie in his time as a Minister, and was on track for introduction in November last year, was intended to focus on improving the energy efficiency of our homes and changing to clean heating systems.
Last year the Scottish Government announced plans to dilute the bill, stripping away its most serious policy measures.
Patrick said:
“There is still no sign of the long overdue legislation to help people switch to clean, affordable heating. This is more delay from a Government which has already watered down its climate policy to homeopathic levels.
“With so many climate targets missed, the only rational response is to speed up action to cut emissions and cut energy bills too. That's exactly what the Greens were doing while we were in Government, but John Swinney's approach has been to keep delaying this Bill, and to strip it of its most important elements.
“We need far more urgency and ambition. What households, building owners and the developers of clean heating tech all need is clarity and certainty from the Government. Parliament can still restore that, by putting ambition back into this bill, and that's what the Greens will do when the Bill is finally introduced.”