Scottish Climate Change Update Dec 09

The Scottish Government are dragging their feet on the practical actions that could make a real difference to cutting emissions now.

Labour pushed the Scottish Government to strengthen of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act  We suggested a 40 per cent reduction of carbon emissions by 2020 – the Scottish Government then jumped from their planned 34 per cent cut in emissions to 42 per cent to trump us at the last minute.

But the tough – and most important – part is to act now on emission reductions.  Here there is a worrying lack of progress in Scotland:

• The Scottish Govt have dumped their manifesto commitment to set a legally binding target of 3 per cent emissions year on year
• The Scottish Govt are  not even getting the basics right, like cutting red tape on mini wind-turbines, increasing insulation in homes or boosting the use of electric cars in the public sector
• The Scottish Government manifesto commitment to have renewables in every school has been left by the wayside

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What the Scottish Government should be doing:

• We need to get on with practical measures now to tackle emissions
• We must seize renewables opportunities whether those are in marine renewables or householder and community renewables
• Bring forward council tax and business rates reductions that we all agreed to in the Climate Change Act to make our homes and buildings more energy efficient
• Get moving on a public duty to make sure the whole public sector puts it weight behind reducing emissions
• Use public procurement to promote the use of electric cars and battery technology to support the industry in Scotland
• Put more money in the pot for public transport and cycling 
• Make the most of the opportunities that could come from green jobs and investment

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