Scottish Government must take immediate and decisive action to cut Scotland’s emissions, says new report

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland response to the UK Committee on Climate Change (UKCCC) Report ‘Reducing emissions in Scotland, 2019 Progress Report to Parliament’

The report from the independent climate watchdog, the UK Committee on Climate Change (UKCCC), warns that the Scottish Government needs to “take decisive action to strengthen climate change policy in all parts of the economy” in order to meet the targets set out in the new Climate Act.

Commenting on the report, which assesses Scotland’s progress on reducing climate emissions, Tom Ballantine from Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said:

“Now that Scotland has a new Climate Act and stronger targets for cutting emissions, this report shows that, in order to meet those targets, urgent action is needed across every sector of the economy.

“The report is clear that decisions taken in the next 12 months are likely to determine the direction of the next 25 years. The Scottish Government must now take decisive action that will drive down emissions in the crucial next decade.

“In particular, the new Climate Change Plan must go much further than existing promises and set out how the Government plans to cut emissions in transport, heating and agriculture, areas where we have so far seen little progress.

“That means measures to improve the energy efficiency of all buildings, replace oil and gas boilers with renewable heating, create a network of safe cycling and walking routes in every town and city, a strong regulatory framework that ensures the uptake of low-carbon farming practices and the creation of a farm support regime that is focused on significantly reducing emissions and maximising sequestration, and a range of other transformational measures.”

“With the UN climate summit (COP26) being held in Scotland next year, all eyes will be on the Scottish Government to deliver strong climate action. The CCC is right to say that the UK’s credibility as COP26 President – and Scotland’s as hosts – ‘now rests on real action at home.’”

You can read the full UKCCC report here