Climate change report confirms the need for action now

Commenting on the Committee on Climate Change’s report released today (30 June), Francis Stuart, Friends of the Earth Scotland Parliamentary Officer, said:

“This report supports what FoES has been saying since the Climate Change (Scotland) Act was passed last year. We have to take action now to ensure we actually reduce emissions rather than relying on unwanted factors such as the recession.

“Only last month Parliament said the Scottish Government’s annual targets to cut emissions weren’t ambitious enough. The government must now take account of this report and put in place the strong annual targets needed over the coming years.

“A country wide street by street insulation and energy efficiency scheme, increased investment in green transport measures, and widespread acknowledgement of the need to reduce demand will be essential.

“Additionally we have to take a good look at policies that will increase our emissions. We only have a limited amount of time and money, we must spend wisely and equitably on policies that will deliver multiple benefits. In this context the government must review its road building programme including the unnecessary £2 billion second Forth road bridge.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland t: 0131 243 2719

Notes to editors

Meeting carbon budgets – ensuring a low-carbon recovery – 30 June 2010 www.theccc.org.uk/reports/progress-reports/2nd-progress-report

Friends of the Earth Scotland is the country’s leading independent environmental campaigning organisation, and is the only organisation in Scotland that is working for environmental justice, campaigning for the planet and its people. www.foe-scotland.org.uk