Key climate policies ‘vanish’ under Swinney as First Minister
Ahead of the Programme for Government, climate campaigners have produced a list of 10 major climate policies that have either been “scrapped or vanished” under the last year of John Swinney as First Minister.
Since he was appointed First Minister in May 2024, his Government has scrapped critical targets to cut emissions, weakened plans to phase out expensive fossil fuel heating, increased the cost of train travel and failed to bring forward plans or investment to help oil workers transition to green jobs.
In the past year, workers at Grangemouth faced redundancy without a clear transition plan in place, Ministers have changed position on whether new oil fields should be drilled and failed to deliver on a commitment to change agriculture funding to support nature friendly farming.
Campaigners accused ministers of “paying lip service” to climate action whilst failing to deliver policies which could improve the lives of people in Scotland. The Programme for Government this week is being billed as the “last chance for this Government” to commit to the transformative action that could help people with cost of living challenges and bring down climate pollution.
Friends of the Earth Scotland oil and gas campaigns manager Rosie Hampton commented,
“John Swinney’s year as First Minister has been one of no progress to reduce climate pollution or deliver on a fair transition. His Ministerial team have been allowed to pay lip service to climate action whilst key policies that could improve lives have vanished or been scrapped.
“Scottish Government Ministers have kept people trapped in cold homes, underserved by public transport and offered no certainty of a clear transition plan for oil workers. Climate solutions are the same solutions to the cost-of-living crisis – cheaper energy, affordable transport and secure jobs building the green infrastructure we need.
“The extreme weather from Storm Eowyn to hundreds of wildfires make it clear that we cannot afford another wasted year of climate inaction. The workers from the North Sea to Grangemouth who are already losing their jobs can’t wait any longer without concrete support to transition into new renewables jobs.
“This week’s Programme for Government is the last chance for this Government to recommit to the transformative action needed that will improve lives, phase out fossil fuels and get us back on track for the 2045 goal that Ministers are so fond of pointing to.”
ENDS
10 major climate policies dropped or sidelined by John Swinney as First Minister
1.Climate targets scrapped
In Nov 2024 the Scottish Government passed a bill that scrapped all annual and interim climate emissions reductions targets except for the 2045 net zero goal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2dl599xk5wo
2. Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan disappeared
In June 2021 the Scottish Government announced that a draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) would be published in spring 2022. This was then delayed in autumn 2022 before eventually being published for public consultation from January to May 2023. The final version has still not been published.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20031394.snp-government-delays-publishing-updated-energy-strategy/
3. 20% car km reduction planned being scrapped
The Scottish Government’s climate change plan published in 2020 included a commitment to reduce car use by 20% by 2030. It consulted on a route map to achieve this in January 2022, and the 2024/25 Programme for Government included a commitment to publish a final version in autumn 2024. This was not published. The Transport secretary said on 23 April that the goal would be dropped.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1jxk9949e5o
4. Heat in Buildings Bill watered down
In the revised version, the Scottish Government removed the legal requirement for property owners to replace heating systems. The Greens said that the government was “watering down” the legislation and “stripping away almost all of its serious policy measures”.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrgd85yxmxo
5. Change in support for new oil & gas drilling.
The Scottish Government’s position was previously a presumption against new oil drilling but the position is now that there should be (as yet never defined) a ‘climate compatibility test’ before new drilling consents are granted.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24371214.forbes-scottish-government-not-opposed-new-north-sea-oil-licences/
6. Peak train fares reinstated
The transport secretary reintroduced peak train fares despite the 12 month trial period showing a 6.8% increase passenger numbers. Transport unions and climate groups have demanded an end to peak fares on the Scottish Government controlled train system.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvge98qj0e5o
7. Failed to stop the growth of incinerators.
The Scottish Government announced a moratorium on new incinerators in June 2022. This ban is so riddled with loopholes that 1 new incinerator opened in Grangemouth, another due to open in Fife in May 2025 and another five incinerators have planning permission.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-61825698
8. Scrapped recycling targets.
The Circular Economy Bill passed in June 2024 does not include national targets to increase household recycling, leaving the option to set them in the future legislation but with no requirement to do so. It also includes optional targets for individual councils on household waste recycling but these will not be imposed until at least 2030.
The Scottish Government had previously committed to a policy of achieving 60% household waste recycling by 2020, but in 2022 just 43% of waste was recycled.
https://foe.scot/press-release/scottish-government-abandons-recycling-target/
9. Failed to increase agriculture funding for nature friendly farming
The Scottish Government had a manifesto commitment that by 2025 half of all agricultural funding would be made conditional on environmental outcomes. The government’s Vision for Agriculture stated that this would take the form of enhanced conditionality on 50% of direct payments. Scot Gov announced at NFUS conference (Feb 2025) a commitment that 70% of funding would remain as direct payments (in Tiers 1 and 2), with 70% in Tier 1 and 30% in Tier 2. Tier 2 funding is for farmers who demonstrate action that will deliver climate and nature benefits.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/new-deal-for-agriculture-nfus-first-ministers-speech/
10. Failed to ban the sale of peat for horticulture.
The 2021-22 Programme for Government pledged to take forward work to develop and consult on a ban on the sale of peat-related gardening products. There was a public consultation in February 2023.
No legislation has been produced to ban the sale of peat.
Separately, the Scottish Government is spending £250million to restore peatlands.
https://www.gov.scot/news/ending-the-sale-of-peat-in-scotland/
https://peatfreepartnership.org.uk/who-we-are/legislation-timeline/