UK Climate Experts Warn Scotland Needs Greater Action To Meet Ambitious Climate Change Plans

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Experts from the UK Committee on Climate Change have this week published a report warning that Scotland must step up its policies and strategies on transport, heating, and other sectors if it is to meet its Paris Climate Agreement goals.

The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) established in 2008 in order to advise the UK Government and its Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and London on emissions targets. In a new report published this week, the Reducing emissions in Scotland – 2017 progress report, the CCC has issued what might be interpreted as a stern rebuke to Scotland’s government over its impressive, but maybe overly-ambitious goals.

Following the Paris Agreement, the Scottish Government is looking to pass new legislation by early 2019, proposing 90% emissions reductions by 2050 from an existing emissions reduction target of at least 80%. It’s great to see countries setting themselves huge targets, but the policies and strategies need to match the ambition, and the CCC has explained that Scotland must significantly increase the strength of its policies in transport, heating, and other sectors if it is to make it on track to meet its targets and remain a world leader in tackling emissions.

“Scotland’s level of ambition in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and tackling climate change is amongst the highest in the world,” said Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, Lord Deben. “Our report shows that Scotland continues to lead the UK in this area, as Scotland’s emissions continue to fall year on year.”

“The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan will deliver the next chapter of emissions reductions into the 2030s and beyond. It’s therefore essential that further work is done to ramp up emissions reductions right across the Scottish economy and think through how to reduce emissions from heating Scotland’s buildings and from transport, amongst other areas. The process of review and revision should enable this to happen in time for the adoption of the final Climate Change Plan early next year.”

The new report essentially assesses both the most recent emissions reductions for Scotland, as well as assessing the Scottish Government’s draft Climate Change Plan — a plan which outlines how the country will reach its legislated 2032 emissions reduction target, and its larger 2050 target.

There is obviously good news in the report, considering that Scotland met its emissions reduction target for 2015, and continues to compare extremely well when compared to other countries in the UK, as well as with the UK as a whole. Scotland’s actual emissions — including aviation and shipping — fell by 3% in 2015 and were 38% below 1990 emissions (whereas the UK only managed a 35% reduction). These emissions reductions were primarily driven by the country’s power sector which have continued to fall sharply since 2015 thanks to continued and impressive action in the industry — including the closing of the country’s final coal plant in Longannet in 2016. Scotland’s net emissions for 2015 were 45.5 MtCO2e in 2015, below its target original 2015 target, while emissions on the net basis were 41% below 1990 levels, and the country is on track

Scotland’s net emissions for 2015 were 45.5 MtCO2e in 2015, below its original 2015 target, while emissions on a net basis were 41% below 1990 levels, and the country is on track to meet the interim target for at least a 42% reduction in net emissions by 2020.

However, “More effort is needed in sectors other than power” if the country is to meet its larger and longer goals. “There have not been significant emission reductions in most sectors outside electricity generation in recent years,” the CCC authors noted, pointing out that more “needs to be done, especially in sectors such as transport, agriculture and heat for nonresidential buildings in which little progress is currently being made.”

“The final version of the Climate Change Plan will need to be strong enough to put Scotland on the path to meeting not only the legislated targets under the existing Act, but also on track for the greater ambition proposed under the new legislation.”

The CCC also foud that the Government’s “draft Climate Change Plan contains limited new policy to deliver emissions reductions to 2032 beyond existing commitments,” and that without the introduction of effective new policies, the stunning progress which has been seen in recent years is unlikely to continue into the 2020s. Specifically, Scotland’s credibility in seeking a 90% reduction by 2050 will be compromised if the country’s Government doesn’t introduce the necessary legislative groundwork over the next decade.


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Joshua S Hill

I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.

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