Scotland set to miss its 2020 interim emissions target

Scotland must make ‘serious changes’ if it is going to reach its 2045 net-zero target, according to a report published by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) yesterday (December 17). 

The CCC 2019 Progress Report shows that greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland reduced by 3% in 2017, compared to a 10% fall in 2010.

This fall was led by the power sector and was due to Scotland’s first full year of coal-free electricity generation.

However, performance in other sectors shows only slight improvements, and therefore Scotland is at risk of missing its new interim target of a 56% reduction in emissions by 2020.

According to the report, with Glasgow set to host the global climate summit next year, serious changes must be made if Scotland is to appear credible.

Lord Deben, Chairman of the CCC said: ‘Scotland has set an ambitious world-leading Net Zero target of 2045. Now Scotland needs to walk the walk.

According to the CCC, Scotland’s next Climate Change Plan must set out a thorough strategy with net-zero planning embedded across all levels of government, it must engage the public while also providing a stable direction of travel and set out a simple, investable set of rules and incentives for business.

‘The new legally-binding target for 2030, a 75% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 is extremely stretching and demands new policies that begin immediately.

‘The spotlight is on Scotland to deliver meaningful reductions across all sectors of the economy.

‘Scotland has outperformed the rest of the UK in cleaning up its economy, resting on the rapid closure of close.

‘But so far, we haven’t seen the same progress in other sectors, with the right policies and committed support of Westminster, Scotland can lead the way in ending the UK’s contribution to global warming.’

In related news, during the first half of 2019 Scotland’s wind turbines provided enough energy to power every home in Scotland and much of the North of England, the WWF Scotland has revealed.

The figures, provided by Weather Energy, show that between January and June wind turbines provided 9,831,320MWh, which is enough electricity to power the equivalent of 4.47million homes for those six months.

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