Scotland to abandon pledge to cut carbon emissions by 75% by 2030

Scottish government accused of being "inept" and "short-termist" after scrapping goal to cut emissions, opting for carbon budgets instead.
April 18, 2024

From The Guardian - Climate Change

Summary:

  • Scottish ministers have scrapped the target to cut carbon emissions by 75% by 2030, opting for five-yearly carbon budgets instead.
  • Critics accuse the government of being inept and short-termist, with Friends of the Earth Scotland calling it the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish parliament.
  • The decision has been heavily criticized for undermining effective climate action and the urgency for more ambitious goals.
  • Despite the setback, the government plans to increase electric vehicle chargers, explore new public transport systems, pilot emissions reduction schemes on farms, and subsidize green energy for businesses.

Key passage:

Màiri McAllan, the Scottish net zero secretary, confirmed her government had abandoned that target and would also drop legally binding annual targets on reducing carbon emissions, after damning criticism from a UK advisory committee.

In what opposition politicians labelled a “humiliating” climbdown, McAllan said Scotland would instead follow the lead of the UK and Welsh governments by adopting five-yearly “carbon budgets” aimed at meeting its zero emissions target date of 2045.


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Read the full post at The Guardian - Climate Change.

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