Fears that target set for greenhouse gases may not be achievable by 2020
25th September 2017 | Commercial Energy
Scottish ministers have been urged to “get on” with producing effective policies to match their climate change ambitions, amid concerns their entire strategy could be at risk. The UK Committee on Climate Change says the Scottish Government must come up with firm new policies and make sweeping changes to areas such as transport, agricultural and heating if it is to stand any chance of meeting their “world class” targets.
And it has warned that without a raft of effective policies, the reductions in Scottish emissions seen in recent years are unlikely to continue in the 2020s.
That would throw into jeopardy hopes that Scotland’s hugely ambitious 2050 target of a 90 per cent reduction in emissions may be met.
Greenhouse gases
A new report from the Committee’s expert panel warned, “More needs to be done, especially in sectors such as transport, agriculture and heat for non-residential buildings in which little progress is currently being made. Otherwise, Scotland’s ambitious targets will be at risk.”
Acting Chief Executive of the Committee Adrian Gault, said that while Scotland had achieved some success in certain areas, in particular power sector emissions, it needed to do more.
“Scotland has set ambitious targets. To continue to progress and meet longer term targets, reductions have to extend to more difficult to reduce sectors beyond power. For that to happens, plans and preparatory measures have to be put in place now. We can see the kinds of things that need to be done to open up options for future,” he added. “The need is to get on with those.”
Emissions in Scotland fell by three per cent in 2015, taking them to 38 per cent below the 1990 benchmark. By comparison, the UK has cut emissions by 35 per cent over the period.
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