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Scotland advised to take strong action after missing emissions target again Scotland advised to take strong action after missing emissions target again
(35 minutes later)
Scottish politicians should consider congestion charges, reducing speed limits and rethink plans to cut air passenger duty after Scotland again missed its climate targets, an influential advisory committee has said.Scottish politicians should consider congestion charges, reducing speed limits and rethink plans to cut air passenger duty after Scotland again missed its climate targets, an influential advisory committee has said.
The committee on climate change, the Scottish government’s official advisers, said far-reaching action was needed to reduce CO2 emissions after the reduction targets were missed for the third time by some 4.5%.The committee on climate change, the Scottish government’s official advisers, said far-reaching action was needed to reduce CO2 emissions after the reduction targets were missed for the third time by some 4.5%.
While the figures fro 2012 showed Scotland’s emissions were better overall than the UK’s and it has been faster on installing renewables, the CCC said it needed to do far more on cutting transport emissions – which are not falling, tackling home fuel use, and require deeper cuts from the wider public sector. While the figures for 2012 showed Scotland’s emissions were better overall than the UK’s and it has been faster on installing renewables, the CCC said it needed to do far more on cutting transport emissions – which are not falling – tackling home fuel use, and that it would require deeper cuts from the wider public sector.
Environmentalists have predicted the Scottish government will also miss the 2013 target by a very wide margin, after failing repeatedly to implement tougher measures to cut transport, home energy and public sector emissions – the sectors over which it has direct control. Environmentalists have predicted the Scottish government would also miss the 2013 target by a very wide margin, after failing repeatedly to implement tougher measures to cut transport, home energy and public sector emissions – the sectors over which it has direct control.
Related: Scotland misses carbon targets for third year in a rowRelated: Scotland misses carbon targets for third year in a row
The committee said Scottish ministers should weigh up the impact of their plans to cut air passenger duty when Holyrood gets control over the duty – because it could increase aviation emissions – and use other new powers to cut speed limits on roads.The committee said Scottish ministers should weigh up the impact of their plans to cut air passenger duty when Holyrood gets control over the duty – because it could increase aviation emissions – and use other new powers to cut speed limits on roads.
The CCC said: “Meeting future targets remains very challenging, and will require further action in a number of sectors including low-carbon heat, energy efficiency, transport and agriculture and land use. Even in areas of good progress, challenges remain to achieve the stretching targets set out by the Scottish government.”The CCC said: “Meeting future targets remains very challenging, and will require further action in a number of sectors including low-carbon heat, energy efficiency, transport and agriculture and land use. Even in areas of good progress, challenges remain to achieve the stretching targets set out by the Scottish government.”
The Scottish government was pushed by opposition parties in 2008 into accepting an ambitious emissions reduction goal of 42% by 2020, and has since boasted it has “world beating” targets, relying heavily on its successful expansion of onshore wind farms. The Scottish government was pushed by opposition parties in 2008 into accepting an ambitious emissions reduction goal of 42% by 2020, and has since boasted it has “world-beating” targets, relying heavily on its successful expansion of onshore wind farms.
The CCC said those renewable energy policies were having a positive effect: with green electricity now accounting for 44% of Scottish consumption in 2013, and a 40% growth in community owned energy projects, Scotland would likely meet its 2020 green energy target early. The CCC said those renewable energy policies were having a positive effect: with green electricity accounting for 44% of Scottish consumption in 2013, and a 40% growth in community owned energy projects, Scotland would likely meet its 2020 green energy target early.
However, only about 30% of Scotland’s emissions are linked directly to policy areas directly in the control of the Edinburgh government. It relies heavily on action by the UK and EU to cut most of its emissions, including improvements in vehicle efficiency, home appliances and lighting.However, only about 30% of Scotland’s emissions are linked directly to policy areas directly in the control of the Edinburgh government. It relies heavily on action by the UK and EU to cut most of its emissions, including improvements in vehicle efficiency, home appliances and lighting.
Scotland’s target for 2013 involves the most ambitious annual cut of the entire programme of 10% from its target in 2012 of 53.22mte (million tonnes equivalent) to 47.98mte. It actually allowed 55.6mte to be emitted in 2012, widening the gap between the target and expected emissions for the following year.Scotland’s target for 2013 involves the most ambitious annual cut of the entire programme of 10% from its target in 2012 of 53.22mte (million tonnes equivalent) to 47.98mte. It actually allowed 55.6mte to be emitted in 2012, widening the gap between the target and expected emissions for the following year.
Tom Ballantine, the chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said this was the fourth time the CCC had urgedministers to take tougher action. “This is a crucial year for the fight against global warming, as world leaders meet in Paris in December to thrash out a new global agreement on climate change,” he said.Tom Ballantine, the chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said this was the fourth time the CCC had urgedministers to take tougher action. “This is a crucial year for the fight against global warming, as world leaders meet in Paris in December to thrash out a new global agreement on climate change,” he said.
“Scotland is rightly proud of its world-leading legislation on climate change but, as the CCC highlights today, the Scottish government must deliver what is set out in our Climate Change Act, so that we can retain our credibility in this area and show other countries what the benefits are of a low carbon nation.”“Scotland is rightly proud of its world-leading legislation on climate change but, as the CCC highlights today, the Scottish government must deliver what is set out in our Climate Change Act, so that we can retain our credibility in this area and show other countries what the benefits are of a low carbon nation.”
The report was drafted before Scottish Power announced on Monday that it is planning to close down Longannet coal-fired power station, Scotland’s largest single polluter and one of Europe’s dirtiest power plants. The report was drafted before Scottish Power announced on Monday that it was planning to close down Longannet coal-fired power station, Scotland’s largest single polluter and one of Europe’s dirtiest power plants.
Related: Longannet power station to shut next yearRelated: Longannet power station to shut next year
Longannet emitted 9.5mmte of CO2 in 2013, 17% of the 55.6mte of CO2 which Scotland emitted the previous year. But WWF Scotland said that under the EU’s current emissions trading regime, where the energy sectors CO2 output is pooled across the EU, its closure would have no impact on Scotland’s emissions because another country could open a power station in its place. Longannet emitted 9.5mmte of CO2 in 2013, 17% of the 55.6mte of CO2 that Scotland emitted the previous year. But WWF Scotland said that under the EU’s current emissions trading regime, where the energy sectors CO2 output is pooled across the EU, its closure would have no impact on Scotland’s emissions because another country could open a power station in its place.
That would change in 2020, when the emissions accounting regime would include each country’s power stations onto its domestic totals, said Gina Hanrahan, WWF Scotland’s climate and energy policy officer.That would change in 2020, when the emissions accounting regime would include each country’s power stations onto its domestic totals, said Gina Hanrahan, WWF Scotland’s climate and energy policy officer.
“Longannet’s closure is really good news overall in terms of Scotland’s real emissions, but the way its emissions are counted, it is not credited to Scotland yet,” she said.“Longannet’s closure is really good news overall in terms of Scotland’s real emissions, but the way its emissions are counted, it is not credited to Scotland yet,” she said.