In a week’s time world leaders will gather in Azerbaijan for COP29, the annual climate talks that aim to secure commitments to keep us on track to avoiding the worst impacts of global heating.
Countries are required to submit new goals for reducing emissions at this year’s conference, and the UK Government’s official advisors, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), last week recommended that this should be a reduction of 81% from 1990 levels by 2035.
Alongside this, in Scotland the process of switching from annual climate targets to a 5 yearly carbon budget system is due to conclude today – a situation that is the result of years of Scottish Ministers failing to deliver the transformative climate action needed.
While we don’t yet know what Scotland’s carbon budget levels will be set at – that will follow CCC advice in spring – the 81% by 2035 that the UK has been told it should hit gives a strong indication – and Scotland will need to go even further than this due to its earlier net zero target than the rest of the UK.
Becky Kenton-Lake of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said
“Scotland has shown climate leadership in the past, but with an abject failure to deliver action making their once world leading targets unachievable – leaving the government in the unconscionable position of having to change its own law to avoid breaking it – their climate credibility is now in tatters.”
“The next few months bring specific, concrete opportunities to make long overdue progress and begin to repair this damage, inspire hope and lead to a greener, fairer, healthier Scotland. Positive climate policies will improve the lives of people in Scotland through making our homes warmer, public transport more efficient, and to develop the skills needed for good green jobs.”
“With Scotland and the UK only managing to reduce emissions by about 50% so far, hitting anywhere close to what is needed by 2035 will require urgent, fundamental shifts in commitment, delivery and funding across all parts of government.”
“Therefore, even after weakening its climate ambition, the Scottish Government has a mountain to climb to have any hope of meeting its new carbon budgets, and it is action in the remaining years of this decade that will determine if we do.”
“While the UK’s target is challenging, it is the minimum of what is needed – the recent devastating floods in Spain give a stark reminder of just how much is at stake if we continue to delay action.”
