Scotland’s largest civil society coalition, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), has issued its reaction to the Scottish Government’s update of its Climate Change Plan.
Tom Ballantine, Chair of SCCS said: “We welcome the publication of the update to the Climate Change Plan, a crucial document for setting out how we will reduce emissions by 75% by 2030, in a fair and just way for all. However, detail is missing on how this plan will deliver genuinely transformative change.
“The updated Plan will now go through a Parliamentary scrutiny process that will assess the document’s credibility against meeting those targets. It is essential that this process allows adequate scrutiny to ensure the Plan contains the actions we need to tackle the climate emergency.”
The Scottish Government was required to publish an update to its Climate Change Plan to set out how it would meet the more ambitious emissions reductions targets set last year in the Climate Change Act 2019. The update was originally due in early 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic.
SCCS have been calling for new policies across all sectors, in particular in relation to transport, agriculture, buildings, fishing and marine, where there has been little progress to date in reducing emissions.
Tom Ballantine, said: “On an initial reading we are encouraged by the plan’s recognition of the need for rapid change. However, it is essential that this plan is more than words – commitments and proposals must amount to enough to meet our statutory 2030 emission reductions target. As it stands, there is detail missing in how some of these reductions will be delivered in some key sectors, including agriculture and land use.
“Just last week the Committee on Climate Change, which advises the Scottish Government, said that it will be very difficult for Scotland to meet it’s 2030 target. It is therefore essential that the plan is thoroughly scrutinised to ensure that its proposals add up.
“For example, while it is welcome to see a new target to reduce car travel in Scotland it is now vital that the Scottish Government moves very quickly to deliver a clear plan to prevent car use from bouncing back to unsustainable levels in the wake of the pandemic and to ensure the planned 20% cut in the number of kilometres travelled by car by 2030 is sufficient.
“It is also deeply disappointing that the Scottish Government have not signalled their intention to increase the financial support they provide to those countries already most affected by climate change and who have done so little to cause it.
“In the year that Glasgow will host the crucial UN climate talks, COP26, we need to see more detail and urgent action if Scotland is to be a world leader on tackling the climate crisis and championing climate justice.”
