Climate bill boosted with 2020 targets

Published on Tuesday 5 May 2009 22:35

STEPS have been taken to beef up Scotland's proposed climate change laws after critics said a draft bill did not set early enough targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The initial target was to be a 50 per cent drop in emissions by 2030.

However, the Scottish Government has now taken the advice of a recent report from the parliament's climate change committee to strengthen the bill.

There will be a new target to cut emissions by 34 per cent by 2020, and this will be amended to 42 per cent as soon as the European Union agrees to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2020.

There will also be a limit on the use of international carbon credits to make sure action to cut emissions actually takes place in Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson, climate change minister, said: "Climate change is the greatest environmental threat facing humankind and if global action isn't taken to reduce emissions significantly the world faces an uncertain future.

"This Scottish Government is taking a leading role, introducing the most ambitious climate change legislation anywhere in the world.

"The bill sets a target of reducing Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, including emissions from international aviation and shipping.

"But 2050 is a long way off and we need to be certain we are taking effective action now."

Mr Stevenson continued: "That is why this government has insisted on the inclusion of annual targets, including the addition of a new much tougher 2020 interim target.

"The actions we take today can bring clear and tangible benefits to Scotland now and in the future.

"In these challenging economic times we need to play to our strengths and build the low carbon economy of the future."