Labour attacks failure to meet emissions targets

Published on 24/10/2012 02:33

Scotland has failed to meet its first legally binding climate change target.

The first Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions Annual Target 
Report states that Scotland emitted 54.7 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2010, 1.1 megatons above the target set by the Climate Change Act 2009.

At Holyrood, Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse blamed “exceptional cold snaps”, “year-to-year fluctuations”, 
“factors beyond our control”, “budget constraints”, “the challenging financial environment” and data revisions for the rise.

But Labour accused the 
Scottish Government of using “every excuse under the sun, including the lack of sun” to 
detract from the “failure of their policy direction”.

Mr Wheelhouse said: “Many will remember 2010 was a 
challenging year for all sorts of reasons, not least the two 
exceptional cold snaps. This was a major factor, but not the only factor as to why emissions rose..”

Labour environment spokeswoman Claire Baker said the new report represents “a failure”.

She said: “The Scottish 
Government must accept 
responsibility for the failure of their policy direction.”