Why SNP has 'mountain to climb' as climate targets set to be watered down

SNP ministers have been warned they have “a mountain to climb to have any hope” of meeting its new climate targets as Scotland’s ambition is set to be downgraded less than a week before the COP29 summit.

The Scottish Government will this week attempt to water down its 2030 legal climate targets as a controversial piece of legislation goes to a final Holyrood vote.

Environmental campaigners have called for more action from the Scottish Government. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Acting net zero secretary Gillian Martin has confirmed that the magnitude of five-year carbon budgets that will replace the stuttering 2030 aim, will not be known until next year.

It comes as the UK government will be required to submit new targets for reducing emissions at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, which begins next Monday.

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Last week, the Scottish and UK governments’ independent advisers, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended the UK should reduce emissions by 81 per cent by 2035. That high level of ambition raises the prospect that the CCC, who will inform Scotland’s new targets, will suggest a goal not far from the 75 per cent 2030 target deemed out of reach.

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. 

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“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.”

She added: “With Scotland and the UK only managing to reduce emissions by about 50 per cent 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.”

SNP acting net zero secretary Gillian Martin (Pic: Mark Gibson)

In a letter to Holyrood’s net zero committee, Ms Martin said it was “regrettable” that the 2030 target is poised to be watered down. But she added: “I do not regret the high level of ambition shown by parliament at the time of setting the 2030 target. 

“This legislation enables us to set carbon budgets in terms of the actual number of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent prescribed for a given period, or in terms of a percentage reduction compared to the baseline. 

“Once we have advice from the CCC and bring forward regulations to set carbon budgets, we will be able to present further information on what percentage of emissions reduction will be achieved at different stages in our net zero journey.”