Exclusive:The four biggest SNP climate failures campaigners want rectified in 2025

SNP Leader John Swinney (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Climate campaigners have accused SNP ministers of having “failed to deliver action” to protect the environment - amid a warning 2025 will be a “pivotal point” in Scotland’s net zero progress getting back on track.

First Minister John Swinney has included reaching net zero as one of his four priorities in government.

SNP Leader John Swinney (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Scotland’ 2045 net zero legal target remains in place but SNP ministers took the unprecedented step of scrapping a 2030 target to cut emissions by 75 per cent after an epiphany that it was not going to be met.

Instead, five-year carbon budgets will be used but are yet to be drawn up. SNP ministers were also legally required to publish a new climate change plan by last month, but legislation was altered to ensure that was not breached.

Becky Kenton-Lake, coalition manager at Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said: “Despite declaring a ‘climate emergency’ several years ago, the Scottish Government has failed to deliver action accordingly.

“Ministers continue to state that addressing this emergency is a priority, but this year many promising commitments or policies have been watered down or delayed.”

Finally publish energy strategy

The UK's North Sea oil and gas industry is a mature one that is having to grapple with decommissioning and transition.

Despite SNP acting net zero and energy secretary Gillian Martin telling The Scotsman that the long-awaited and delayed energy strategy would be published by Christmas, this will not happen.

The final document was initially promised to be published by the spring of 2022.

Friends of the Earth Scotland just transition campaigner, Rosie Hampton, said: “Key plans that have the potential to make Scotland fairer and greener should not be allowed to disappear under the leadership of John Swinney and Kate Forbes.

“The impending closure of Grangemouth starkly illustrates the human cost of the political failure to properly plan for a transition.”

A private jet tax

Passengers at Edinburgh Airport Picture: PA | PA

John Swinney has suggested he supports a private jet tax being introduced, which could happen through the devolved air departure tax.

That policy has failed to rollout due to a long-standing squabble with the Treasury over an exemption for the Highlands and islands airports that provide lifeline services.

The Scotsman revealed the Labour UK government has opened the door to the tax finally being devolved.

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “There’s an alarming lack of urgency, imagination, and political bravery in Scotland’s approach to tackling climate change.

“The longer Ministers refuse to act, the longer we let the ultra-wealthy soar through Scottish skies while our planet pays the price.”

A full strategy to cut car kilometres

SNP ministers have pledged to cut car kiometres by 20 per cent by 2030 | National World

Jim Densham from Cycling UK has pointed to the Scottish Government asking the public for opinions on how to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030.

“Three years on we are still waiting for ministers to publish the final route map”, he added.

Mr Densham added: “In 2025 it is vital that we see the government make it a mission to support and promote cleaner, greener and healthier ways to travel for everyone, wherever we live in Scotland.”

Heat in buildings vision

SNP ministers want more people to install heat pumps

The Scottish Government’s vision for how we transform out heating systems from fossil fuels to renewables was included in the First Minister’s programme for government, but the legislation has still not been published.

Claire Daly, head of policy and advocacy at WWF Scotland, said: “We need a heat in buildings bill introduced early next year to put Scotland on the path to cleaner heating and warmer healthier homes - we cannot afford for timelines to slip any further.”

“It’s frustrating that political delays have seen key deadlines pushed back time and time again, making our climate targets harder to reach and meaning households will wait longer to feel the benefits.”