SNP attacked over missed emissions targets

Opposition parties have rounded on the SNP Government over its failure to meet climate change targets, with the Greens’ Patrick Harvie accusing ministers of a “staggering lack of ambition”, while Liberal Democrat Jim Hume labelled the Government’s response as “laughable”.

Meanwhile Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Member Rural Affairs, Food & the Environment Sarah Boyack warned the Government against weakening targets, saying it would send, “a terrible message ahead of climate talks in Paris”.

The reaction followed the news that, while Scotland’s emissions fell by 3.6 per cent between 2012 and 2013, targets have been missed for the fourth year in a row.

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Harvie said: “The Scottish Government has had since 2009 to put in place policies to live up to our much-heralded climate change targets, and they have failed spectacularly. “

“Since the Act was passed we have put nearly ten million tonnes more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the targets allow - demonstrating a staggering lack of ambition by this government.”

Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod pointed to changes in the way emissions are measured, with revisions to the baseline making targets harder to meet, while highlighting that the figures show Scotland is on track to meet its 2020 targets.

She said: “Scotland is well on track to meet our ambitious emissions targets, with these latest figures for 2013 showing we are more than three quarters of the way there with seven years still to go.”

She added: “Of course, if our targets were easy to achieve they would not be ambitious enough.”

Meanwhile Lib Dem MSP Jim Hume described the Scottish Government response as “laughable”.

He said: “This is the fourth year in a row that the SNP have failed to deliver on their environmental promises. For Ministers to claim that our carbon reduction work is on track is laughable. The SNP are running out of excuses.

“These targets were made in Scotland and the Scottish Government have no-one to blame but themselves.”

Harvie also questioned why the Government chose to release the figures to press ahead of its statement in the chamber today.

“We will look into the detail but meantime the minister must explain why these figures have been given the media well before her expected statement in parliament at 4.30 today.”

Sarah Boyack MSP said: “The missed target is embarrassing for SNP Ministers but they should be wary of watering down ambition to save face. Lowering targets would send a terrible message ahead of climate talks in Paris.

“What we need now is decisive action to continue to close the gap. Scottish Labour is calling for more action on transport, agriculture, housing and the public sector where little progress has been made. Public sector climate targets must provide a new spur of action.

“SNP Ministers must take a lead, not just on setting targets, but on taking the necessary action to achieve them.”

Scottish Conservative environment spokesman Jamie McGrigor said: “This just goes to show that despite all the glossy climate change adverts, the Scottish Government are just not stepping up to the mark.

“The SNP government like to talk a big game on climate change, but they are now getting further away from their target, not closer.

“A huge effort is now needed to turn these statistics round and it does seem like an impossible challenge.

“The SNP should be looking to nuclear power and fracking as ways of boosting energy production and lessening the effects on the environment.”