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June 13, 2018
Why step back?
The global consensus that emerged from the Paris climate talks was dented when Trump decided to step away, but in some ways it also stiffened the resolve of all the other nations and many have actually increased their commitments. In 2009, Scotland hit the world headlines for setting the most ambitious carbon reduction targets ever seen and to an extent we’ve been riding that wave ever since. But no longer. Last month the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Bill was published to widespread dismay. Inexplicably, we’ve stepped back from doing what the climate science tells us is needed. Why?
Scottish Government’s Climate Change Bill ‘hugely disappointing’
Responding to the Scottish Government’s draft Climate Change Bill placed before the Scottish Parliament today Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said:
“It’s hugely disappointing that the Scottish Government has failed to live up to its own rhetoric on global climate change leadership, by failing to set a net zero emissions target in the Climate Change Bill published today.
“The Government claims Scotland will be one of the first countries to achieve zero emissions, but the Bill does not commit to that. It sets a target of only a 90 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050.
“By failing to ally with the global momentum towards zero emissions, led by countries like France, Sweden and New Zealand, Scotland is missing a huge opportunity to end its contribution to climate change in a generation, attract clean investment and retain its position as a leader on the global stage.
“We’re now calling on MSPs from all parties to push for stronger targets on emissions – net-zero by 2050 at the latest, 77 per cent by 2030 and the action needed to deliver on them in line with the Paris Agreement.”
The Scottish Government has disregarded the voices of over 19,000 people in Scotland who asked for a net zero target by 2050 at the latest, as well as the voices of eminent global scientists, members of the farming community, faith leaders and those at the front line of climate change impacts around the world. As it stands, this Bill does not deliver on the Paris Agreement, and it does not deliver climate justice to those who already feeling the devastating impacts of climate change.