Scotland must match the ambition of its world-leading net zero economy by 2045 target with decisive action, according to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
The CCC’s 2019 Progress Report to the Scottish Parliament, which was published on 17 December, shows that greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 3% in 2017, compared to a 10% reduction in 2016. This was largely due to the power sector, with Scotland undergoing its first full year of coal-free electricity generation.
Recent performance in other sectors shows only incremental improvement and, unless emissions reductions are delivered economy-wide, Scotland is at risk of missing its new interim target of a 56% reduction in emissions by 2020. The Scottish Parliament’s 2030 target to reduce emissions by 75% will also be extremely challenging to meet.
Scotland’s ability to deliver its net-zero target is contingent on action taken in the UK, and vice versa.
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