The Scottish Conservative party has launched a major new policy on energy and the environment – in a move that could replace parts of the SNP-Govt’s own draft Scottish Energy Strategy, while dove-tailing with other parts of it.
Timed to mark Scottish Environment Week, the country’s main opposition party is setting out a range of new ideas in a bid to lead the debate on how to reduce carbon emissions, protect Scotland’s natural resources and encourage sustainable growth.
Shadow environment secretary Maurice Golden, MSP, said” Our natural resources cannot be consumed at the current “unsustainable” rate – and more work must be done by the Scottish Government to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels”.
Specific measures proposed include: –
- A step change in support for BPVs (battery powered vehicles), including incentives for electric car ownership – such as free town centre parking and allowing use of bus and taxi lanes.
- A new fund to expand BPV charging points across Scotland and urges public bodies to consider electric vehicle ownership.
- A target to ensure 50 per cent of Scotland’s energy comes from renewables by 2030, with individual targets for heat, transport and electricity sectors.
- Support for nuclear as part of a low carbon economy – with new plants at Torness and Hunterston.
- New developments to maximise solar energy capture and install heat pumps in design considerations.
- Backing for 10 per cent of all the Scottish Government’s capital budget to be spent on energy efficiency measures – with the aim of ensuring all homes are energy efficient by 2030.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson (MSP, Edinburgh Central) said: “How we protect our environment and tackle climate change says a lot about us.
“It says what kind of nation we want to live in. It says how we want to engage with the world and each other. It says what sort of future we want to build for our children.
“The Scottish Conservatives believe in protecting and enhancing our natural heritage.
“We must do more than just repair damage, we must also improve our environment. We believe it is our duty to the next generation to leave Scotland a better place than we found it.
“Our approach will provide Scots with a greener and more pleasant land to call home. We set ourselves this task because it is one of the greatest challenge of our times.
For more information:
See also 24 Jan 2017
Scot-Govt. pledges £50m investment in 13 new low-carbon energy, heating and storage projects in new Scottish Energy Strategy
Pixie Energy is an incubator and a facilitator of strategic research and project work, focusing on energy regulation, policy and markets at the local and national level. Find out more about Pixie Energy