The Scottish government admitted on Thursday that it would be unable to achieve one of its climate targets, that of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, without abandoning its promise to achieve carbon neutrality in 2045. In a
“difficult context of budget cuts and backtracking by the United Kingdom”
on key climate measures, this
“intermediate objective of 2030 is out of reach”
, recognized the minister of the Environment Mairi McAllan in front of the Scottish Parliament.
“We must now act to chart a path to 2045, at a pace and scale that is achievable, fair and equitable
,” she added.
“This government will not move back a month, a week or even a day from the goal of carbon neutrality in 2045
,” Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf also insisted during questions with parliamentarians.
For this, Mairi McAllan presented a package of new measures intended to accelerate the fight against climate change, with the creation of 24,000 electric car charging stations by 2030 and the launch of projects to reduce methane emissions in the sector. of breeding. The Scottish government, in which environmentalists participate, should also present legislation to
“respond to the questions”
raised by a recent report.
Scotland's 2030 target is 'beyond credible'
The Climate Change Commission (CCC), an independent body responsible for advising the British government, had in fact estimated that the Scottish objective for 2030 was
“beyond credible”
. Mr. Yousaf himself admitted on Thursday that this promise was
“ambitious”
. Ami McCarthy, from Greenpeace UK, castigated
“the Scottish government's inability to implement the policies necessary to achieve”
this objective set five years ago,
“completely achievable”
according to her.
“Lessons must be learned from this shameful step backwards, both at Holyrood (the Scottish Parliament) and at Westminster”
(the London Parliament), she added.
For the whole of the United Kingdom, the British government has set a target of carbon neutrality in 2050, but this promise seems increasingly difficult to keep after the controversial postponement of several key measures in the fight against climate change, such as the ban on the sale of new thermal cars from 2030 to 2035.