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Scottish zero-carbon buildings minister defends ditching key climate change targets
Scotland’s zero-carbon buildings minister has defended the government’s choice to ditch yearly climate change targets and a key pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030.
The Scottish government has confirmed that it was scrapping annual and interim targets for carbon emissions and replacing them with a system measuring emissions every five years.
However, Scotland’s long-term target to reach net zero by 2045 “steadfastly” remains, ministers have said.
The move drew criticism from the housing and built environment sector. Ashley Campbell, policy and practice manager at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland, described it as “disappointing”.
She said the fact that Scotland was not on track to meet the interim target meant it was “even more important” for “decisive action to ensure we can still meet net zero by 2045”.
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Simon McWhirter, deputy chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, said the decision means “Scotland has lost its place as a climate leader”.
He added: “This is not the political leadership that Scotland needs.”
Mr McWhirter urged Holyrood to do more to “encourage and support people to switch to clean heating and to improve the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings, reducing fuel poverty and delivering thousands of green jobs”.
Scottish zero-carbon buildings minister Patrick Harvie defended the move, saying his commitment to “ending Scotland’s contribution to global emissions as soon as possible, and by 2045 at the latest”, was “unwavering”.
He told Inside Housing: “We won’t rest until we have achieved net zero, so now is the time to chart a course that will enable us to complete the journey as fairly and as fast as possible.”
The Scottish government recently consulted on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, which Mr Harvie said will increase the “pace and scale” of the move to clean heat. “We are committed to bringing forward a bill during this parliament,” he added.
Mr Harvie continued: “We have a broad range of delivery programmes to provide advice and support for property owners and landlords related to energy efficiency and clean heating.
“Of the UK nations, Scotland has the most generous package of grants and loans available for households who are seeking to move to clean heating. We know that some people will need additional help and support, we will make sure that that is available and targeted at those who need it most, subject to future budget decisions.”
Scotland has missed eight of the past 12 legally binding annual emissions reduction targets. A recent report from the Climate Change Committee said the interim aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 was “out of reach”.
