Accelerated climate action a pivotal moment for Scotland
Tackling road congestion, installing a huge network of 24,000 EV charge points and bringing in integrated tickets to make bus, train, subway and ferry travel easier are among a raft of new measures announced today to ramp up action on the climate crisis.
Setting-up a new Climate Assembly to build public understanding and engagement on the transition to net-zero, creating greener jobs for workers at Mossmorran and Grangemouth, and making public subsidies for farming conditional on measures to understand and reduce emissions are among other measures to be rolled-out.
New climate legislation has also been proposed to introduce a system of five-yearly carbon budgets that will be designed to put Scotland on track to its net-zero by 2045 goal as recommended by the UK’s Climate Change Committee.
Efforts to get political leaders from England, Wales and Northern Ireland to join Scotland as part of a Four Nations climate response group and a carbon tax on large estates, a review on business rates to encourage green investment, and a renewed push to develop and implement an air departure tax will also be taken forward.
The party’s climate spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“Scotland is halfway to net zero, and on the leading edge of the global renewable energy industry, but the hard work is still to come after years of missed opportunities.
“This package ramps up action across some of the toughest areas to reduce emissions, and will provide people and businesses with the support they need to cut emissions and build a green, net-zero economy.”
“I’m delighted the workforce at Mossmorran will be able to co-design a plan to build a greener and cleaner industry, while we also roll out support and incentives for farming and establish a Climate Assembly so everyone has a voice over our climate futures.
“Across the world and in Scotland decision makers have delayed the action we need for decades, while the climate emergency has intensified. Today’s announcements see us shift from targets to action.
“Scottish Greens in government are making the difference. There is no doubt that this Scottish Government is committed to tackling the biggest challenge of all our lifetimes - in complete contrast to the Westminster political machine’s hostility towards climate action.”
