Ramping up climate action must be turning point for Scotland’s net zero
Scotland is at last accelerating climate action as a result of Green influence, says Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie. Mr Harvie’s comments followed a statement by the Cabinet Secretary in response to the recent UK Climate Change Committee report into Net Zero progress in Scotland.
Mr Harvie said: “I am angry and disappointed that we are in this position, everyone who cares about our planet should be. It must be a turning point.
“We cannot undo decades of inaction and bad decision making, but what we can do is ensure that Scotland goes further and faster in delivering the rapid and fundamental change that is so vital.
“Ever since the first Climate Change Act, I’ve said that world-leading targets are not enough, especially if there aren’t credible and robust plans in place to deliver them. We have a responsibility not just to advocate for accelerated action, but to make it happen. Today's announcement is a big step towards delivering that.
“Reducing the number of cars on the road, decarbonising agriculture and transforming the way we heat our homes, these are the big changes that will make a difference and that are at the heart of our plans we have developed with our Scottish Government colleagues.
“In the short time since the Scottish Greens entered government for the first time we have hugely upscaled climate action, from introducing free bus travel for young people to growing our renewables industry and delivering record funding for wildlife and nature. These are important changes and we must build on them.
“We must see urgent and accelerated climate action across all areas and levels of government, and those parties who vote for targets but then block the action needed to reach them will have no credibility.
“I have no doubt that if successive Scottish and UK Governments had taken the actions needed at the time, as Greens consistently urged, we would be on track for that 2030 target. The fact that we aren’t is exactly why we need to focus on delivering real change and ramp up climate action.”
