Scottish Government again misses target for reducing emissions

The Scottish Government has again missed its emissions reduction target, figures show.

Statistics released by the Government on Tuesday reveal there was a 50% drop in emissions between 1990 and 2022, falling to 40.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The target for emissions reduction, as laid out in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act, was 53.8%, and the latest figures mean nine of the past 13 targets have now been missed.

The missed target comes after the Scottish Government scrapped its interim target of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 earlier this year – describing it as “out of reach”.

Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan pointed to Scotland’s emissions reducing further than the rest of the UK, according to the latest figures, with England’s emissions dropping by 49%, those in Wales by 36.5% and Northern Ireland by 25.9%.

She said: “These figures confirm that between 1990 and 2022, Scotland has achieved the largest reduction in emissions of any nation of the UK, led by significant decreases in emissions from electricity generation, waste and industry.

“At the same time our economy has grown by 67% in real terms, demonstrating that tackling climate change and growing our economy go hand-in-hand.

“While this is good news, the emissions figures for the year 2022 alone reflect a similar picture to that of UK data overall and underline the scale of our vital but challenging task.

“We are now in the second half of our journey to net zero and our 2045 target is one of the most ambitious in the world. Action on climate change will require a genuine transformation across our economy and society, with significant changes in sectors such as heat in buildings, transport, energy and agriculture.”

The minister added that the Government is working “determinedly” across industries.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the Government had “pumped out press releases but failed to do the hard graft”.

He added: “As a result, today’s figures show Scotland made no progress in reducing emissions in 2022.

“These targets cover the first full year that the Greens were in office, providing further evidence that they are all talk when it comes to the climate.

“Their inaction has been matched only by the Conservative (UK) Government’s total failure to act with anything close to the speed or ambition these challenges demand.”

Anas Sarwar was asked about the missed target at Scottish Labour’s election manifesto launch in Murrayfield, Edinburgh.

He mentioned his party’s policies on GB Energy, saying this will “do the work that the SNP and the Tories failed to do”, as well as Labour’s warm homes plan.

He added: “There’s been a lot of focus on people’s personal consumption and carbon rates.

“One of the big challenges we’ve got right now is so much of the changes people can make, they’re priced out of – electric vehicles would be one example.”

Mr Sarwar said: “If you say to families that the only route to this is higher bills for the rest of your life or less jobs, you’re not going to win the fight for net zero.”

The Scottish Government has been warned it may lose credibility if it continues to miss climate targets.

Liz Murray, the head of Scottish campaigns at Global Justice Now, said: “This missed target is yet more evidence that the Scottish Government is not doing enough to meet the urgency of the climate crisis.

“Its credibility on this is in serious jeopardy, both here and internationally.

“We need to see it urgently tackling the basics here in Scotland – like insulating homes and bringing in zero carbon district heating schemes.”

Oxfam Scotland said politicians are “gambling with the future of our planet”.

The charity’s advocacy adviser Lewis Ryder-Jones added: “The time for excuses and inaction is over. All political parties at Holyrood must now unite to drive forward ambitious, bold and decisive action, backed up by significant public investment raised through a range of fair taxes on those with the broadest shoulders and those most responsible for the climate crisis.”

Mike Robinson, chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said: “These results illustrate the failing that we and many others – including the Government’s own climate advisers, the Climate Change Committee – have been highlighting for several years, and action continues to be particularly lacking in heating, transport, and agriculture.

“The longer action to cut emissions is delayed, the greater the risks, higher the costs, and the longer people in Scotland miss out on the benefits of warmer homes, lower energy bills and cleaner air.”