Scottish Labour sets net-zero emissions target by 2050

The Labour Party in Scotland has upped the ante on climate change targets, outlining a plan to reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050.

The new target stands as a riposte to the Scottish Government, which set out its own ambitious emissions targets in May.

The government bill plans to raise the emissions target to 90 percent by 2050, up from the 80 percent UK-wide target first established by the Climate Change Act in 2008.

The 90 per cent target was seen as “at the limit of feasibility”, according to climate advisers, but was criticised in some quarters as not doing enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Claudia Beamish, Labour’s shadow minister for climate change, said the draft bill was too timid.

“It is our duty to step up for global climate justice and Scottish Labour’s climate policy addresses these obligations while giving Scotland time to adapt for the workforce and communities,” she added.

Interim targets have also increased under Labour’s plan, from 66 per cent in the draft bill to 77 per cent by 2030.

Gina Hanrahan of Stop Climate Chaos said: “It’s great to see Scottish Labour back calls for the upcoming Climate Change Bill to include a target to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change by 2050 at the latest and increased action over the next decade.  It’s now up to all parties in the Scottish Parliament to come together, as they did in 2009, to ensure we continue to be amongst the world leading nations in tackling climate change. 

By 2015, Scotland had achieved a 38 per cent reduction on 1990 levels, meaning it was on course to reach its original target of 42 per cent by 2020. However, its draft targets increase this ambition to 56 per cent, piling on the pressure over the next two years.

 

Photo Credit: Pschemp/CC