SNP ECONOMIC STRATEGY IGNORES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Posted on November 20, 2007

Green MSP Patrick Harvie, speaking in advance of tomorrow’s debate in Parliament on ‘the Government Economic Strategy’, criticised the SNP’s approach for taking no account whatsoever of the environmental impact of their economic policies.

Mr Harvie was particularly critical of the government’s failure to meet its own legal requirement to publish a formal assessment of the environmental impact. The SNP has already been criticised for failing to carry out such an assessment of its first Bill in the new Parliament, and the failure to examine the economic strategy compounds this (1).

Patrick Harvie said:
“The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 requires that public sector strategies, plans and programmes are assessed for their environmental effects. There is an exemption for budgets and financial plans but this is not a budget, it’s a strategy (2). By failing to ensure that this new strategy is properly assessed the SNP are showing a complete disregard for the environmental impact of their plans, as well as the law.”

“The biggest economic decisions we face are about how to make the transition to a low carbon economy. SNP Ministers say they’re committed to the policy of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, a measure that would require a shift away from our current dependency on dwindling fossil fuel stocks. However, their strategy gives us no indication as how they think this transformation would be achieved. This is a ‘business-as-usual’ strategy, still based on growing GDP at all costs, not sustainable long-term development.

Greens point out that the new strategy document notes the approach of New Zealand (3) , where the government, working with the New Zealand Greens, aim to make New Zealand the world’s first truly sustainable nation. New Zealand has adopted a target of reducing emissions from transport by 50%. The Green MSPs contrast this with the SNP’s plans for substantial road-building and airport expansion projects in Scotland, inherited from the last administration as well as recently announced cuts in public transport funding, which will inevitably lead to increasing emissions from transport in Scotland.

Harvie continued “This Strategy has a priority of ‘providing sustainable, integrated and cost-effective public transport alternatives to the car” (4). Yet John Swinney has just produced a budget which cut spending in real terms on railways and buses (5) while ramping up spending on truck roads. Even when the rhetoric and strategic priorities appear to be green the spending sadly is not”.

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Notes to editors

(1) Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 Part 1, Section 4(3)(b): “This Act does not apply to . . . financial or budgetary plans and programmes;”

(2) Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee Stage 1 report on the Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill para 2

(3) The Government Economic Strategy, page 20

(4) The Government Economic Strategy, page ix

(5) Spending Review 2007 page 87 and 92

GREENS SAY BUDGET FALLS SHORT

Posted on November 14, 2007

GREENS SAY BUDGET FALLS SHORT ON SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, DESPITE SOME GREEN INITIATIVES

Responding to the Comprehensive Spending review announced today by John Swinney, Green MSP Patrick Harvie expressed his disappointment at the overall lack of commitment to social and environmental justice, but welcomed specific commitments to implement Green proposals for a multi-million pound climate challenge fund (1) and scrapping of government support for new air routes from Scotland (2).

Greens are particularly concerned that major road projects, including the extension of the M74 in Glasgow, the second Forth Road Bridge and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, which will have a very negative impact on Scotland’s carbon emissions, are still being funded.

The Greens regret that this budget falls far short of the level of investment that is necessary to tackle Scotland housing crisis. There has been a cut in real terms in the housing budget, and it is clear that the SNP has failed to heed the call for 10,000 new affordable homes for social rent from the
housing and homelessness sector. Despite promises to increase the supply of good quality and affordable homes, this has not been backed up by the figures in the budget, nor is there a solid commitment to the social rented sector.

Patrick Harvie said “Pressure from the Greens has led the SNP government to make a few welcome new initiatives. However, the overall direction of the spending review is still away from a socially and environmental just Scotland. Just like similar documents from the previous Lab/Lib-dem coalition, this new spending review contains lots of warm words on green issues, but little in the way of genuine spending commitments. The real
terms cut in housing is extremely worrying. Scotland is currently facing a housing crisis, and the figures in today’s budget will do little or nothing to relieve that situation. We will be subjecting the budget to detailed scrutiny before deciding whether there is enough in here to justify supporting it.

“Our agreement with the SNP was simply that we would be consulted by them on budget proposals, not that we would necessarily vote to support them. Cleary there are elements of the budget where we have shifted the SNP, and some welcome new commitments. But overall the SNP will have to work harder to ensure that the Greens can support the final budget.”

The Budget outlines proposals for a Climate Challenge Fund, an idea suggested by the last Scottish Green Party Manifesto (3), that will encourage communities to set up their own schemes to reduce carbon emissions. Greens believe that such funding will encourage local communities to take practical action to reduce their environmental impact. It also proposes a wind-down in support for the development of new air routes from Scotland. While existing contractual obligations will be met, no funding will be available for new routes. The Scottish Green Party has
consistently argued that subsidising the least sustainable and most polluting form of transport makes no sense, and that funding should be transferred to sustainable travel (4).

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Notes to editors

(1) “In recognition of the increased levels of effort required within and outwith government to deliver our greener Scotland commitments we will provide increased resources for a range of sustainable development and climate change initiatives including a new Climate challenge Fund” Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007-2010 p40

(2) “Support for air services is lower because the cost of the Air route development fund is being managed down” Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007-2010 p92

(3) “We will establish a Climate Challenge Fund … term to support community initiatives to reduce carbon emissions.” Scottish Green Party Manifesto 2007 p15

(4) “We will end the Air Route Development Fund. Instead we will create a new Sustainable Access Fund and transfer the funds to support for ferry, lifeline air and other public transport links to the more remote parts of Scotland.” Scottish Green Party Manifesto 2007 p20