SNP’S climate plan is a recipe for inaction

The Scottish Government’s “Climate Change Delivery Plan”, published today, (1) was rejected by the Green MSPs as completely inadequate to the task at hand. The party argues that the limited ambition contained in the document merely confirms that the SNP understand neither the urgency of the climate threat nor the opportunities to improve Scots’ quality of life that real action on the issue could bring.

In particular, Ministers’ proposals:
- give no figures for emission cuts from energy efficiency;
- fail to commit to delivering a free universal home insulation scheme;
- make unsafe assumptions about carbon capture and storage, with no Plan B should the technology fail;
- ignore the climate impact of the SNP’s motorway construction programme; and
- fail to include any moves to reduce road traffic levels.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“If anyone still believes the SNP are prepared to act on climate change, this document will surely change their mind. It’s a recipe for inaction, just a thin veneer of vague promises and techno-fixes which are still on the drawing board. Beneath that their policy programme remains unchanged and utterly inadequate.

“Climate pollution levels in Scotland continue to rise, just as the Scottish Government’s own emissions have, and the SNP’s response remains as woefully inadequate as ever. No-one looking at the science or the needs of society could put motorways ahead of affordable public transport, or coal ahead of clean energy.

“The SNP have their fingers wedged in their ears on the environment. Whatever the question, this is not the answer.”

Notes