MSPs agree 42% pollution-reduction target by 2020

A HIGHER target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions was unanimously backed by MSPs today.

Politicians from all parties agreed that legislation to tackle climate change should set a target of reducing emissions by 42% by 2020 – up from 34%.

But a Green Party attempt to include a 90% target for 2050 – instead of 80% – was overwhelmingly rejected.

Earlier this week the Scottish Government announced it will include the 42% target in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill.

And as MSPs debated the legislation for the final time today, Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "The decisions we make here will shape the Bill and shape the future of Scotland.

"That is why decisions on targets must be taken by politicians based on expert advice."

Labour's environment spokeswoman Sarah Boyack said: "The science says we've got to be more ambitious.

"We have been consistent that a tougher target at the interim level will be challenging but we need that tougher target now to drive the change we need in the early years.

"It's vital that the Government's commitment is not a heat-of-the-moment commitment just to get the Government through today's debate.
"It's got to be followed by radical action in the weeks and months following this Bill."

Mr Stevenson pointed out that the changes to the legislation included the power to revise the target.

He told Holyrood the amendment, which had been put forward by Ms Boyack and which was unanimously agreed, established "for the first time the ability to reduce a target in the Bill based on expert advice".

But that "power should be very carefully regulated and controlled", he said.

"Let me therefore confirm now that this Government will not use any powers to vary the 2020 target to introduce a figure that is lower than expert advice.

"Let me make the commitment now that this Government will not use these powers beyond a single occasion.

"Let me make the commitment now that this Government will not use the powers at all if the EU raises its target for 2020 to at least 30%."

But Green MSP Patrick Harvie said the amendment on the 42% target contained a number of "loopholes" and "get-out clauses".

But he conceded: "This amendment is the best that we are going to get, even if we need better."

Liberal Democrat climate change spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: "The greater the early action we take the better chance we have in limiting damaging climate change.


"This is the cut the evidence said is needed."

And while it may "be difficult to get there", the Lib Dem told MSPs, "we must make the effort to try."

Former First Minister Jack McConnell said including "ambitious" targets in the legislation was important.

The Labour MSP said: "In this area, perhaps above all others, the setting of ambitious targets forces those in the industry, forces those in public authority, forces experts to look to how those targets can indeed be met."

Therefore the targets can "shape behaviour and effect change".

Mr McConnell continued: "I believe that we – by setting ambitious targets here today – set out our stall as a Parliament.

"I believe those across Scotland and elsewhere will follow us if we give that lead. Today we should set a lead for Scotland."

Lib Dem and Green Party attempts to strengthen the Bill by setting annual targets for emissions cuts between 3% and 4.5% were also rejected by MSPs.

Mr Harvie said changes to the headline figure meant annual targets "must automatically follow".

"We have supported a steeper trajectory, a more ambitious trajectory. We will fail to meet that trajectory unless we also improve the annual targets," he said.

But Mr Stevenson said: "I wholeheartedly agree that we need to build towards achieving that level of annual reduction as soon as possible but we cannot make that happen overnight."

Mr Harvie had lodged an amendment to increase the 2050 target from 80% to 90% but this was defeated by two votes to 119.

A bigger cut in emissions is necessary, he said, telling MSPs that the science had moved on from the suggestion that an 80% reduction in carbon pollution by 2050 is sufficient.

"If we are going to include specific targets in this bill, they should be the right targets, not the wrong targets.

"Those who have studied the subject in detail understand now that 80% is a target which is already out of date."

However Mr Stevenson said it would be premature to move away from the 80% target, "which is of course a minimum requirement".