The World Development Movement (WDM) Scotland have rated all the party’s manifestos on what they are doing to tackle climate change – with the Greens unsurprisingly in the lead, followed by the SNP.

Specifically, it looked at whether parties planned a climate change bill for Scotland, legally binding annual targets for cutting CO2 emissions in Scotland, and an end to the public funding of international aviation through the Route Development Fund.

It said of the Green Party, which succeeds on all three counts: “The Greens want a climate change bill with 4.5 per cent year-on-year targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions to reach a 30 per cent reduction (based on 1990 levels) by 2010, 70 per cent by 2030, and 90 per cent by 2050, the toughest of all the parties. Measures to achieve this include promotion of energy efficiency and increased funding for renewables. They would also end the Route Development Fund and halt all further Scottish airport expansion but they continue to support subsidies for flights to Scottish islands.”

The SNP succeeds in terms of planning a climate change bill and annual targets to cut CO2, but fails in terms of planning to end the subsidization of international air routes. Labour ticks the climate change bill box, but fails on the other two counts. The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Solidarity fall down on all three conditions.

Commenting on the results, head of campaigns Kirstie Shirra said: “In rating the manifestos, we’ve found many good proposals on tackling climate change but disappointingly the parties most likely to be in power come May 3 fail to make the necessary commitments to end climate injustice.

“Rich countries, like Scotland, are responsible for climate change by emitting excessive CO2 emissions yet it is the world's poorest countries, who hold none of the blame, that are suffering the worst effects. In Africa alone over 85 million people could die as a direct result of climate change by 2100 and one-sixth of the world population’s water supplies are at risk from glaciers vanishing. We need to take on our responsibility, use our opportunity to be global leaders and take action now.”

WDM Scotland is currently running an online campaign, enabling the public to ask their candidates about climate change.

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