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Climate Change Bill announced |
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Thursday, 21 June 2007 |
Scotland could in the future have the most demanding statutory targets in the world to reduce emissions and tackle climate change.
Ministers said today they would consult on a Climate Change Bill with a target of cutting emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
The Bill will provide a comprehensive, long term framework to put
Scotland at the front of the global fight against climate change.
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney said: "Climate change threatens our people, our economy, our societies, and
our very existence. It can only be tackled if we all work together - in
this Parliament, in Scotland, in the UK, and across the world.
"We will play our part. We will introduce a Scottish Climate Change
Bill and consult on a mandatory long-term target to reduce our
emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Swinney said that the target was the equivalent of emissions reductions of three per cent
each year. "To ensure sustained progress towards this goal, we will
consult on proposals for targets based on average annual reductions
over a 5 year period.
"The Bill will also propose a requirement that Ministers are held to
account in the event of failure to meet emissions reductions. There
will be a mandatory process of Parliamentary accountability for
Ministers, with a requirement on Ministers to identify the action that
needs be taken.
"As well as progressing Scottish solutions, we will continue to work
with UK Ministers and devolved administrations to contribute to the UK
emission reduction target. We have already indicated to the UK
government that we want to explore how Scotland should engage with a UK
Climate Change Bill and how to access the expertise and knowledge for
decision making in Scotland.
"Climate change will be at the heart of our economic decision making.
The Bill will provide a framework for our industries to invest with
certainty in world-beating, low carbon technologies. I want Scotland to
become the green energy capital of Europe.
"We want to make progress as quickly as possible, but the Bill is by no
means fixed. This is a long term framework for Scottish government,
business and interested organisations and we will involve them all in
shaping and developing the Bill. We welcome good ideas, wherever they
come from. We are therefore allowing for a year's formal and informal
discussion and engagement, consultation and scrutiny before taking
forward this landmark legislation."
One person has commented on this article. 1. Dr
Dr Guy D Sutherland-Barnicoat, Unregistered How do you propose to do that being attached to the British in land mass. Are you going to stop every vehicle at the border, and stop every airplane from flying over or landing in Scotland. Be sensible, why does Scotland have to lead the world for what reason, it that going to improve the economy in Scotland?
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 21 June 2007 )
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