SNP pledges tougher emissions targets

The Scottish Government will review wildlife crime prevention in the next session of parliament, according to Roseanna Cunningham.

Setting out the Scottish Government’s priorities over the next session, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform also pledged to establish more ambitious climate change targets and open a consultation on creating a public register of controlling interests in land from early this summer.

Cunningham said the Scottish Land Commission – part of the land reform legislation passed in the last parliament – would be established by 1 April 2017.

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She said: “Our natural capital is a national asset and, like any other asset, we must ensure that it remains in good condition now and for the future.”

The SNP has set a target of reducing emissions by 50 per cent by 2020.

Cunningham said: “The biggest threat to our social and economic ambitions comes from climate change. That is why this Government has worked to make Scotland a world leader on climate change and we have a record of which we can be proud.”

She added: “On land reform, our new Act seeks to transform our relationship with the land while helping to create a Fairer Scotland. We will introduce a mandatory public register of landowners' controlling interests and I can announce today that the consultation will begin in early summer. I feel hugely privileged to be leading the Government’s work to develop the idea of the environment as a public good that we need to protect and grow.”