WITH politicians of every stripe focused, understandably, on the festering sore that is Brexit, it is easy for them to lose sight of another pressing issue, one which too many people seem content to leave for future generations to deal with. But as David Goodrich, a retired climate scientist at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, forcefully asserts in the National Geographic after crossing his country by bicycle, “climate change is here, now, not some ominous thing waiting for our grandchildren.”
The Scottish Government, to its credit, has prioritised a reduction in greenhouse gases, to the extent that it continues to outperform the rest of the UK, according to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). Total emissions fell by 10 per cent in 2016, compared to the previous year. Most of the latest decline came from electricity generation.
The Scottish Government now aims to slash emissions by 90 per cent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. The Herald has not been slow to criticise the government’s record in other areas; in this sober and far-reaching target, however, it deserves praise and encouragement.
But the CCC also says that much more needs to be done in tackling emissions from transport, agriculture, forestry and land use. Emissions from transport have shot up every year since 2010. Last year alone saw a further two per cent rise overall. It is unclear, the CCC adds, how phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2032 will give Scotland a faster transition than the rest of the UK.
The committee also queries whether voluntary measures in agriculture are sufficient. Tree-planting targets have also been missed.
The message could not be clearer: unless real action is made, the long-term goals may not be reached. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham could not have had a less unambiguous warning. The battle is far from over.
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