New government statistics have revealed that Scotland has exceeded a target to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020.
The figures show that between 1990 and 2014 Scotland's emissions had fallen by nearly 46%. This is the first time the country has met its annual climate change targets since 2010.
Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham praised the progress and confirmed that the government would now set a more demanding 2020 target. She added: ''This underlines that small individual actions, if repeated on a large scale, can have a big impact in tackling climate change.''
Whilst environmental campaigners have welcomed the reduction in emissions, some remain critical of how this was achieved. It is argued that external elements such as a much warmer-than-normal winter in 2014, along with loss of heavy industry, had more of an impact upon emissions than government policy.
Jim Densham, of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland commented: ''It's hard to see a bold fingerprint of Scottish government policy driving the transition to a zero carbon economy. This target has been met because of the loss of heavy industry, warmer winter weather, our changing share of European emissions credits and some government policies. Individual action is important but the Scottish government needs to lead with the big policies for major emission reductions.''
If Scotland are to set more challenging emissions targets for 2020 they would also need to consider more ambitious policies on transport, home energy efficiency and fuel poverty. The Scottish Green party's Holyrood climate spokesman, Mark Ruskell, said: ''The real test of action on climate change isn’t how figures get fudged from year to year; it’s whether people across Scotland have real choices to live in warm, efficient homes or a transport system fit for the 21st century. That requires funding and action from the Scottish government.''
