Climate Change Bill will be indroduced early in 2018 after public consultation ends next month
CAMPAIGNERS are asking the public to demand the Scottish Government does more to tackle climate change.
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) has launched the “Act for our future” campaign, with a dedicated webpage hosting links to make it easier to contact the government, which is currently drawing up plans for a new Climate Change Bill.
A consultation on what should be in the proposed bill will close on 22 September, and SCCS is urging people to use their portal to press the government to adhere to targets set to reduce harmful emissions.
“The question is not will we act, it is will we act fast enough?” Tom Ballantine, SCCS
Tom Ballantine, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said: “In 2009 Scotland was setting the pace internationally when we agreed our climate targets but now people are urging the Scottish Government to keep the country on the leader board on this issue
“The most up to date climate science clearly demonstrates that we need to rapidly cut emissions if we are to avoid catastrophic temperature increases and irreversible change. The question is not will we act, it is will we act fast enough?
“The Scottish Government has proposed a target of 90 per cent reduction by 2050 but this simply doesn’t go far enough. It is only a minor improvement on what we were already aiming for a decade ago.”
SCCS wants the government to reduce emissions by 100 per cent by 2050. It claims over 8,000 have responded to the consultation that will close at the end of next month.
Senior climate and energy policy officer from World Wildlife Federation (WWF) Scotland Sarah Beattie Smith, said: “The new Climate Change Bill is a chance for Scotland to reaffirm its place as a world leader on climate change.
“The first minister has committed to using the new bill to implement the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, signed by over 190 countries.” Sarah Beattie Smith, WWF
“The first minister has committed to using the new bill to implement the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, signed by over 190 countries.
“This must mean setting a date for reaching zero emissions no later than 2050, and increasing action to reduce emissions in the short-term through increased policy action in the areas where emissions aren’t coming down, like transport, buildings and agriculture.”
Following the Paris agreement in 2015, the Scottish Government revised its plans and aimed to intorudce a Climate Change Bill early next year.
The government has increased the budget for fuel poverty and energy efficiency by 11 per cent for 2017/18 to £114m.
A Scottish Government Spokesperson said: “Scotland has won international praise for its global leadership on climate change and our plans will cut emissions further, while creating more jobs in the low carbon economy.”
Picture courtesy of The Scottish Government
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