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Ministerial Foreword
Energy is essential for every day life. We need it to generate heat in our homes and businesses, to power our lights, appliances and industries. Energy demand and consumption continues to grow across Scotland, the UK and the rest of the World. But some 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the way we produce and use our energy. As the recent Stern review confirmed, climate change is one of the biggest global threats and we must take urgent action to reduce our emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Our goal is to build a sustainable future for Scotland's people. One way we can do this is by taking action on climate change. Although Scotland is a small country and only makes a small contribution to global carbon dioxide emissions, Scotland has a significant part to play. Scotland already takes climate change seriously. Recent figures show that Scotland's carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by 14% since 1990, more than any other part of the UK and 14 of the 15 Member States that signed up to the EU Kyoto agreement.
However, we cannot be complacent and we recognise there is much more to be done. We need to lead by example - everyone must take responsibility for their own behaviour by using less energy and using it more efficiently. As the title of Scotland's Climate Change Programme indicates, we all need to consider 'Changing Our Ways'. The Executive has signalled its ambition to do so by the commitment to exceed Scotland's share of UK carbon savings by one million tonnes.
Whilst energy policy and many of the regulatory powers associated with energy efficiency are the responsibility of Westminster, Scottish Ministers have chosen to take the lead by publishing this Strategy and by setting out the action they propose to take to help us meet our ambitious carbon savings targets through improving energy efficiency and encouraging a greater uptake of microgeneration.
I want all of the people of Scotland, in their homes and in their places of work, to play a role in combating the effects of climate change - principally by reducing demand for energy through improved energy efficiency but also by microgeneration with low carbon technologies. To help us all think in a holistic way about the buildings in which we live and work, this strategy therefore addresses both energy efficiency and microgeneration.
We want to ensure every household, community, local authority and business is aware of their energy use, takes personal responsibility for their actions and strives to make Scotland a leader. Individual action is possible, and can make a difference. In this way we will meet a range of important objectives: addressing fuel poverty, improving business profitability, reducing the costs of delivering public services, as well as reducing our carbon dioxide emissions.
This is not an easy task and no one policy on its own will tackle the challenge. We are therefore investing in a portfolio of measures as set out in this draft Strategy that will enable us to rise to the challenge and achieve a low carbon future for Scotland.
Nicol Stephen MSP
Deputy First Minister & Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
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