On June 21 2007, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney announced that the Scottish Government would consult on a Climate Change Bill to set a mandatory target of cutting emissions by 80% by 2050.
Bringing forward a Scottish Climate Change Bill is a key commitment for the Scottish Government. Scotland can play a leading role internationally in taking action on climate change. The Bill will create a long-term framework for the current and successive administrations in Scotland to ensure that we reduce our emissions by 80% by 2050. This framework will help build a sustainable future for Scotland: it will contribute to the country's sustainable economic growth by moving the public and private sectors towards a low carbon economy.
On January 29 2008, the Scottish Government published a consultation which set out proposals for a Scottish Climate Change Bill and sought views on options for a Bill. The objective of the consultation was to ensure that all interested parties had the opportunity to contribute their opinions at an early stage of policy development. The consultation asked important questions about the shape of the proposals and what issues should be taken into account when developing a Bill.
The consultation closed on April 23 2008.
Current Action related to a proposed Scottish Climate Change Bill and the consultation process.