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REVIEW OF THE SCOTTISH CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME: A CONSULTATION

FOREWORD

When the Scottish Climate Change Programme⁴ was published in November 2000, Sam Galbraith, then Environment Minister, noted that the issue of climate change was moving up the political agenda. Now, four years later, it is safe to say that climate change is nearing the top of the political agenda — and rightly so. Given its global importance, I’m not surprised that climate change has been singled out as one of the key priorities for the UK’s presidency of the EU and chairmanship of the G8.

Following Europe’s first hand experience of the types of climate extremes we can come to expect with greater regularity over the coming decades — widespread flooding in central Europe in 2002, a record-breaking heat wave across Europe in 2003, and landslips and flash floods in Scotland and other parts of the UK in 2004 — climate change is at the forefront of people’s minds. Scientific knowledge and public awareness of the problem continue to grow. More and more column inches are being devoted to the issue. And we’ve even had a blockbuster Hollywood film. I am also pleased to note the increasingly keen interest that my colleagues in the Scottish Parliament have been taking in the subject. The Environment and Rural Development Committee is planning to hold an inquiry into climate change early in New Year 2005 and I welcome this.

I have been encouraged by recent developments on the international stage. The ratification of the Kyoto Protocol⁵ by Russia means that the Protocol will now enter into force on 16 February 2005. The targets set out in the Protocol represent an important first step in global efforts to curb emissions of the greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. I recognise, however, that much more substantial cuts will be required in the future to avert climate chaos.

The Executive is committed to making an equitable contribution to the UK’s Kyoto Protocol target and to working in partnership with the UK Government in moving towards the UK’s more ambitious domestic goals. Through its action to date, the UK has established itself as a world leader in the fight against climate change and the Executive is supporting these efforts by taking action in the same or similar areas as the UK Government, where we have the devolved powers to do so.

It is right that developed countries like Scotland are the first to reduce their emissions. Urgent action is required, not just by Government, but by everyone. We need to — among many other things — continue to promote renewable energy, travel in a sustainable manner, make our homes and businesses more energy efficient and reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill. The Programme we published in November 2000 set out a range of measures aimed at reducing Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions. We are currently evaluating the impact of these policies on such emissions and trying to gain a better understanding of Scotland’s expected future emissions. This will help us, along with your input, to determine whether there is scope for strengthening existing measures or introducing new ones.

The latest emissions data for Scotland show that Scottish emissions overall fell by 5.7% between Kyoto base years⁶ and 2002. Emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, fell by 3.2% between 1990 and 2002, despite over a 25% growth in the Scottish economy over the same period. I am committed to ensuring that we bear down further on emissions and am keen to instigate a wide-ranging debate about the best way to do that. I have intentionally kept this consultation open and non-prescriptive in its outlook. I look forward to hearing your views on how we should move forward to ensure that our climate change strategy continues to be robust and relevant to the people of Scotland.

Ross Finnie MSP
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
December 2004

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