there is a target that can’t be met, so it is a shame we have to give that message to the Scottish Government but what is behind it is behind it is a lack of progress all round.
The above comments follow on from the opening headline claim by BBC Scotland that:
Climate experts say a target for a 75% emissions cut by 2030 is out of reach
and make much of its ‘legally-binding’ nature.
Chris Stark above is the Chief Executive of the CCC, just about to leave them, so must be well-informed of progress or otherwise made by the Conservative UK and Labour Welsh governments.
That ‘first time in the UK‘ bit jars badly.
Is this group saying that things are going better in Conservative-run England?
The Scottish Government has its own Chief Scientific Adviser for the Environment, Prof Matthew Williams.
The First Minister has his own Environmental Council – ‘A Scottish Government group to advise on international best practice and keep Scotland at the forefront of tackling the climate emergency.’
Scotland has its own Nature Agency at: https://www.nature.scot/helping-nature-adapt-climate-change-nick-everett
Here’s a thought. Is the CE of this London-based committee feeling left out and in need of attention, and that is right up BBC Scotland’s backstreet?
Let’s look at one key area – tree planting. Less than a month ago, BBC Scotland were headlining ‘the government’s climate change advisors’, the same group?
They were raising concerns about cuts to tree-planting.
Have you ever seen UK Government advisers headlined raising concerns about tree planting on the main new broadcasts?
Me neither.
Have you ever seen any context on Reporting Scotland’s coverage of tree-planting?
This kind of thing?
First, from State of Nature 2023:
So, 8% of the population but 60% of the trees.
Second, 8% of the UK population but 76% of the new tree planting.
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cdn.forestresearch.gov.uk/2022/09/Ch1_Woodland_2022.pdf
Third, 20 times the tree-planting of Labour Wales:
https://www.confor.org.uk/news/latest-news/scotland-leads-way-on-uk-tree-planting-but-misses-target
What’s that saying about wood and trees?
Can’t see the facts for the BBC bias?
More widely, here’s a different climate change advisor, on Scotland, from 2021:
A top UK climate expert has said he is ‘pleased’ with the progress Scotland is making on tackling climate change.
Lord Deben, chair of the Climate Change Committee and former UK Environment Secretary told Holyrood’s Net Zero committee that Scotland’s approach has allowed him to ‘say to other parts of the United Kingdom why don’t they do it as well as the Scots?’
Scotland has passed world-leading climate change legislation as part of our aim to become a net zero country by 2045 – something hailed by the UN as “an inspiring example of the level of ambition we need globally”.
Commenting, SNP MSP Fiona Hyslop, who is also Net Zero Committee deputy convener said:
“It was encouraging to hear Lord Deben praise the approach taken by the Scottish Government in achieving our net zero targets and that in Scotland we are able to set an example which climate experts such as Lord Deben can take to other parts of the UK.
“Scotland continues to lead the UK in producing clean energy from renewable sources, Scotland the produces the equivalent of 97% of electricity demand from renewables and produces a surplus to be exported elsewhere too.
“In Scotland we also continue to take the lead in other initiatives such as tree-planting and removing diesel vehicles from our roads.
“Although there has been significant progress made we still have a lot of hard work to come to ensure that we meet our ambitious net zero targets by 2045, but it is encouraging that Scotland is taking the lead in developing net zero solutions.”
The full session can be found here
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
” Climate experts say a target for a 75% emissions cut by 2030 is out of reach ” – To blow my own trumpet, the insulation project here will show somewhere between 75 and 80% reduction in gas consumption this June relative to when I started – So it’s only “out of reach” because SG are being financially prevented from achieving it, and BBC Scotland would amplify this complete tosh as SG failure, it’s all they’re paid to do.
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but Scottish government are currently giving free tens of thousands of pounds to people in Scotland who are very very wealthy some are millionaires to install heat pumps and solar panels and insulation and giving interest free loans to the same people to buy electric bikes and electric cars , people who qualify for this get it no matter how wealthy they are no matter hom high their income is no matter how high their savings are , as i say they can get this even if they are millionaires because the only qualifying condition for them is that they either live in the countryside or get DLA disability living allowance or get PIP personal independence payment or get AA attendance allowance these are benefits that are paid no matter how much your savings are no matter how high your income is , that in itself is a travesty when we see these wealthy people getting hundreds of pounds a month couples a thousand a month from government as disability benefit especially when the poor around us get austerity and to compound this travesty of fairness the Scottish government are paying these people even more money tens of thousands of pounds to install heat pumps and solar panels etc etc what a disgrace , you will see many of these same people in their brand new big people carrier type vehicles parked in the supermarket parking bays displaying their blue badge which gets them free parking everywhere , then they get out of their vehicle walk twenty metres into the supermarket then proceed to walk hundreds of metres all around the supermarket ? Then load up their shopping into the car drive home then unload their shopping.Yes Yes Yes help the poor disabled with extra money given that they may not be able to work but as i say you can be a millionaire earning a hundred thousand a year or more , still working too and get DLA or PIP or AA of hundreds and hundreds a month from government on top of that.All whilst the masses of poor suffer social security rates and poor housing no offer of heat pumps and solar panels and new insulation for them , whoever is leading this policy in Scottish government and in Westminster should be sacked.
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From 14 Mar 2024
Holyrood – It’s a climate change issue
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj7vz8vjgrno
“The financial burden of tackling climate change will fall disproportionately on Scotland, the financial watchdog has warned.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) said it would cost the public sector £1.1bn a year – 18% of the Scottish government’s capital budget.
SFC said the financial burden may fall disproportionately on the Scottish government because a greater share of the UK’s overall commitments fall to tree planting in Scotland.
That equates to £207 per person in Scotland compared with £149 in the rest of the UK.”
Westminster – It’s a forestry issue
“A spokesperson for the UK government said: “Forestry is a devolved responsibility of the Scottish government and one it is well-funded to deliver upon through its record £41bn per year settlement from the UK government – the largest in the history of devolution.”
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Isn’t it amazing how failure of our ecosystem can be so blithely written off as a budgetary consideration of minor consequence prior to it’s catastrophic collapse ?
The ” spokesperson for the UK government” exhibits the Johnson gambit, hence when the planet boils you double down and reach for the J&J product and all is wonderful again, Sunny uplands etc…..
Because that’s all ultimately HMG are selling, J&J sticking plasters for a gaping and festering wound…
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Scotland the best place in the world for renewables is 25% in surplus from renewables. Wind, solar, wave and hydro. So much so that pylons are being erected to transport it South. Scotland increased revenues £3Billion from renewables. £Billions from offshore wind. Taking over from Oil & Gss because it is cheaper.
Electric cars cost less to run from offshore wind turbine power. Scotland is well ahead but it is Westminster treasury that benefits because Scotland is not Independent. Westminster demands all the credit and the revenues. Scotland in surplus in fuel and energy, mesrer the source but pays more. Scotland should pay less for parity and reap the benefits. Electricity in Spain is half the cost. Spanish fuel companies rip Scotland off because of Westmibster policies.
The congestion of London S/E stifles the economy. Nothing moves. Total blockage. Thatcher’s road transport policies put everything through London. Centralised total congestion. Heathrow is subsidised. Gov funded slots. London transport subsidised . Scotland pays for it.
HS2 the biggest waste of monies. £Billions lost.that could have paid for better railways in the North and Scotland. To make train journeys through Britain much faster. Another white elephant project from Westmibster. A total disaster. Hickley Point another total disaster waste of public monies. Years late and over budget. The UK Gov pays £13Billion a year for nuclear decommissioning. For ten years £130Billion. Ever increasing longer and costly.
Heat pumps and electric cars benefit everyone. The whole economy. Cheaper fuel and energy to go round for everybody. Wind, wave, solar, water so much cheaper to provide fuel and energy for everyone. Renewables are so much cheaper and much safer compared to other fuel. Using the world’s natural resources to produce energy for everyone. That is why the change over is happening. A natural progression. Scotland is covered in coal. With CCS it could be a backup.
Westminster reneged on CCS projects in Longannet in Fife, Peterhead. A tidal wave project in Wales. These would have been a good investment to lower emissions.
but Westmibster refused. Instead wasting £Billions on white elephant non viable projects. Hickley Point, HS2, Trident, redundant illegal weaponry.. Westminster Tory bad, poor decisions.
Scotland is more than doing its bit on renewable energy. Lowering emissions. Leading the way for innovative projects. Developing innovation and new technology. More than anywhere else. Westminster tries to take the credit, the revenues and resources.
Brexit was a catastrophe. Scotland lost EU investment, loans and grants in renewables. Scotland is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Scotland is doing well reducing emissions.
The US, China and India must take up the task of lowering emissions to help the environment. Ultimately the world population will fall. Peak and the fall. 8 Billion. It is already falling in developed countries. An older population. The Pill and contraception. 1960’s. Reducing poverty worldwide. Less strain on earth’s resources. Malthus got it wrong. Scientific developments yet to come.
There is always space to be explored for extra minerals and quicker flights. Up and down in an hour. The world is getting smaller. Eventually reducing. not using up revenues and resources. Eventually more resources, vegetation annd open spaces. China ‘one child’ policy. Now two. Increasingly more people not having children.from choice. Leading more affluent lifestyles. £250,000+ to fund a child over a lifetime. Next generation getting better off. More prosperous. The human race is resourceful. Surviving a long time.
US/UK constant engaging in illegal war ruining the world economy.
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Not many millionaires by comparison in Scotland. The live in the south or are non Doms not paying any tax. High Tech. Internet. Energy companies pay employees, corporation tax, icapital gains tax. Inheritance tax. Wind, wave, solar, hydro, fuel and energy pay tax on profits. Mainly calculated by the Westminster Gov. EU taxing multinational (US) companies.
Land is not taxed to keep farms together. Scotland makes £Billions from food production, fishing and exports. Large estates could be higher rated. Scotland benefits from the land. ‘A right to roam’. The tourist industry makes £Billions. The best scenery in the world. A 40 million diasporia to visit. Edinburgh one of the most visited cities in the world. Glasgow & Inverness. The Highlands full of history and intrigue.
Scotland influenced the modern world. TV, radio, telecommunications. The internet. Claimed by US multinationals paying no tax worldwide. Gaining msssive profits massive profits from US copyright Laws. Illegal business backed up by illegal military. Breaking International and business Law, with impunity. Totally corrupt dependent on the dollar debt.
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