Friends of the Earth Scotland – Page 5 – The NEN

Deposit Return Scheme support ‘should end delay calls’

Circularity Scotland has today (21^st February 2023) announced £22 million of cashflow support measures to help Scotland’s brewers, distillers, importers and drinks manufacturers prepare for the introduction of Scotland’s deposit return scheme.

The package includes:

Up front charges removed for lower sales volumes
Improved payment terms for lower sales volumes
Simple labelling option for niche products, alleviating administrative burden

The support package is particularly designed to help SMEs, who have previously voiced concerns about the impact of the scheme on their business’ cashflow.

To address these concerns, Circularity Scotland is removing the day one and month one charges for all producers, up to a threshold of three million units per year. It is also providing two month credit terms on deposits and fees up to the same volume threshold to reduce the working capital impact on all producers.

The three million unit threshold has been established to ensure that the thousands of smaller scale producers selling in Scotland benefit more proportionately from the cashflow support. This will particularly help companies like craft brewers, wine importers and craft spirit producers. The two month credit terms will be made available to all producers, regardless of their size, ensuring all producers within the scheme are treated equally.

Circularity Scotland has also confirmed that it will be offering the option to use self-adhesive barcode labels for producers placing less than 25,000 units per year of a specific product on to the Scottish market. This will provide a simple and straightforward administrative solution for independent producers and importers for whom the cost of changing packaging to introduce new barcodes could be prohibitive.

David Harris, Chief Executive of Circularity Scotland said: “Circularity Scotland was established by industry to meet their obligations under the deposit return scheme as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

“This announcement is further evidence of how we are continuing to innovate and identify additional ways to mitigate the pressure on businesses. We know that smaller producers in particular have been concerned about the cashflow impacts of the scheme, and these measures will address those concerns.

“Circularity Scotland has successfully secured over £100m of third-party funding to establish the infrastructure of the deposit return scheme, with only minimal up-front funding from the very largest producers. This funding approach allows producers both large and small to benefit on equal terms from this investment in world-class infrastructure and leading-edge technology and only pay their share of the costs once the scheme is in operation.

We have already announced reductions in producer fees of up to 40%, while also being able to offer the highest return handling fees of comparable schemes anywhere in the world. These additional support measures further demonstrate our confidence in being able to deliver ongoing operational efficiencies once the scheme has gone live. We are committed to ensuring that the deposit return scheme works for Scotland, is cost effective for business and helps protect our environment for generations to come.”

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “This is a big and welcome change that responds directly to many of the concerns that have been raised, particularly those from smaller producers like craft brewers.

“It addresses initial cash flow challenges, and provides a pragmatic and simple solution to the issues raised around barcodes for smaller product lines. This is a package that gives businesses the clarity and confidence they need to be part of Scotland’s deposit return scheme.

“Over the last few months I have been meeting industry regularly to listen to their feedback and this industry-led solution has been designed in direct response to its concerns. I remain committed to a pragmatic approach to implementation between now and the 16 August.

“By working together we can lead the UK in delivering a deposit return scheme which will increase Scotland’s recycling rates from around 50% to 90%, cut emissions, tackle littering and address public concerns about the impact of plastic and other waste.”

Businesses looking for more information on these measures or how they can register for the scheme should contact Circularity Scotland’s customer support team at www.circularityscotland.com or on 0141 401 0899.

Campaigners have welcomed the news that small businesses will be supported to launch Scotland’s deposit return scheme on time this year in August 2023.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “The announcement today demonstrates commitment from Circularity Scotland and the businesses they represent to start the scheme on time in August 2023, and we’re pleased to see that support is being given to smaller businesses to address their concerns.

“This announcement should end calls for further delays. To undo the building momentum for the scheme would be counterproductive for producers and retailers planning for an August introduction, as well as risking further environmental pollution from discarded drinks containers.

“It is fundamental to the long-term success of the scheme that the costs of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme come from industry. Part of the purpose of a scheme like this is to make sure the responsibility for cleaning up is held by the companies that are producing the waste, rather than from the public purse, as is currently the case.”

Reducing emissions from waste

Keeping plastic out of incinerators will help meet climate targets

Stopping plastics from being incinerated is one of the key recommendations of an independent review of decarbonising the treatment of residual waste.

The report follows last year’s independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland, which recommended placing a cap on future capacity and led to Ministers putting restrictions on the development of further incinerators.

Report author Dr Colin Church has made several new recommendations to reduce the carbon impact of residual (or ‘black bag’) waste treatment infrastructure, including stopping plastic from being incinerated in Scotland.

In addition, he has recommended:

taking forward policies to reduce plastic production and use
promoting source segregation of all plastics, and implementing advanced sorting to remove plastics from black bag waste
using the heat from incinerators where possible, for example for homes and businesses

Dr Colin Church said: “Incineration remains a more climate-friendly method of managing residual waste than traditional landfill, and more practical than any other currently available approach.

However, without further action, this advantage will erode over a relatively short time. That is why my second report sets out a series of recommendations to improve the carbon impact of residual waste treatment, of which the most urgent and potentially most impactful is the cessation this decade of the incineration of plastic.”

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “I would like to thank Dr Church for this report, which will make an important contribution to ensuring that the management of residual waste in Scotland aligns with our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

“Of course, the best way to reduce harmful emissions from our waste is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. That is why we have already banned many of the most problematic single-use plastic products and will soon be presenting a draft Circular Economy Bill to parliament. This will establish the legislative framework to support Scotland’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy.”

Environmental campaigners have welcomed the recommendation that incineration of plastics must end by 2030 in Scotland. The call came as part of an independent review commissioned by the Scottish Government into reducing the climate impact of the country’s incineration problem.

The review makes several recommendations including:

the burning of plastic should end by 2030
operators should try to include to deploy combined heat and power with incinerators
incinerators with potential for carbon capture should be prioritised and the Government should offer more support for carbon capture technology.

No Scottish incinerators have functioning combined heat and power plants yet despite this being a requirement within 7 years of being granted a permit by SEPA. The end of plastic burning will significantly reduce the carbon produced from incinerators, thereby reducing the need for expensive and risky carbon capture. Campaigners say that other carbon-based waste, such as food, paper and wood waste, should be recycled.

Campaigners previously welcomed the move by the Scottish Government to implement a moratorium on planning permission for new incinerators, following the first report from Dr Colin Church, but say a clear exit strategy from incineration is still needed.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Circular Economy Campaigner Kim Pratt said: “Plastics are fossil fuels, so burning them cannot be part of a zero carbon future. That’s why the key recommendation of this review, to ban the burning of plastic by 2030, must be supported and immediately acted on by the Scottish Government.

“Instead of setting out a clear phase out plan, the review suggests incinerators can be made more sustainable by increasing the amount of heat they provide. We know that generating heat from incinerators emits even more climate changing emissions than gas boilers so following this path will ultimately compromise Scotland’s chance of creating a zero carbon, circular economy.

“Once fossil-based plastics are banned from incinerators, their emissions will plummet. Deploying risky and expensive techno-fixes like carbon capture when there are almost no emissions to capture is a waste of time and resources.

“As this review states, heat generation and carbon capture must not be used to justify new incinerators. But Scotland will have more incineration capacity than there is waste to burn by 2027, so Ministers must go further than the recommendations of this review and reduce capacity in line with our climate commitments.

“Incinerators are amongst the largest single sources of emissions so the Scottish Government must create a plan to phase out incineration, plant by plant, and as rapidly as possible if it hopes to meet its own climate targets.”

Dr Church’s report on Decarbonisation of Residual Waste Infrastructure in Scotland

Dr Church’s initial report, Stop, Sort, Burn, Bury, was published in May 2022

‘Obscene’ Shell profit shows urgent need to get off fossil fuels

Climate campaigners have reacted to the announcement of Shell’s 2022 profits of £32.2billion ($39.9b), saying the figures show that our harmful energy system must urgently be transformed away from fossil fuels.

Climate science is clear that we urgently need to transition away from our broken fossil fuel energy system in order to secure a liveable future. Analysis has shown that renewable energy is 9 times cheaper than new fossil fuel energy.

A Channel 4 investigation in August 2022 shows Shell invested equivalent of just 6.3% of its £17.1bn profits into low carbon energy, investing nearly three times more in oil and gas.

Independent climate advisors have said that increasing UK supply of oil and gas will have almost no impact on UK bills as prices are set by the international market. However, continued reliance on volatile fossil fuels will leave millions vulnerable to spikes in their prices.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s oil and gas campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “The announcement of yet another obscene profit for Shell shows the scale of the harm that these companies are inflicting on households and businesses.

“Oil company bosses and shareholders are being allowed to get even richer by banking huge profits, while normal people are facing enormous energy bills and millions are being forced into fuel poverty.

“Shell is worsening climate breakdown and extreme weather by continuing to invest and lock us into new oil and gas projects for decades to come. Their Jackdaw project was given the green light by the UK Government in 2022 and we know they only invest a small fraction of their profits into renewable energy.

“These profit figures are further evidence that our current fossil fuelled energy system is seriously harming people and the climate. Despite this, the Scottish Government’s recent draft Energy Strategy contains very few new steps to tackle the climate crisis or the immediate impacts of the cost of energy crisis.

“Ministers should instead chart a clear path away from fossil fuels and towards an energy system that is built on clean, reliable renewables. They must listen to the science which tells us that to meet climate targets in a fair way, fossil fuel extraction needs to be phased out in the next decade.”

Low Emission Zone begins to tackle Edinburgh’s air pollution problem

LOW EMISSION ZONE BEGINS TO TACKLE EDINBURGH’S AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM

It’s been revealed that Scotland did not breach air pollution limits in 2022 for the first time, excluding the impact of lockdowns in 2020. Campaigners say the improvement in air quality in Edinburgh shows the early benefits of Low Emission Zones, with reductions in pollution from diesel vehicles.

Friends of the Earth Scotland analysed official air pollution data for 2022, looking at two toxic pollutants which are primarily produced by transport. Legal air quality standards came into force in 2010, yet had previously been broken every single year since except 2020 when the lockdowns resulted in a big drop in car journeys.

The provisional data suggests that air quality across Scotland was within legal limits in 2022.

Edinburgh’s Low Emission Zone will formally begin in June this year. To support bus operators to meet the criteria, the Scottish Government has provided grants for buying new buses or retrofitting older buses. This has almost certainly led to air quality improvements on Edinburgh’s busier bus corridors, such as city centre streets.

Many areas across Edinburgh showed reductions in nitrogen dioxide, compared to 2021, with a slight increase on St John’s Road.

St John’s Road also experienced an increase in particulate pollution (PM10), the data suggest. In 2021, there was an annual average of 11.00 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) for PM10, rising to 14.31 µg/m3 in 2022.

There were year-on-year increases in PM10 across the city. These could be attributed to an increase in car traffic after all Covid-19 restrictions were removed, or a more general increase in commercial activity.

Dirtiest streets for Nitrogen Dioxide

The European Ambient Air Quality Directive set a limit for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) of 40 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3). The deadline for this limit to have been met was 2010.

Location / NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide Annual mean (µg/m3)

Edinburgh St John’s Road 29.26
Edinburgh Queensferry Road 26.86
Edinburgh Nicolson Street 23.40
Edinburgh Salamander St 18.34
Edinburgh Gorgie Road 17.37
Edinburgh Glasgow Road 15.14
Edinburgh St Leonards 13.09
Edinburgh Currie 4.77

Dirtiest streets for fine particles (PM10)

The Scottish annual statutory standard for particulate matter (PM10) is 18 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).

Location / PM10 annual mean (µg/m3)

Edinburgh St John’s Road 14.31
Edinburgh Salamander St 14.26
Edinburgh Queensferry Road 13.92
Edinburgh Nicolson Street 12.11
Edinburgh Glasgow Road 11.81
Edinburgh Tower Street 10.01
Edinburgh St Leonards 9.22

Air pollution kills 2,500 people in Scotland each year and puts the population at risk of serious health conditions, like asthma, heart attacks, and strokes. It’s especially harmful to children, the elderly, and people living in poverty or made vulnerable from other health conditions.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Transport Campaigner Gavin Thomson said: “Air pollution from transport is responsible for thousands of premature deaths in Scotland every year, and causes serious heart and lung issues, so it’s great that some progress is being made in parts of Edinburgh.

“The provisional data show that the Low Emission Zones and the Scottish Government’s hefty subsidies for operators to buy new buses are having an immediate impact.

“The bad news is there’s persistent diesel pollution on St. John’s Road, and particulate pollution has increased across the whole city. If we want to stop breathing tiny particles that damage our vital organs, we need to change the way we move around. The evidence is clear – the more we can move away from fossil fuels, the more our health is protected”.

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma and Lung UK Scotland said: “It is good news this year that air pollution on our streets has been kept within its legal limits, yet there is obviously more that can be done. We need the Scottish Government to make tackling air pollution a national priority.

“Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to public health. At a cost of £1.1bn per year to the NHS, it is draining our resources, straining our health system and cutting short over 2,500 lives a year in Scotland. It is causing new lung conditions like lung cancer, and worsening existing ones.

“With 1 in 5 Scots developing lung conditions like asthma and COPD in their lifetime, for them, it can trigger life-threatening asthma attacks and exacerbations.”

England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty recently noted that, ‘everyone is affected by air pollution, and it is everyone’s problem’.

Strategy to deliver a just transition for the energy sector published

Scottish Government has shied away from taking the big decisions, say environmental campaigners

A route map to secure Scotland’s fastest possible fair and just transition away from fossil fuels has been published by the Scottish Government.

The draft ‘Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan’ sets out a plan for Scotland’s renewables revolution to be accelerated as North Sea basin resources decline.

This would result in a net jobs gain across the energy production sector, with the potential to increase renewable energy exports and reduce exposure to future global energy market fluctuations.

Key policy proposals published for consultation include:

substantially increasing the current level of 13.4 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity generation capacity, with an additional 20 GW by 2030, which could produce the equivalent of nearly 50% of current demand
an ambition for 5 GW of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen power by 2030, and 25 GW by 2045
increasing contributions of solar, hydro power and marine energy to the energy mix
generation of surplus electricity enabling export of electricity and renewable hydrogen to support decarbonisation across Europe
setting out final policy positions on fossil fuel energy, including consulting on a presumption against new exploration for North Sea oil and gas
accelerated decarbonisation of domestic industry, transport and heat in buildings
increasing access to affordable energy by urging the UK Government to take stronger, more targeted action for fair energy market reform
maximising household, business and community benefit from energy projects, including through shared ownership of renewables

Published as part of the draft Energy Strategy is a Just Transition Plan for the energy sector. This details the support being provided to grow Scotland’s highly skilled energy workforce, increase jobs in energy generation and the supply chain, while enabling communities and businesses, particularly in the North East, to prosper.

Analysis shows the number of low carbon production jobs is estimated to rise from 19,000 in 2019 to 77,000 by 2050 as the result of a just energy transition, meaning there will be more jobs in energy production in 2050 than there are now.

The Strategy also sets out recommended actions for the UK Government to take in reserved policy areas, including powers relating to energy security, market mechanisms, network investment and market regulation.

Scottish Ministers have invited the UK Government to join an Energy Transition delivery group to drive forward the vision set out in the Strategy.

Net Zero & Energy Secretary Michel Matheson said: “Scotland is an energy rich nation, with significant renewable energy resource, a highly-skilled workforce and innovative businesses across a globally renowned supply chain.

“The renewables revolution is global, as all countries seek to address concerns about climate change, and Scotland is at the forefront of this transition.

“At a time of unprecedented uncertainty in our energy sector, accelerating the transition towards becoming a renewables powerhouse makes sense for a number of reasons – particularly to helping to mitigate against future global market volatility and the high energy prices which are making life so difficult for so many people across Scotland. For example, onshore wind is one of the most affordable forms of energy.

“While we do not hold all the powers to address these issues at source, this Strategy sets out how we can achieve an energy transition that ensures we have sufficient, secure and affordable energy to meet our needs, support Scotland’s economic growth and capitalise on future sustainable export opportunities.”

Just Transition Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The oil and gas industry has made a vast contribution to Scotland’s economy and its workers are some of the most highly-skilled in the world. But Scotland’s oil and gas basin is now a mature resource.

“A just transition to a net zero energy system will secure alternative employment and economic opportunities for those already working in the industry and will provide new green jobs in Scotland for future generations. Embracing this change will ensure we avoid repeating the damage done by the deindustrialisation of central belt communities in the 1980s.

“There is a bright future for a revitalised North Sea energy sector focussed on renewables.”

ENERGY STRATEGY ‘SHIES AWAY FROM THE BIG DECISION’

Environmental campaigners have reacted to the Scottish Government’s new Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan:

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Mary Church said: “Our current fossil fuelled energy system is seriously harming people and the climate yet there is very little by way of new measures in this long-awaited Scottish Government Energy Strategy to tackle the climate emergency or the immediate impacts of the cost of energy crisis.

“After two years of preparation, this is a document chock full of existing commitments that we already know are insufficient to meet our climate targets, never mind the surge in action we need to see this decade.

“The Scottish Government has shied away from taking the big decisions we know are needed like setting an end date for fossil fuels in our energy system within the decade, and committing to phasing out oil and gas in line with science and justice.

“The draft strategy misses an open goal by failing to dramatically ramp up action on energy efficiency and public transport which can help improve lives, cut bills and deliver on climate commitments.

“The Strategy contains lots of fine talk about job creation but no detail about how they will be secured. A huge dose of realism is required for many of the jobs estimates, particularly on potential for the hydrogen sector.

“By putting workers and communities at the heart of planning the transition to renewables we can ensure that we create a fairer, healthier Scotland that can meet its climate commitments.

“2022 was the hottest year on record in Scotland. We are drinking in the last chance saloon for any hope of staying within the critical 1.5 degrees warming threshold. For Scotland to play its part in tackling the climate crisis the final draft of this strategy needs to decisively end the era of fossil fuels.”

The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is available on the Scottish Government website.

A consultation on the Strategy and Plan will run until Tuesday 4^th April 2023.

Friends of the Earth: Energy strategy must set end date for oil and gas

Ahead of the publication today of the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, environmental campaigners have called for Ministers to set an end date for fossil fuels and chart a just and clear path to a renewable powered future.

The plans will be revealed as continued burning of fossil fuels worsens the climate emergency and 2022 was officially declared Scotland’s hottest ever year. The United Nations warned in October that the world was on course for a catastrophic 2.8C of climate warming by the end of this century.

Oil companies declared tens of billions in profits in 2022 as millions of households struggled to pay their energy bills. Campaigners say that the Scottish Government must reduce overall energy demand through mass home insulation and public transport investment and ensure that our remaining energy needs are met with reliable, affordable renewables instead.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Mary Church said: “The new Energy Strategy must chart a just and clear path away from our broken fossil fuel energy system that is hurting people and the planet, and transition Scotland to a climate-safe future with clean, affordable renewable energy for all.

“This is a crucial decade for action on the climate crisis so Ministers must ensure that the plan sets an end date for fossil fuels and commits to phasing out oil and gas.

“Through a mass rollout of home insulation and boosting public transport we can reduce our overall demand for energy, improve people’s lives and help tackle the cost of living crisis.

“The Scottish Government must reject the dodgy technology of carbon capture and storage and fossil hydrogen which is being pushed by the profiteering oil and gas industry who want to keep us locked into this harmful system. By putting workers and communities at the heart of planning the transition to renewables we can ensure that we create a fairer, healthier Scotland that can meet its climate commitments.”

Energy strategy to shape next 25 years of energy production

There is a clear imperative to accelerate the clean energy transition and reduce Scotland’s dependence on oil and gas, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said ahead of the publication of a new strategy for the energy sector.

The draft Energy Strategy, being published for consultation on Tuesday 10 January, will set out the Scottish Government’s policies on domestic production of energy, alongside a plan to reduce demand and build a resilient and secure future net zero energy system.

Also published will be the first Just Transition Plan to ensure that, as the energy sector grows and changes, it benefits citizens, workers and communities.

It provides a route map of actions, with a particular focus out to 2030, for the Scottish and UK Governments and is central to meeting Scotland’s climate change targets, as well as boosting jobs and improving wellbeing.

Speaking ahead of a visit to energy technology research and test site, PNDC, in Cumbernauld, the First Minister said: “The imperative is clear. In this decade we must set Scotland on the path to an energy system that meets the challenge of becoming a net zero nation by 2045, that supplies safe, secure and affordable energy for all and that generates economic opportunity through a just transition.

“The current energy crisis has demonstrated how vulnerable our energy system is to international price shocks, while laying bare the need for structural reform to ensure affordability for consumers.

“This strategy will shape the next 25 years of energy production in Scotland. It provides an independent assessment of the future of the North Sea and shows that as we reduce Scotland’s dependence on oil and gas – as both generators and consumers – there is a huge environmental and economic opportunity to be seized.

“Scotland is already at the forefront of the clean energy transition and our green jobs revolution is underway. By continuing to make the most of our vast renewable energy resource, we can deliver a net zero energy system that also delivers a net gain in jobs within Scotland’s energy production sector.”

Realising Hydrogen’s potential?

Finalised Action Plan ‘sets out net zero opportunities’

A pathway to help make Scotland a world leader in hydrogen production has been published, but campaigners are questioning the suitability of hydrogen for most sectors.

The Hydrogen Action Plan sets out steps to help the emerging hydrogen sector in Scotland achieve an ambition of 5 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen – equivalent to a sixth of Scotland’s energy needs – by 2030.

It also reaffirms an ambition to produce 25 GW by 2045, with a hydrogen economy potentially supporting more than 300,000 jobs.

Capitalising on the potential for Scotland to become a leading exporter of hydrogen is estimated to contribute between £5 billion and £25 billion a year by 2045 depending on the scale of production and the extent of exports.

The Scottish Government is making available £100 million to support the Action Plan, including a £90 million Green Hydrogen Fund, which will open early next year.

Net Zero & Energy Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Hydrogen could present Scotland’s greatest industrial opportunity since oil and gas was discovered in the North Sea.

“The technology has tremendous potential to help deliver a just transition for our energy sector, realising huge economic benefits while supporting our net zero transformation.

“Scotland has vast natural resources with which we can become world leaders in renewable hydrogen production and export, while others are looking beyond their borders to nations that can produce and provide that hydrogen at scale.

“Our Hydrogen Action Plan reaffirms the Scottish Government’s clear commitment to helping our hydrogen sector grow and prosper. We are open to the world and actively collaborating with international partners in order to realise the benefits of hydrogen.”

Climate campaigners have responded to the Scottish Government’s new ‘Hydrogen Action Plan’ by questioning the suitability of hydrogen for most sectors and highlighting the cost and inefficiency of the technology.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Climate Campaigner Alex Lee said: “Hydrogen is inefficient, faces costly technical barriers and is unnecessary or unsuitable in most sectors. Evidence shows that blue hydrogen made with fossil gas, which Ministers want to label as low-carbon, doesn’t deliver meaningful cuts to climate emissions.

“It is welcome that the Scottish Government has heeded the overwhelming scientific consensus on the inefficiency and high cost of using hydrogen to heat our homes. It looks like that this will not be a priority in Scotland but the Plan still suggests that the Scottish Government may attempt to blend hydrogen into the gas grid and potentially invest in ‘hydrogen ready’ boilers in new build homes.

“The Plan also backs hydrogen buses and cars despite the fact electric vehicles are streets ahead in terms of efficiency and public awareness.”

“The Government still seems to be falling for industry spin that dodgy technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage and Direct Air Capture will cut climate pollution. For decades carbon capture has failed to work at the scale promised and the few plants that have been built have been plagued by technical problems and closures.

“It’s time the Scottish Government accepted that carbon capture is not the magical solution it hopes and focused its energies on measures to cut emissions in the here and now.

“The forthcoming Energy Strategy is a chance for the Scottish Government to invest in solutions we know actually work like heat pumps and insulating homes that can help people in Scotland with their bills and unlike dodgy hydrogen help us tackle climate change.”

The Hydrogen Action Plan is available on the Scottish Government website

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‘Scathing judgement’ on Scottish Government’s climate plans

The Scottish Government lacks a clear delivery plan and has not offered a coherent explanation for how its policies will achieve Scotland’s bold emissions reduction targets – that’s the conclusion of the latest assessment of Scotland’s progress by the Climate Change Committee.

In recent years, the Scottish Parliament has committed to extraordinary ambition to decarbonise its economy, with a welcome focus on a fair and just transition. That ambition should be applauded, but only if targets are achieved. The integrity of the Scottish climate framework is now at risk.

Lord Deben, Chairman of the Climate Change Committee said: “In 2019, the Scottish Parliament committed the country to some of the most stretching climate goals in the world, but they are increasingly at risk without real progress towards the milestones that Scottish Ministers have previously laid out. One year ago, I called for more clarity and transparency on Scottish climate policy and delivery. That plea remains unanswered.”

The Climate Change Committee has conducted a methodological review of the Scottish Climate Targets and assessed progress in cutting Scottish greenhouse gas emissions.

Between 2019 and 2020 emissions fell by 12% – half of 1990 levels for the first time. But the fall in 2020 is only a temporary effect, largely due to travel restrictions in the pandemic. Evidence from across the UK is that Scottish emissions will rebound in 2021. Underlying progress in reducing emissions in Scotland has largely stalled in recent years. Since the Scottish Climate Change Act became law in 2009, the Scottish Government has failed to achieve 7 of the 11 legal targets.

Scotland’s lead in decarbonising over the rest of the UK has now been lost. Progress is now broadly the same as the UK as a whole. Two years after the publication of the Climate Change Plan update, we do not see evidence of sufficient action to meet the Scottish Parliament’s ambition.

There are now glaring gaps in the Scottish Government’s climate plan and particular concerns about the achievement of the 2030 goal to cut emissions by 75%:

Plans to decarbonise transport in Scotland are falling behind other parts of the UK. Sales of electric cars are now behind those of England, despite Scotland’s greater ambition to decarbonise transport. The Scottish Government has so far been unwilling to consider measures to recover the shortfall, such as restrictions on aviation growth.
Scotland’s 2030 goal rests on rapid action to decarbonise buildings. Despite new public funding in this area, policies are still wholly inadequate to deliver the scale of low-carbon heat and energy efficiency improvements required.
Agriculture and land. Detail on low-carbon agriculture policy following Scotland’s exit from the EU Common Agricultural Policy is needed urgently. It is not clear how the emissions targets set by Scottish Ministers in this area can be delivered in the absence of new policies. On the key issue of restoring Scotland’s peatland carbon stores, restoration rates are less than half of Scotland’s own target of 20,000 hectares per year, which is in turn much less ambitious than the CCC’s recommendation of 45,000 hectares per year by 2022.

For sectors in which policy is significantly devolved to Scotland (e.g. transport, land use and waste), indicators show that progress towards meeting the Scottish Government’s milestones is too slow. Policies and plans are not yet sufficient to speed things up to the required rate.

Closer cooperation with the UK Government is required in other areas, particularly to guide the decarbonisation of Scottish industry and develop new industries to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. There is little evidence of cooperative policy planning, which is now undermining the achievement of Scotland’s more ambitious short-term goals.

Within Scotland, better collaboration is also required between Scottish Government and local authorities. Many local authorities have declared climate emergencies and named ambitious Net Zero goals, but they need better support from Scottish Government, not least in securing the funding to drive policy. Collaboration in all these areas is key for realising both Scotland’s ambitions and the full potential of Scotland’s contribution to the UK’s Net Zero target.

Scotland must build on the positive areas of progress, including planning reform. The draft fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) was an important step towards embedding Net Zero in the planning process and setting the direction of movement for major projects in Scotland, but its success will be determined by its implementation and enforcement, which remains unclear for now.

Environmental campaigners have said the the UK Committee on Climate Change has delivered a ‘scathing judgement’ of the Scottish Government’s climate efforts in their latest progress report published today (7/12/22).

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Mary Church said: “The Climate Change Committee’s report is a scathing judgement on Scottish Government progress towards meeting our legally binding targets.

“With the impacts of climate breakdown wreaking havoc the world over at only 1°C warming this is literally a matter of life or death. The Scottish Government must urgently scale up its plans to cut climate pollution within the next decade.

“Fossil fuels are the key driver of the climate crisis so we urgently need to phase out oil and gas this decade through a just transition to a renewable-powered economy with decent green jobs and affordable energy for all.

“The Scottish Government must abandon the dangerous fantasy that techno-fixes like carbon capture and storage are going to save the day and start focusing on the real solutions to the climate crisis.

“That means investing in public transport and improving our public spaces to take cars off the road, rolling out mass energy efficiency schemes and renewable heat, all of which will have the added benefit of tackling the cost of living crisis as well as cutting emissions.

“As we move towards a more circular economy, the Scottish Government must also urgently address rising offshored emissions from the products we consume by setting robust consumption targets in law.”

The Committee on Climate Change report highlights:

* Continued lack of a clear delivery plan and quantification of how policies add up to meeting emissions reduction targets, despite Committee requests for this information;

* Seven of the last 11 years of emissions reduction targets have been missed, and the 2020 target was only met due to restrictions responding to the covid-19 pandemic;

* Scotland’s consumption emissions continue to grow, and are 50% higher than domestic production emissions, meaning we are offshoring more of our emissions;

* The welcome goal of reducing car-kilometres by 20% on 2019 levels by 2030 does not have an adequate strategy with sufficient levers to deliver;

* The Scottish Government has committed to grow aviation demand despite this running counter to climate ambitions and despite having powers, such as airport expansion control and Air Departure Tax, to curb aviation growth;

* Policies are not sufficient to deliver the aim of 70% reduction in emissions from buildings by 2030, in particular in making the transition to low-carbon heat and energy efficiency in homes;

* Emissions from electricity supply have fallen significantly, but more detail is needed on how full decarbonise the system while increasing generation capacity will be achieved;

* The moratorium on incineration and energy from waste is a welcome step, but Scotland is significantly off track with recycling rates;

* The Scottish Government has chosen heavy reliance on engineered removals (such as carbon capture and storage) to meet the 2030 target despite there being no projects in place, and detailed delivery plans have not been set out.

Reacting to the report, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) – a diverse coalition of over 60 organisations in Scotland campaigning together on climate change – is deeply concerned that ‘the integrity of the Scottish climate framework is now at risk’ due to inadequate action taken by the Scottish Government to meet targets.

Mike Robinson, Chair of SCCS said: “We welcome this expert and comprehensive report from the UK Committee on Climate Change, which provides the Scottish Government with a loud and clear wake up call.

“Scotland needs bold, decisive and immediate action to reduce emissions. Without this, the trend of missed targets, and failure to tackle the climate crisis will only continue.

“Having previously made more progress on decarbonising than the UK, this report shows that Scotland is now falling behind on a number of key areas, undermining credibility on the international stage just a month after COP27 and highlighting the need for more cooperation on reserved matters.

“The time for positive rhetoric is over – the Scottish Government must urgently redouble efforts to meet targets. Action is needed now to achieve the crucial 2030 target, while the forthcoming Climate Change Plan will be important for further actions, after 2030, to achieve longer term ambitions.”

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New evidence for low carbon alternative to incineration and landfill

Environmental campaigners have welcomed the findings of a report published by Zero Waste Scotland that shows that biostabilisation, a way of managing waste, has significant carbon savings over incineration and landfill.

Biostabilisation is a treatment method for managing waste where organic material is broken down in a controlled environment. This greatly reduces the carbon emissions from the waste. The report shows that each tonne of waste biostabilised emits the equivalent of 12kg of carbon dioxide, which is 20 times lower than sending that same waste to incineration.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “We know that reducing and recycling are the most important ways of limiting the climate impact of waste.

“The Zero Waste Scotland report shows biostabilisation is a lower carbon option for managing non-recyclable waste compared to incineration or landfill. It adds to the growing body of evidence that incineration must be rapidly phased out if Scotland is to reduce its impact on the climate crisis. Policy makers must now act on the findings of the report and make sure that biostabilisation is economically viable.”

Shlomo Dowen, national coordinator at the UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) added: “Zero Waste Scotland has previously shown that incineration is a high-carbon option, and this new report demonstrates that incineration is far worse for the climate than biostabilisation.

“This makes it clear that there is no justification for building any new incineration capacity in Scotland.

“Instead, what we urgently need is an incineration exit strategy that looks to phase out existing burners as we increasingly reduce, reuse and recycle.”

The landfill ban prohibits all biodegradable waste going to landfill by 31 December 2025. Earlier this year, the Scottish Government committed to an effective moratorium on new incinerators, recognising their huge environmental and health impacts. Incinerators are responsible for some of the largest sources of climate emissions in Scotland.

The 2012 the Waste (Scotland) Regulations acknowledged there are two potential disposal routes for biodegradable waste once landfill is banned: biostabilisation and incineration. However, the same regulations create an artificial economic barrier to biostabilisation by requiring that biostabilised waste must pay the higher rate of landfill tax, whilst incinerator outputs are exempt.

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Report shows strong support for Circular Economy targets

A new report shows there is strong public support for targets to reduce consumption to be included in a new circular economy law in Scotland.

The Scottish Government commissioned analysis, published yesterday (30 November), shows that 86% of respondents to its consultation on proposals for the new law strongly supported ambitious targets.

A circular economy is when materials are reused and recycled as much as possible before new resources are taken from nature, as opposed to our current linear ‘take, make, dispose’ model. It is a vital step in creating the transformation needed to reduce Scotland’s impact on the climate.

Environmental campaigners have welcomed the response, which included over 1,300 individuals and many environmental organisations calling for targets.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “More than half of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from imports, which is not being tackled through our current climate targets. It’s vital that the Scottish Government acts on this call for change and brings in targets that reflect our global environmental impact.

“82% of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from the products and services we buy. The environmental and social damage caused overseas by demand for goods in Scotland is virtually invisible at the moment, which is stopping it from being addressed.

“The climate crisis and the ecological damage done by resource extraction are global issues, so we need to look at solutions that really bring down our impact. It’s fantastic to see widespread public support for this.”

The report also showed strong support for other environmentally important measures, including:

– 87% of respondents supported the creation of a new duty on the Scottish Government to publish a circular economy strategy
– 68% of individual respondents supported the creation of a public body to advise on the circular economy, with calls for this to be impartial and independent
– 86% of respondents supported a ban on the destruction of unsold durable goods
– 84% of respondents agreed that statutory recycling targets should be introduced for local authorities
– 76% of individual respondents supported trials of commercial waste zones for business recycling

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