People will be able to benefit from warmer homes, lower bills,
greater job opportunities and be less exposed to volatile fossil
fuel prices under plans to cut emissions published today.
Scotland's Climate Change Plan: 2026-2040 sets out over 150
actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15
years, bringing over £42.3 billion in financial benefits and cost
savings to the economy over the same period.
Scotland is already over halfway to net zero having reduced
emissions by 51.3% since 1990 – the largest reduction in the UK
and faster than the EU average, using comparable statistics.
The final plan details how Scotland will meet our next
three carbon budgets, along with a range of delivery indicators.
These include:
- setting a target to decarbonise heat in buildings by 2045
- phasing out the need for new diesel and petrol cars by 2030
- increasing woodland creation so that by 2029-30, 18,000
hectares are planted every year, with 21% woodland cover in
Scotland by 2032
- increasing peatland restoration by 10% each year to 2030
Actions in the Climate Change Plan will also contribute to both
the Environment Strategy, and the Circular Economy Strategy, also
published today.
The new Environment Strategy creates an integrated framework for
environment and climate policies, while harnessing the powerful
synergies between the health of our environment, the well-being
of Scotland's people and the success of our economy while the
Circular Economy Strategy underpins delivery of our climate goals
by cutting the amount of waste produced in Scotland, and managing
our resources more sustainably, to reduce emissions.
Climate Action Secretary said: “The Climate Change
Plan is Scotland's pathway to net zero and outlines the action we
will take to meet our first three carbon budgets.
“However it is also a routemap to realising economic and social
gains for people across Scotland as part of a fair and just
transition. It highlights the potential of growth areas ranging
from renewables to heat networks to the circular economy, and
sets out our commitment to increase investment in areas that will
simultaneously decarbonise Scotland and improve our lives.
“Together with the Environment Strategy and Circular Economy
Strategy, our Climate Change Plan forms a blueprint for how we
will use this once-in-a-generation opportunity for transformation
to reduce emissions while ensuring that our economy prospers, our
communities are supported to become more resilient to the effects
of climate change and to redress the issues of poverty and energy
security that affect individual households.”
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