Climate change report

Scotland's climate change targets are 'challenging but achievable' if the EU framework is tightened, according to an independent assessment published today.

The advice from Committee on Climate Change highlights the scale of the opportunities associated with driving down emissions and building a low carbon economy.

Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said:

"The need to take action to reduce our emissions is clear and everyone has a role to play in helping Scotland meet its world leading climate change targets and ensure that Scotland is at the forefront of further developing a low carbon economy. Achieving the necessary reductions in emissions will require hard decisions, not only by Governments but also by businesses, the public sector, voluntary and community groups, and individuals.

"The Committee's advice is a significant piece of work that Ministers will consider in full. It will play a key role in informing secondary legislation that we will bring forward in April on annual targets, aviation and shipping and limiting the use of carbon units. I thank the Committee for their effort and look forward to engaging further with them.

"The Scottish Government will continue to engage with our partners in the international community, EU and UK and hope that they will increase their ambition to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change. Together, we need to make the commitments, take the actions and help the world avoid dangerous climate change."

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish Ministers to request advice from the Committee on Climate Change on a range of issues including:

• The highest achievable target for 2020
• The appropriate level of annual targets for 2010-22
• The appropriate limit on the use of carbon units; an
• The methodology for inclusion of Scotland's share of international aviation and international shipping emissions