Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
The ‘Reducing UK emissions 2018 Progress Report to Parliament’ published today shows that Scottish emissions decreased by 11% in 2016, and by an average of 5% a year between 2009 and 2016.
The report also confirmed that Scotland's share of the UK’s total emissions is 2% lower than Wales, and it has a lower share of emissions than its share of population.
This news comes the same day the Scottish Government’s data shows that renewable electricity generation in Scotland increased by 11% in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter last year, with installed renewable electricity capacity also increasing by 11% over the same period. In 2017, just under 70% of Scotland’s electricity consumption came from renewables – up 15% from the previous year.
SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson, who sits on Holyrood’s Environment Committee, said:
“This report shows that Scotland has the best record on long-term emissions reductions in the UK, and is at the forefront of the low carbon transition.
“Our emissions have almost halved since 1990, we are exceeding the current 2020 target, and in the EU-15, only Sweden has done better.
“Our new Climate Change Bill is the next step in Scotland’s transition – responding to the Paris Agreement with increased ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“And this ambition will continue to be matched by realistic action – including putting in place low emission zones in four Scottish cities by 2020, with the SNP administration in Glasgow leading the way approving the first low emission zone.
“This report confirms that Scotland contributes 25% of the UK’s renewable energy output - and with as much as a quarter of Europe's offshore wind and tidal energy potential and an estimated 10% of its wave power capacity - Scotland is well placed to become the continent's green energy powerhouse.
“The SNP Government knows that tackling climate change is both a moral imperative and an economic opportunity, and we are taking action now and setting an example to the rest of the UK.”
“Our emissions have almost halved since 1990, we are exceeding the current 2020 target, and in the EU-15, only Sweden has done better.
“Our new Climate Change Bill is the next step in Scotland’s transition – responding to the Paris Agreement with increased ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“And this ambition will continue to be matched by realistic action – including putting in place low emission zones in four Scottish cities by 2020, with the SNP administration in Glasgow leading the way approving the first low emission zone.
“This report confirms that Scotland contributes 25% of the UK’s renewable energy output - and with as much as a quarter of Europe's offshore wind and tidal energy potential and an estimated 10% of its wave power capacity - Scotland is well placed to become the continent's green energy powerhouse.
“The SNP Government knows that tackling climate change is both a moral imperative and an economic opportunity, and we are taking action now and setting an example to the rest of the UK.”
