Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
New independent analysis from the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (SPICe) has confirmed Scotland is leading the rest of the UK in the fight to reduce harmful carbon emissions.
Scotland's total emissions reduced by 35% between 2008 and 2016 - outstripping a 27% reduction across the UK for the same period. Meanwhile, England achieved a 29% reduction between 2008 and 2016.
Decarbonisation of Scotland's electricity sector, and reductions in emissions from waste, have helped Scotland outperform the UK overall as emissions continue to fall year on year. The closure of the Longannet power station in March 2016 has also had a substantial impact.
Independent, expert advisers have described the targets in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Bill, set to be debated by MSPs next month, as at the very limits of feasibility.
The bill would mean that Scotland is carbon-neutral by 2050, and includes an ambition to achieve net-zero for all greenhouse gases as soon as possible.
Commenting, SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson said:
"These latest statistics are hugely encouraging and show that Scotland continues to lead the rest of the UK in reducing its carbon emissions.
“Parliament will shortly debate the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Bill that sets some of the most ambitious climate change targets in the world.
"But there is no room for complacency. We all have a role to play in meeting our carbon emissions targets whether that's as an individual, as a community or as a business.
"The fight against climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time - the SNP is fully committed to maintaining Scotland's place as a global leader in emissions reduction, delivering ambitious, credible and affordable targets for the future."
“Parliament will shortly debate the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Bill that sets some of the most ambitious climate change targets in the world.
"But there is no room for complacency. We all have a role to play in meeting our carbon emissions targets whether that's as an individual, as a community or as a business.
"The fight against climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time - the SNP is fully committed to maintaining Scotland's place as a global leader in emissions reduction, delivering ambitious, credible and affordable targets for the future."
