Climate Crisis: UK Gov Must Now Reverse Carbon Capture Betrayal

The UK government must reverse their betrayal of North East Scotland and urgently fund the development of Carbon Capture technology, the SNP has said.

Theresa May has finally accepted the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) to pursue a net zero target for emissions by 2050 – which is less ambitious than the target set by the SNP Government in Scotland.

The Tories promised £1 billion investment into Carbon Capture and Storage technology, which was expected to create 600 jobs in Peterhead, in a deal signed by David Cameron in the months leading up to the 2014 independence referendum – before shamefully reneging on this commitment.

The CCC report said that Carbon Capture and Storage technology is “crucial to the delivery of zero GHG emissions and strategically important to the UK economy [but] is yet to get started.”

The Scottish Government immediately accepted the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations to target ‘net zero’ emissions by 2045, 5 years ahead of the UK.

Commenting, SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson said:

“Tackling climate change is the single biggest challenge faced by humanity. We need to take action.

“The scientific advice is clear – Carbon Capture technology is crucial to reaching net-zero, and has the benefit of creating hundreds of jobs.

“By accepting the need to reach net-zero, the UK government are surely also accepting that they got it wrong by ditching their promise to Peterhead.

“The Tories promised us £1 billion for Carbon Capture – it’s time to pay up.”