What actions will the SNP take to combat climate change?
Scotland is leading the world on tackling the twin crises of climate change and ecological decline. We are proud to have the most ambitious legal framework for emissions reduction in the world, but there is no doubt that these targets are immensely challenging.
We know they will require transformational actions. We will invest record amounts in tackling the climate crisis and in government our updated Climate Change Plan, published last year, contains over 100 new policies, putting Scotland on a pathway to meet its emissions targets over the period to 2032 and will help achieve a just transition to net zero by 2045.
Hosting COP26 in Glasgow is a huge opportunity for Scotland to demonstrate our climate leadership on the global stage. We will use our role at COP – and our role as European co-chair of the Under 2 coalition – to help secure a Glasgow Agreement that sees all countries commit to taking the action needed to tackle the climate crisis.
Decarbonising our homes will be crucial in the fight against climate change. We will decarbonise the heating of 1 million homes by 2030 with investment of £1.6 billion over the next Parliament.
We will deliver a green transport revolution to meet our net zero targets by providing free bikes for all children of school age who cannot afford them, removing the majority of fossil fuel buses from public transport by 2023 and creating a greener, more affordable railway. We will phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, two years ahead of our original target.
We will implement our ambitious Deposit Return Scheme for single use drinks containers next year to improve recycling, reduce litter and achieve our climate change targets.
By 2030 we aim to generate 50% of Scotland’s overall energy consumption from renewable sources, and by 2050 we aim to have decarbonised our energy system almost completely.
Scotland was the first country in the world to launch a dedicated Climate Justice Fund. Those in the global south have done least to cause climate and ecological change and yet are most likely to be impacted first. This is not fair. That is why, in the year of COP26, and in a critical moment for global climate ambition, we will double our Climate Justice Fund to £24 million over four years.