Achi news desk-
Independent experts at the UK’s Climate Change Committee had already told Holyrood ministers that reaching the target was “beyond credible”.
Oxfam Scotland said the move was a “disgraceful retreat caused by its recklessly inadequate level of action”, while Friends of the Earth Scotland described the move as “the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament”.
Join us on Tuesday outside Bute House to defend Scotland’s climate targets and demand action.
Bring your flags and placards for a family friendly protest🪧
📍 Bute House, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh📅 Tuesday 23 April, 6-7pm pic.twitter.com/RdhhbD8Zh1
— Friends of the Earth Scotland 🌎 (@FoEScot) April 18, 2024
Along with other groups, Friends of the Earth now plan to hold a demonstration outside Bute House in Edinburgh, the Prime Minister’s official residence, next week to protest against the move.
The decision to abandon the 2030 target comes despite the Scottish Government having praised its “world-leading” climate change legislation in the past.
But when asked if she was embarrassed by the move, Ms McAllan insisted: “I’m not ashamed.”
She told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland program that she could “understand why some people are disappointed”, adding “in many ways I am too”.
READ MORE: Green MPs call for urgent talks to end SNP deal after stormy meeting
With the 2030 target enshrined in laws passed by Holyrood in 2019, Scottish ministers will now have to amend that legislation to remove it.
“I didn’t necessarily want to have to open up the legislation and make amendments,” Ms McAllan said.
“I have spent as much time as I could with my team exploring every possible avenue to not have to do that.”
But he stressed that “we shouldn’t overstate what is actually being done here”, saying that any changes will reaffirm the Scottish Government’s overall aim of reaching net zero emissions by 2045 – five years ahead of the UK Government’s target for this.
While Ms McAllan said this was “very ambitious”, she insisted it was a “realistic aim”.
The minister said the Scottish Government remains committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2045 (Photo: (David Jones/PA))He said when Members of Parliament voted for the 2030 target, “it was well understood that it was likely to be beyond what is achievable”.
She also insisted that action was “more important than targets” as she claimed that Scotland “remains a world leader” in tackling climate change.
Ms McAllan said: “We are almost halfway to net zero, having reduced our emissions by almost 50% compared to a 1990 baseline.
“We continue to decarbonise faster than the UK as a whole and our target for 2045 remains one of the most ambitious in the world.”
READ MORE: Scottish Government drops 2030 climate pledge
Highlighting the steps taken by the Scottish Government, Ms McAllan added: “In recent years we have planted 75% of all the forests in the UK in Scotland”, and said the country had “developed the most comprehensive network of charging electric vehicles one by one. head outside London in the UK”.
But the Conservatives’ net zero spokesman in Scotland, Douglas Lumsden, said: “Mairi McAllan continues to show no shame over her government’s appalling record of meeting its own climate change targets.
“It’s astonishing that she can say she’s not ashamed of this pathetic disgrace given that the SNP have spent years telling anyone who would listen that their targets lead the world.”
