The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has advised the Scottish Government to adopt climate change targets for 2023 – 2027 which would require annual emission reductions of between 3% and 5%.
The targets represent a cost effective path to longer term emissions targets, and an appropriate contribution from Scotland to required global emissions reductions. They would put Scotland on track to a 51% reduction in 2025 and a 60% reduction in 2030 relative to 1990 levels.
The advice was set out in a letter published today from Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the CCC, to Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Environment and Climate Change.
It was provided in response to a request from the Scottish Government for the CCC to provide advice on the level of Scottish emission targets for 2023-2027, and on the use of credits to meet targets in 2013-17.
In the letter, the Committee recommends that:
- Scottish targets should be based on a 3% emissions reduction in 2023, 3.7% in 2024, 4.7% in 2025, 4.9% in 2026 and 5.1% in 2027
- The aim should be to meet these targets through domestic emission reductions rather than the purchase of credits. This reflects opportunities for deep cuts to residential, non-residential, transport, and power sector emissions in Scotland, together with the need to achieve longer term emissions targets through domestic abatement.
- The targets may need to be revised in future, depending on the agreement made at the EU level on the level of the emissions cap set for post-2020.
- The option to purchase credits should be kept open for 2013-17. This reflects the fact that it will be very difficult to meet targets in some years through domestic abatement unless the EU increases its ambition. Given uncertainty over what will happen in the EU, there may be a need for credit purchase, or new policies, or adjustment of targets.
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