Isra-Mart srl:Climate Committee tells Scotland to cut carbon 3.5 per cent a year

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The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has urged the Scottish government to tailor new polices to ensure greenhouse gas emissions are cut by at least 3.5 per cent a year between 2020 and 2050.

Lord Adair Turner, chairman of the independent committee, wrote to Roseanna Cunningham, Scotland's minister for environment and climate change, confirming that Scotland will have to invest between one and two per cent of the country's GDP to ensure the 2050 target is met.

Yesterday's letter completed the CCC's advice to the Scottish government on how to meet its emissions targets. It follows a similar report published last February outlining how Scotland could meet targets from 2010 to 2022.

David Kennedy, CCC chief executive, said the 3.5 per cent target was achievable but would require Scotland to develop new policies to boost low-carbon growth.

They include improving the energy efficiency of properties by developing low-carbon options for heating buildings such as heat pumps, rolling out "smarter choices" initiatives to encourage the use of public transport, and implementing energy-efficient soil and livestock management techniques to cut emissions 15 per cent by 2030.

"There is potential in Scotland to make a significant contribution to wider efforts to tackle climate change," said Kennedy. "The cost of achieving emissions cuts is more than offset by the climate change and wider economic benefits."

It also recommended that beyond 2020, the government ensures renewable energy projects gain planning approval to support power sector decarbonisation, boost awareness of renewable heat incentives and energy-efficiency policies, and support the rollout of electric vehicles.

"There is an important role for the Scottish government putting in place enabling arrangements for electric car market development (eg supporting the development of a charging infrastructure), to complement UK-level financial support for this key technology," it said.