Scotland revises its climate goal

Scotland will no longer pursue its 2030 goal of a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, although it aims to achieve net-zero by 2045.

Kevin Keane reports for BBC Scotland.

In short:

• Scotland has missed most of its recent annual climate targets, prompting a reevaluation of its goals.
• The original target was set amid strong public and political pressure for aggressive climate action.
• Future strategies may focus on setting realistic carbon budgets rather than strict annual targets.

Key quote:

The party is " ... absolutely determined to accelerate the urgent and substantial action needed to tackle the climate crisis."

— Mark Ruskell, Scottish Greens climate spokesman

Why this matters:

Meeting global warming targets, such as keeping temperature rises below 1.5 degrees Celsius, relies on all countries pushing for maximum feasible reductions in emissions. Any reduction in commitment by significant players like Scotland could hinder global efforts to meet these critical thresholds.

In 2019, Douglas Fischer wrote that three-quarters of the Paris Agreement pledges were inadequate to meet global climate goals – with many unlikely to be achieved at all.