Scotland's government introduced a climate change bill in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday that sets greenhouse gas emissions targets at a 90 percent reduction by 2050.
This is currently the "limit of feasibility" set forth by the UK Committee on Climate Change. The eventual goal is a 100 percent reduction, also known as "net-zero emissions." As currently drafted, the bill will allow the Scottish Parliament members to set a year for the net-zero emissions target.
According to Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham, "Our Climate Change Bill sets out our commitment to reduce emissions by 100% with ambitious interim targets which strengthen Scotland's world-leading position on climate change." The first target is a 42 percent emissions reduction by 2020. Cunningham says Scotland will be one of the first countries to meet the net-zero emissions target.
However, some climate change activists were disappointed by the 90 percent target. Stop Climate Change Scotland said, "The Climate Change Bill published today lacks the ambition and action needed…"
Last June US President Donald Trump announced he would withdraw from the Paris climate accord. In November Syria agreed to join the accord.
(Published by Jurist, May 24, 2018)