Dumped climate targets were never possible, says Net Zero Secretary McAllan

Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary has said the climate targets dropped by the Government earlier this year were “always beyond what was possible”.

Mairi McAllan told MSPs earlier this year that legally-binding plans to cut emissions by 75% by 2030 would be scrapped and replaced with a new Bill.

The target of reaching net zero by 2045 remains, but tracking will instead shift to a “targeted approach based on five-yearly carbon budgets” similar to the approaches of the UK and Welsh Governments.

But speaking before the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, Ms McAllan said the proposals passed in 2019 were never likely to be met.

“The Government at the time wished to be ambitious and my predecessor, Roseanna Cunningham, I understand recommended 70%, it was then a Scottish Labour Party amendment to 75%, which the whole of the Parliament got behind – except, I think, Green colleagues who … wanted to go a little higher,” she said.

“The reason that I set that out is that the (Climate Change Committee) advice following passage of the Bill was that, we found the legislated 2030 target of a 75% reduction in Scottish emissions was beyond any of our five scenarios for emissions reduction by that date.

“I say that to make it absolutely clear, my view that it is not any inaction on behalf of the Government in the meantime that has necessitated the need to change this – this was always beyond what was possible.

“And the legal obligation around it has crystalised under the climate change plan, so I must now change it to make progress.”

The minister went on to say the new Bill will be produced “as fast as possible” to ensure a fresh climate change plan can be produced based on the legislation.

But she was unable to give a firm timeline, after work on new Scottish Government announcements has been stymied by the UK General Election.

First Minister John Swinney, she said, is taking advice from the Permanent Secretary on what can be done during the period so as not to interfere with the July 4 poll.

“I cannot confirm today when it will be,” she told MSPs.

“That would have been work that was underway in respect of our programme for government, because of purdah and the advice we await I can’t give a timeline.”