SNP government attacked over its record on tackling greenhouse gas emissions

THE Scottish government was accused of presiding over a “deeply worrying” failure to meet Scotland’s legal obligation on greenhouse gas emissions, as it was suggested ministers no longer viewed the targets as achievable.

Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie made the claim after an internal report stated that the Scottish Government faced “international disrepute” if it continues to miss its own targets for reducing carbon emissions.

Mr Harvie attacked the Scottish government over its failure to reach its the targets on greenhouse gas emissions three years in a row, at Holyrood today.

The Green MSP said the government’s record was “deeply worrying” a week before the climate change figures for the most recently recorded year of 2013 are due to be published.

Mr Harvie said that Scotland’s Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead “seems to imply” that the government now views the targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as “unachievable”.

However, Mr Lochhead said the early years of targets for reducing emissions were “particularly challenging” and claimed that Scotland was showing “international leadership” in tackling climate change.