The Scottish Government’s latest report shows that Scotland failed to meet its emissions targets for 2021. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) has published a statement calling for greater policy and monetary commitments from the government.
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is a coalition of over 60 civil society organisations, including Changeworks, campaigning for climate action. Mike Robinson, chair of SCCS, said:
“We need to see bold new action to drive down emissions in the worst polluting sectors including transport, housing and agriculture in the forthcoming Climate Change Plan, with additional investment financed by making polluters pay.”
In response to the figures, Changeworks’ Chief Executive, Josiah Lockhart said:
“The Scottish Government’s own data shows that one of the main reasons we missed the emissions target is a lack of progress on decarbonizing homes. We call on the government to urgently scale up its support for retrofitting properties to improve their energy efficiency. That means more financial assistance for people looking to insulate their homes and switch to low carbon heating systems.”
The findings of the report represent an opportunity for the government to expand the schemes and support already on offer. Details of current government-funded initiatives for installing insulation and renewables can be found on the Changeworks’ website. We join Stop Climate Chaos Scotland in calling for the Scottish Government to increase support so that it is proportionate to the urgency of the task.