The Scottish Government has hailed the new Scottish Climate Change Act as the ‘toughest climate change laws in the world’. During the debate on the Act, which passed recently, the interim target to reduce emissions was increased to an ambitious 75% of 1990 levels by 2030. Source: Timberbiz
The Act commits Scottish ministers to developing a climate change plan within five years. As well as ensuring that forestry is included in the plan, the bill introduces a new requirement to develop proposals regarding ‘the establishment of a whole farm approach to emissions accounting on Scottish farms’ and ‘the reduction of Scottish whole farm greenhouse gas emissions’ through measures including carbon sequestration and agroforestry.
“Whole-farm carbon accounting has real potential to help farmers see tree planting as integral to their farm business, delivering not just carbon benefits but diversified production through timber, and enhancing livestock or arable production through benefits such as shelter, soil improvement and flood prevention,” Confor Policy Researcher Eleanor Harris said.
So far, Scotland has reduced emissions by 39% since 1990; and has a target to hit 42% by 2020, 75% by 2030, and 100% (carbon zero) by 2045.
The Climate Change Act is available on the Scottish Parliament website.
