STRINGS ATTACHED TO 42% "DISAPPOINTING" - McINNES

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Jun 2009

Commenting on the passing of the Climate Change Bill in the Scottish Parliament today (Wednesday), Liberal Democrat Climate Change spokesperson Alison McInnes MSP said:

"The Scottish Parliament has with one voice signalled Scotland's intention to make its contribution to the fight against climate change.

"Although united, that voice could have carried further if the Scottish Government had lived up to its promise to make this signature piece of legislation truly world leading.

"Disappointingly, the 2020 goal of 42% has strings attached to allow Government to tamper with the target.

"It is vital that the 42% target is retained, reached and the road to 80% reductions by 2050 is not threatened.

"The journey to the target is just as important as the target itself.

"It is disappointing that Parliament decided not to support Liberal Democrat calls for 3% year on year reductions. This would have ensured that the 2020 target was both ambitious and achievable.

Commenting on the Liberal Democrat amendment that secured cumulative targets on emissions, Mrs McInnes added:

"Simply picking a point in time and setting a target is meaningless unless we know how much damaging greenhouse gas it is "safe" for Scotland to emit.

"Cumulative targets allow us to shift target setting away from what we know we can do to what we need to do to limit devastating climate change.

"Liberal Democrats have consistently argued for this fundamental principle and I am delighted Parliament has agreed."

Mike Robinson, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:

"I'm delighted that Alison McInnes' amendment received the unanimous approval of Parliament.

"It ensures that our greenhouse gas emissions will be set with reference to the only target that really matters: a safe climate for future generations. With that goal in our sights, this Bill is the expression of moral leadership; without it, it's just accountancy."