Scotland should aim to achieve a 61% reduction in emissions by 2030 to meet the requirements of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act.
This would go beyond the UK ambition for that period, but was achievable and in line with the Act. It also tied in with the global shift towards higher ambition implied by the Paris Agreement, said the Committee on Climate Change in its advice to the Scottish government on targets between 2028 and 2032.
Measures recommended by the committee to achieve the 2030 target include decarbonising electricity generation to reduce emissions from 220gCO2/kWh to below Scotland’s legislated target of 50gCO2/kWh. This was achievable given the large potential for expanding renewable power and the shutdown of coal power, said the committee.
Low-emissions vehicles, such as those powered by electricity, should comprise about 65% of new car and van sales, it added. The committee also advised the Scottish government to revise its 2017–27 carbon targets to align them with the latest scientific evidence on past emissions and accounting rules for the EU emissions trading system.
