Tackling climate change

Source: Scottish Executive
Published Wednesday, 21 February, 2007 - 10:27

Scotland will continue to deliver in the fight against climate change Deputy Environment Minister, Sarah Boyack has said.

Speaking at the Environment Council in Brussels, Ms Boyack detailed action that the Executive is taking in combating climate change.

She said:

"Scotland takes climate change seriously. In the next few weeks the Executive will announce ambitious plans on waste management, an energy efficiency and microgeneration strategy and a biomass action plan.

"We have already worked with Scottish local authorities to allow them to establish a declaration on climate change and we have also supported the creation of a Scottish Climate Change Business Delivery Group.

"Recent figures show that Scotland's net emissions of the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, have fallen by 14 per cent since 1990, more than any other part of the UK and 14 of the 15 Member States that make up the EU Kyoto burden sharing agreement. We have also made a commitment to exceed our Kyoto share by saving a million tonnes more carbon than is required.

"The action we have taken demonstrates that we are taking the lead internationally in tackling the biggest environmental threat facing future generations."

Ms Boyack's statement came on the day when the Executive awarded £13 million of grant support to companies pursuing innovative wave and tidal projects in Scottish waters.