Scottish Climate Change BillAn NGO perspective

Dr Richard Dixon

Director, WWF Scotland

International context

• the need to stay below 2˚C

• Stern report

• US President Obama

• historic emissions - recent and cumulative

• free ride so far for aviation and shipping

• good climate bills

What should be in the Bill ?

80% reductions by 2050

all greenhouse gases not just CO2

? at least 3% a year reduction

? strong interim targets

international aviation and shipping

a limit on buying carbon credits

? strong reporting & sanctions

consumption reporting

A Scottish Climate Change Commission

Scotland's total GHG emissions

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Domestic GHG

3% pa reduction from 2010Final reduction 77%

Including aviation

Scotland's total GHG emissions - 3% decline

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Intl Aviation

Domestic GHG

Final reduction 68%Aviation = 24% of total

Targets ?

• 2007 SNP Manifesto – “In government we will introduce a Climate Change Bill with mandatory carbon reduction targets of 3% per annum and also set a long-term target of cutting emissions by a minimum of 80% by 2050.”

• Consultation response - “… the Bill will incorporate a robust statutory framework based on annual targets.

• “The Scottish Government agrees that an interim target could be helpful and, accordingly, the Bill on introduction will set an interim target to reduce Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. This date is mid-way between 2010 and 2050. Achieving a 50% target by 2030 will require average annual emissions reductions of greater than 3% from 2010.”

Scotland's total GHG emissions - 3.4% a year

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Final reduction 80%Domestic reduction 90%Aviation = 39% of totalTotal area = 1.26bn tCO2e

3% targets ?

Scotland's total GHG emissions - Govt proposal

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Final reduction 80%Domestic reduction 89%Aviation = 39% of totalTotal area = 1.46bn tCO2e

Scotland's total GHG emissions - the difference

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The area under the curve

Area under the curve

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3.4% Govt

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Scottish Government response to consultees:

• There was strong support amongst consultation respondents for robust reporting requirements for Scottish Ministers, to ensure transparency and accountability.

• The Scottish Climate Change Bill will place strong duties on Minsters to report progress towards meeting the emissions reduction targets set by the Bill. In addition, the Bill will also require regular reporting of Ministers’ plans and policies to help Scotland adapt to the effects of climate change.

Scrutiny and Reporting

Scrutiny and Reporting 2

• range of options from stick a report in SPICE to fines

• First Minister statement – report on last year– plans for coming year

• Committee scrutiny - Audit Committee ?

• full debate in the Chamber – not binding but a strong message to Government about adequacy

Cap on international credits

• under Kyoto – up to 50%• money to developing countries – generally a good

thing but …• money here – gets us in shape for the future

– lock into coal and oil but buy credits– or lead the way to a low-C economy

• important to set a limit in the Bill – eg 75% domestic action

The perfect Bill ?

80% reductions by 2050

all greenhouse gases not just CO2

3% a year reduction

strong interim targets

international aviation and shipping

a limit on buying carbon credits

strong reporting & sanctions

consumption reporting

A Scottish Climate Change Commission

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