Climate change is widely recognised as the most serious environmental threat facing our planet. Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), from the burning of fossil fuels (e.g. oil, coal, gas), are already making an impact on the world's climate. Perversely, those in the developing world - those who have contributed least to the problem historically and who are most vulnerable to its effects - will suffer the worst impacts. But rich nations are not immune and Scotland has recent first hand experience of the types of climate extremes that will become increasingly common as a result of climate change. By the end of this century Scotland will have warmer, wetter winters, less snowfall and an increased risk of flooding.
In response to the scientific consensus that human activities are having a noticeable effect on our climate, the Kyoto Protocol was agreed at the Third Conference of the Parties (CoP-3) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Japan in 1997. This international agreement aims to reduce developed countries' emissions of GHGs by, on average, 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. The Protocol entered into force in February 2005, following ratification by Russia . The UK share of the collective Kyoto target assumed by the European Union under the Protocol is an emissions reduction of 12.5%. The UK Government has also set itself two more ambitious domestic goals: to reduce UK carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% by 2010; and to reduce CO2 emissions by some 60% by around 2050, with real progress by 2020.
Following a formal review of the Executive's response to climate change, the Executive published Changing Our Ways: Scotland's Climate Change Programme in March 2006 ( Summary of programme). This strengthens the original Programme, published in November 2000, and represents a stepping up of the Executive's ambition and action to tackle climate change. For the first time, it quantifies Scotland's equitable contribution to UK climate change commitments in carbon terms - the Scottish Share. Furthermore, it sets an ambitious Scottish Target to exceed the Scottish Share by 1 million tonnes of carbon savings in 2010. In addition to outlining the Executive's response on the mitigation side, it also outlines action being taken to ensure Scotland is prepared for the unavoidable impacts climate change will bring.
Scottish Climate Change Programme - Annual Report 2007
The Scottish Executive committed to reporting progress of the Scottish Climate Change Programme annually to Cabinet and Parliament. The first annual report was laid before Parliament on 8 March and this can now be found here http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/08105454/0.
The report sets out what progress has been made on each commitment in Scotland's Climate Change Programme and also gives links to relevant publications, to provide a comprehensive point of reference on all climate change developments in the last year.
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
One of the most significant policies aimed at reducing CO2 emissions is the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, a key plank of the European Climate Change Programme and the largest emissions trading scheme in the world. The Scheme, which began in January 2005 and is mandatory for large emitters, covers almost 50% of Scottish CO2 emissions and helps deliver emissions reductions where it is most cost-effective. For more information on the Scheme, visit the emissions trading pages of this site.
Tackling climate change is a devolved matter and the Executive is committed to utilising the powers at its disposal to help transform Scotland into a low-carbon society. The Executive's Climate Change Team, part of the Environment and Rural Affairs Department, is responsible for advising Scottish Ministers on climate change policy in Scotland. It is committed to raising public awareness of climate change; mainstreaming climate thinking into key policy areas within the Executive; working closely with stakeholders; improving understanding of climate change and its impacts; progressing measures aimed both at reducing GHG emissions and promoting adaptation; and measuring and reporting progress against Executive commitments. As some important policy levers, such as taxation, remain the responsibility of the UK Government and many issues need to be tackled at the UK or European level, the Executive recognises the importance of continuing to work in close partnership with the UK Government to tackle climate change.