Going forth with a five-year plan

We know the make up of the next Scottish Government, Dr Richard Dixon takes a look at parliament promises on the environment

Now we know what the next government of Scotland will look like, it’s time to review the SNP manifesto promises on climate change and the environment.

Pandemic recovery is a top priority, but the climate emergency has not gone away. Indeed, it continues to worsen ahead of the UN climate talks in Glasgow this November.

The actions Scotland takes over the next five years will set us firmly on the path to zero climate emissions, or they will delay the plans we need and prolong our fossil fuel fixation.

There is to be a shake up of ministerial portfolios, so there will be a Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, bringing together most of the big things that need to change if we are to reduce emissions.

This will be great if the government spends its time really squeezing every last drop of carbon out of the Scottish economy, but there is also the danger that putting responsibility for climate change and the oil industry in the same brief will lead to delay and greenwash over carbon capture.

There is to be a Minister for Just Transition. It may be that the MSP concerned also covers something else as well, but it is clearly a very good thing to have a minister devoting all or most of their time to making sure workers and communities currently dependent on the fossil fuel sector have a bright future in zero-carbon industries.

The Minister for Just Transition could work for the newly made cabinet secretary, but it probably makes more sense for them to work for the member in charge of economic strategy.

A vital area for reducing climateemissions –and improving people’s lives and creating jobs – is making people’s homes use less carbon, and the SNP has promised to spend £1.6 billion over the next five years on the path to a million zero-carbon homes by 2030.

Half of all our energy is to come from renewables by that date but, disappointingly, the SNP manifesto seems to have abandoned previous plans for a publicly-owned energy company in favour of an energy agency.

On transport, 10 per cent of the capital budget here will go on cycling and walking initiatives, and there will be free bus travel for under-22s. A big promise is to remove the majority of fossil fuel buses by 2023. That’s at least 2,000 diesel buses that will have to be replaced by electric or hydrogen versions.

There will also be re-opening of closed rail lines, a publiclyowned Scotrail and low-carbon

Disappointingly, the SNP manifesto seems to have abandoned previous plans for a publiclyowned energy company

trains. The SNP also says they will explore taxing the most polluting planes more, but don’t acknowledge we need to stop flight expansion if we are serious about climate change.

The SNP promises 20-minute neighbourhoods – the excellent idea that you should be able to access the services you need for daily life, including public transport within a 20-minute walk of your home.

On waste, the SNP will revive the Circular Economy Bill that was shelved due to Covid and review the need for new incinerators.

There is much promised already, but the scale of the climate emergency will demand even more of our politicians over the next five years.

Dr Richard Dixon is director of Friends of the Earth Scotland