Scotland's 'humiliated' SNP government abandons plan to get 75% of the way to Net Zero emissions by the end of the decade after experts say 2030 target is 'beyond credible'

Scotland's SNP government caved to pressure to ditch one of its main environmental targets today after experts warned it was 'beyond credible'.

Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan confirmed that the plan to get 75 per cent of the way to Net Zero emissions by 2030 was being binned.

The Climbdown at Holyrood this afternoon came after a report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published in March said there would need to be a nine-fold increase in the rate of emission reductions.

The Scottish Government has missed its legally binding annual emissions reduction targets in eight out of the last 12 years. 

Ms McAllan insisted that the SNP was keeping to its 2045 target to get all the way to Net Zero and blamed the UK government for the slowdown, accusing it of financial cuts that left the Scots working with 'one hand behind our backs'.

 'This government will not yield to climate culture wars. We will never shrink our duty to those impacted by climate change today and to future generations,' she added.

'Together we can tackle this crisis with the pace and urgency required. Indeed with very minor legislative amendments we will pave the way for continued ambitious and pragmatic delivery in this most important challenge.'

But Tory counterpart Douglas Lumsden said: 'This is a humiliation for the SNP.'

The CCP report last month said that, for Scotland to achieve the goal of cutting harmful emissions by 75 per cent by 2030, the rate of emission reduction in most sectors would need to increase by a factor of nine in the years up to the end of the decade.

As a result, it said: 'The acceleration required in emissions reduction to meet the 2030 target is now beyond what is credible.'

Climate campaigners said before the U-turn that ditching the 2030 target would be an 'acute global embarrassment' for the Scottish Government.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: 'With the world becoming a dirtier and deadlier place every day, any decision by Scottish ministers to rewrite Scotland's climate rulebook would be an acute global embarrassment.

'It would also be the direct and damaging consequence of the Scottish Government's own dilly-dallying on climate action.'

First Minister Humza Yousaf had earlier told the Scottish Parliament that his Government would 'not move back by a single month, a week or even a day from that 2045 target for achieving net zero'. 

Ms MaAllan announced a 'new package of climate action measures', pledging the Scottish Government would work to treble the number of charging points available for electric vehicles, in a bid to encourage more people to switch away from petrol and diesel.

This could lead to approximately 24,000 additional charge points being installed across the country by 2030, the Net Zero Secretary added.

And to encourage more people to ditch cars, she added the Government would 'explore a new national integrated ticketing system for public transport in Scotland'.

Promising pilot projects to reduce emissions from agriculture and accelerate peatland restoration, Ms McAllan insisted there was 'no doubt about the seriousness with which this Government treats the climate and nature crisis'.

However, she said the 'severe budgetary restrictions imposed by the UK Government' and the 'continuing constraints of devolution', meant the Scottish Government was trying to 'deliver societal and economic transformation with one hand tied behind our back'.

And she warned 'full delivery' of the Scottish Government's plans would depend on Westminster 'reversing the 9% cut to our capital budget'.

Ms McAllan insisted: 'This Government and Parliament rightly has high ambitions, and it is beyond doubt that investing now in net zero is the right thing for our environment, our society and our economy.

'But we are being held back. So I am asking MSPs across this chamber to work with us to call on the UK Government to reverse Scotland's capital cut.'