Threats of severe weather and food shortages must compel the Scottish Government to cut harmful emissions more urgently, according to the Scottish Greens.
Environment Secretary Paul Wheelhouse will update Holyrood on the Scottish Government’s plans for adapting to climate change later today.
Green co-convener Patrick Harvie said the government must fast-track policies to reduce harmful climate change emissions, claiming that ministers “buried a number of reports detailing the threats Scotland faces by publishing them without any announcement at the start of the parliamentary recess”.
The threats include floods, storms, droughts, farmland pests, power cuts and food shortages, according to the Greens.
Mr Harvie said: “The Scottish Government knows that Scotland must adapt to a changing climate, but so far it hasn’t begun building the more resilient local economies we’ll need in future.
“We simply can’t afford another rehash of the same old policies. We’ve heard rhetoric on climate change for too long, without the policy change that’s required.
“As well as adapting to climate change, the need for radical policies to reduce pollution has never been greater.
“Scotland has missed its first two annual emissions reduction targets, with an announcement due soon on the third.
“The Government has failed to listen to the many voices calling for stronger policies on transport, housing and energy, simply storing up bigger problems for future years.
“Given last year’s attempt to bury this issue the minister must now deliver a meaningful statement of plans with funding and timescales.”
Mr Wheelhouse said: “We are fully committed to tackling the impacts of climate change and our Climate Change Act is the most ambitious piece of legislation in this area anywhere in the world.
“The Scottish Government is not only fully committed to the greenhouse gas emissions targets that the Act sets out but also ensuring that Scotland is well prepared and resilient to the impacts of climate change.
“Today, following a public consultation and discussions with stakeholders, I will announce Scotland’s first statutory climate change adaptation programme, an important document for our future and our environment which contains a comprehensive and robust package of measures that makes clear the Scottish Government’s on-going commitment to increasing our resilience to minimise the impact of climate change for the environment, the economy and the people of Scotland.”
