WIREDGOV

Data published yesterday shows the challenge facing Scotland as it strives to reduce its long term emissions.

While the figures show Scottish emissions of greenhouse gases have fallen by 13.4 per cent against a 1990/1995 baseline there was a 5.4 per cent increase in emissions between 2005 and 2006. The increase is principally due to a shift to more coal-fired electricity production during this period as a result of fluctuating gas prices.

Other findings from the Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: 1990-2006, show that:

• Scottish greenhouse gas emissions accounted for 9.1 per cent of UK net emissions in 2006
• In Scotland the highest emitting sectors are energy supply and transport. Energy supply emissions have increased by 7.2 per cent from the 1990/95 baseline. Transport emissions have risen by 13.5 per cent from the 1990/95 baseline
• Business is another high emitting sector however emissions have fallen by 36.1 per cent from the 1990/95 baseline
• Net greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland increased by 3.0 million tonnes from 56.0 MtCO2e (million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2005 to 59.0 MtCO2e in 2006. Compared to the 1990/95 baseline, emissions in Scotland fell by around 9.2 million tonnes from 68.2 MtCO2e

Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said:

"I am in no doubt about the serious challenge we face in combating climate change and in cutting emissions. This latest data illustrates the scale of action that is required. Scotland is a small country, and our emissions can vary due to a variety of factors outwith the Government's control such as changes in fuel prices or severe weather.

"Later this year we will frame in law our serious commitment to reduce Scottish emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, one of the most ambitious statutory targets anywhere in the world. To be successful we all need to make efforts to cut energy, reduce waste and use more sustainable forms of travel.

"One of our first acts on coming to power was to make the renewable energy targets even more stringent - pledging to ensure 31 per cent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2011. If we add all the potential energy from consented renewable projects to those already operating we will comfortably exceed this target.

"We recognise the challenge presented by rising transport emissions which is one of the reasons why we are building new rail lines, improving the bus network and putting money into other forms of sustainable travel such as cycling and walking."

As a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UK is required to submit to the UNFCCC an annual inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. UK inventories produced for 1998 and subsequent years have been disaggregated to provide estimated emissions data for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In line with international agreements, the baseline is 1990 for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide and 1995 for the F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride).

In measuring Scotland's emissions of greenhouse gases, a net figure is used which takes into account emissions taken out of the atmosphere by land use and forestry. While the accuracy of the data used in the regional inventories is improving year on year, the regional estimates are subject to greater uncertainty than the equivalent UK estimates. Improved data collection and estimation techniques lead to revisions of historic data making it inappropriate to use data from previous inventory reports as a comparison.

Related Information

http://www.naei.org.uk/report_link.php?report_id=527

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/19185