If you haven’t been bothered about climate change so far perhaps food shortages and price hikes might get your attention. Surveys show that more than 75% of the Scottish population are concerned about climate change. So what are the other 25% …
New reactor for Scotland not as improbable as it seems
Last week’s surprise revelation that the UK Government is planning to build a new nuclear station in Scotland is perhaps not as unlikely as it seems. Despite nuclear power making no economic or environmental sense. When Alister Jack said that the 2026 …
Climate doom or optimism ?
A war of words between climate scientists has broken out. On the one side, there are those who are now openly expressing their pessimism about the future and on the other those who are still optimistic that things can be turned …
John Swinney’s climate challenge
How will an SNP government led by John Swinney rise to the challenge of tackling the climate emergency ? Swinney himself has some interesting history on the issue. There is no question that the Scottish Government had a strong incentive to …
Deposit Return Scheme recedes into the future
One of the products of the co-operation between the Greens and the SNP was supposed to be a deposit return scheme for drinks bottles and cans. Inherited from the previous SNP government the scheme was delayed several times but was …
Integrated ticketing. Hurrah ! Again
Among the policy announcements that was supposed to temper our disappointment at the 2030 target climate target being abandoned was one that the Scottish Government “will explore a new national integrated ticketing system for public transport in Scotland.” This is a great idea. …
Climate change and human rights
The judgement last week by the European Court of Human Rights that Switzerland’s lack of action on tackling climate change breached the human rights of a group of older women will open the door for many similar challenges and boost the chances …
Hydrogen dream evaporating
Scotland hopes to be a major exporter of hydrogen, but problems with major projects in Europe show that ambitious plans for the use of hydrogen may never be delivered. There are a number of potential sources of hydrogen. The oil …
Scotland’s climate targets dilemma
The Scottish Government has to produce a new plan on meeting climate targets by November, but their scientific advisers have told them that Scotland’s 2030 target is now almost impossible to meet. Scotland’s 2019 Climate Act set three targets. By 2030 we were supposed …
Big step forward on controlling grouse moors
This month the Scottish Parliament passed the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill into law, marking a very big step forward in curbing the impacts of grouse moors on wildlife and the environment. The new law follows several years of clever, dogged and …
Agriculture and energy sectors need to reduce methane emissions
Action in agriculture and the oil and gas industry could produce rapid reductions in the powerful greenhouse gas methane. 25% of Scotland’s contribution to climate change in 2021 was due to our emissions of methane. Because methane is around 80 …
Fife hydrogen heating trial now completely pointless
UK ministers have resisted an organised backlash against heat pumps and the hype over hydrogen for home heating and are about to confirm targets for heat pump manufacture. The Scottish Government recently confirmed its ambitions on heat pumps with a target to …