The Scottish Government have been consulting on their draft Climate Change Bill which is expected to be published later this year. I always think that I, like any parent and grandparent, would walk to the end of the earth and back to protect my children and grandchildren and yet collectively so many of us don’t seem to take the greatest threat to future generations as serious as we should.
For the evidence is overwhelming that the greatest threat facing future generations is that of climate change and as a nation we must cut our carbon footprint in line with every country around the world. We are making progress with actual emissions now 38% below 1990 levels which is good but there is a long way to go.
The Scottish Government in their Programme for Government have said that Scotland will phase out petrol and diesel vehicle sales by 2032 to help meet the proposed target of a 90% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. I am now raising questions through the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee of the Parliament as to what the implications of this policy will be for people and what approach will be taken in the lead up to 2032 to make the shift to ultra-low emission vehicles which in the main will mean electric vehicles. China seem to be leading the way when it comes to electric vehicles with Reuters news agency reporting that annual sales will reach over 2 million within the country by 2020.
Another draft bill that is at the early stages of making its way through Parliament is the Planning Scotland Bill which in my view is less of a new approach and more of a join on to previous planning legislation. I am currently looking at how the draft can be improved to more align with the needs of local communities and I intend to bring forward amendments at stage two of the Bill’s passage. It has long been a concern and view of many that developers tend to have more rights in planning than do local communities and I think there is a chance to try and correct that through amendments to the Bill. It is also the case that in my view not enough weight is given to the impact of large scale developments on public and community services. If you have a view, please let me know.
