We are not ‘watering down’ our targets, Martin says, after climate goals axed

Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary has denied “watering down” the Government’s climate targets after scrapping key emissions goals.

Speaking from the Cop29 climate conference in Baku in Azerbaijan, Gillian Martin said the ultimate goal of reaching net zero by 2045 will remain in place.

MSPs voted through legislation last week that axed the Scottish Government’s legally-binding targets of lowering carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.

The Government accepted in April that the goal was “out of reach”, but because it was included in climate change legislation, ministers have had to bring forward the Bill to amend it.

As well as amending the previous legislation in 2019, it will see Scotland move to a five-year cycle of carbon budgeting, instead of aiming to reduce emissions by a certain proportion by a set time, while still retaining the ultimate target of reaching net zero by 2045.

Appearing on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, the acting Net Zero Secretary – who is filling in for Mairi McAllan – was asked how she could advise developing nations on climate change when domestic targets are being missed.

“I don’t accept that we are watering down anything in terms of our climate change targets,” Ms Martin said.

“We are committed to net zero by 2045.”

Told that targets had been removed, Ms Martin continued: “They have not been removed. We have a 2045 target of net zero and we have a five-year carbon budget in place.”

She said the move to carbon budgets put Scotland on par with the other nations in the union.

Ms Martin said: “There’s no watering down of ambitions or targets or action – it’s a case of going in line with the UK in five-year carbon budgets.”

The Net Zero Secretary said she was primarily at the Cop29 climate conference to discuss how the Scottish Government is “leading the way on loss and damage”.

Loss and damage refers to the unavoidable consequences of climate change, such as rising sea levels that force people to move.

She said Scotland had a responsibility “as an industrial nation” to help poorer countries facing the impacts of climate change.

Ms Martin said the Scottish Government has given £10 million to address loss and damage, which she said would aim to encourage larger economies to give more.

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur said: “If ditching key emissions targets after years of failing to meet them isn’t watering down, I’m not sure what is.

“The Cabinet Secretary deserves credit for her collaborative approach in finding a way forward, but does herself no favours by engaging in spin.

“The reality is that ambitious targets were repeatedly undermined by SNP and Green ministers failing to do the hard graft of insulating homes, making transport cleaner or creating green jobs.

“Rather than denying what is obvious to everyone, SNP ministers should be moving heaven and earth to finally deliver for both the climate and communities.

“Doubling down on denials will only further damage the Scottish Government’s credibility at Cop29.”