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The Scottish Green Party has published research showing that almost a quarter of the carbon cuts claimed by Scottish Ministers has simply not been achieved.
The emissions from Scotland’s offshore oil and gas industry have been kept off Scotland’s books by UK administrations keen to undermine the SNP argument that “it’s Scotland’s oil”.
But according to the Scottish Green Party, even these emissions do not count the climate consequences of burning the oil and gas extracted, merely those associated with extraction and production.
The Greens claim that while SNP Ministers continue to claim 90% of the income from oil and gas in Scottish waters, they have failed to take the corresponding 90% of the emissions from these offshore industries into account. These so-called “unallocated emissions” have risen since 1990, and Scotland’s real emissions have therefore fallen by far less than claimed by Scottish Ministers.
In addition, the say last year’s Climate Change Act set a target of a 42% reduction by 2020, and SNP Minister Stewart Stevenson inaccurately claimed just last month that “Scotland has reached the halfway point”.
In addition, the decision to allow deepwater oil exploration, backed by SNP, Labour, LibDems and Tories at Holyrood, will result in even more pollution from Scottish waters. This pollution will again remain uncounted against Scotland’s targets.
Patrick Harvie MSP said: “Alex Salmond wants the oil but he’s deliberately ignored the pollution that comes with it. It’s time for the SNP to take responsibility and choose between saving the planet and drilling for every last drop of oil.
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