The Scottish government’s decision to back off its 2030 climate pledges illustrates the crux of any goal: it’s easy to create a big political success, but hard to follow through on a plan. careful to achieve it.
Does that mean that the goals to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change are useless? Not so much. There are two types of climate goals: the empty promise and the measured ambition. Just one of these jobs.
Empty promises abound in climate policy. Such goals deflect criticism – they say, we take climate change seriously, we have strong intentions. But a closer look reveals, at best, gaps, and at worst, no plan at all.
For example, although many oil and gas companies have promised to achieve zero gas by 2050, extensive analysis has revealed that emissions from the sector are not decreasing and many companies with targets have not specify how they intend to achieve them.
Initiatives like this allow companies to continue their core business while promising change. It’s no different than sitting on the sofa eating chocolate, announcing that you will join the gym in 2025.
The UK’s Climate Change Act, a key piece of legislation first introduced in 2008, is a second type of climate target: limited ambition. It set a long-term goal, revised in 2019 to an ambitious goal of zero emissions by 2050. Unfortunately, it also set a series of legally binding short-term targets or “carbon targets “, observed by the watchdog, the Committee on Climate Change. , which reports on the progress of the parliament from year to year.
As Scotland’s example shows, however, concrete action still needs to be taken – and governments and firms are underestimating how far-reaching the necessary changes are.
The best plans…
The goal must be achievable and ambitious. Before the UK set its net zero target for 2019, it asked the Committee on Climate Change if it could be done – and went on to be convinced by the committee’s careful analysis and conclusion that ending emissions of greenhouse gases is possible, and it is good for society and economy. Perhaps this is where Scotland went wrong: ignoring the advice of the Committee on Climate Change and setting a tough target without knowing how it will be achieved.
Read more: Scotland abandons its 2030 climate target – why legally binding targets are important
UK carbon standards may be legally binding, but this does not make them watertight. Governments can’t sue, so the system relies on others to hold them accountable – which is what happened in 2022, when three campaign groups took the government to court over its inadequate climate policy. , and won.
While the Climate Change Act is much lauded, it has serious flaws that are now hard to ignore, as my review has shown. The legal provisions are set at the national level only, and the contribution that will be made by each sector of the economy, or by local areas, is not specified. There are also no clear links to planning or industry policies, which is why proposals for coal mining or oil drilling are dragged through the courts. In addition to the change in climate ambitions, future governments may face other legislative challenges.
The last few years have seen the UK’s councils rush to set high targets in response to protests and campaigns. The big number promises to be zero by 2030, less than six years from now. These goals may have been set in good faith, by politicians impatient for change. However there is no uniform way of measuring progress and local authorities have very little control over the policies that will be required to get to zero, such as tax changes to encourage innovation of zero carbon, or investment in transport infrastructure. Without serious policy changes, we are likely to see more regions follow Scotland’s lead and return to their commitments.
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Just because some goals are empty promises doesn’t mean setting a goal is a bad idea. You may be sitting on that couch right now, but you can create a workout plan that, with enough determination and determination, will have you running a marathon next year. Whether you are a person trying to live healthy or a company reducing your carbon footprint – or the entire country – setting a goal and working out the steps to get you there will help you achieve that goal.
With all this talk of effort and ambition, it’s easy to forget the huge benefits that come from meeting climate targets – such as reducing dependence on imported oil and gas; heated houses; more efficient transport systems; or healthy food. Like getting up off that couch, it’s an effort, but it brings rewards.
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