Why is this Purpose target important?
The quality of Scotland's environment and natural heritage is a key asset and source of competitive advantage. Consequently, protecting and enhancing Scotland's biodiversity and landscape for future generations is central to both our current and future competitiveness. A critical element of this is climate change, not just because it poses a particular threat to Scotland, but also because there is a global imperative to address the issue. By reducing our emissions Scotland will make a valuable contribution to addressing climate change.
What will influence this Purpose target?
Sustainability is not simply a matter of improving the natural environment and the sustainable economic use of our natural assets. It involves a sustainable approach to all economic development, including better ways of promoting - and taking advantage of - our potential in areas such as renewable energy, less resource-intensive and carbon-producing approaches to production and consumption and accounting for the environmental consequences of all Government policies.
What is the Government's role?
The Government can encourage sustainability in Scotland in a number of ways, including:
- Supportive business environment: creating the best possible environment for competitive businesses, entrepreneurship and innovation to maximise the opportunities offered by Scotland moving towards a low-carbon economy. The proposed Scottish Climate Change Bill will provide a statutory, long term framework to support progress towards a low-carbon economy.
- Infrastructure development and place: providing sustainable, integrated and cost-effective public transport alternatives to the car as well as a planning and development regime which is joined up and geared towards achieving sustainable places and sustainable economic growth.
- Equity: protecting and enhancing Scotland's natural assets to support our long-term competitiveness.
How are we performing?
Since the 1990 baseline (1995 for the F-gases, i.e. hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride) net greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland have reduced by 13.4% and in 2006 equalled 59.0 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Between 2005 and 2006 the level of emissions (million tonnes of CO2 equivalent) increased by 5.4%.
(1): Base year is 1990 for CO2, CH4 and N20 and 1995 for the F-gases
Source: AEA Energy and Environment
Methodology
This evaluation is based on: if the change in the tonnage of emissions is within +/- 1% of last year's figure this suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. A decrease in the tonnage of 1% or more suggests that the position is improving; whereas a increase in the tonnage of 1% or more suggests the position is worsening.
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Further Information
2007 Spending Review Technical Note
Statistics Topic Page