Mairi Macallan said the new plan would have “serious consequences”; for the Scottish Government's climate change program Photo: PA/Jane Barlow
Humza Yousaf's government was forced to consider its proposed ban on gas boilers in Scottish homes after Rishi Sunak abandoned his net-zero targets.
Mairi Macallan, Net Zero secretary for the Scottish National Party, said the Prime Minister's announcement would have «significant implications» for the Scottish Government's climate change programme.
She said ministers would «urgently assess» the impact of Mr Sunak's striking policy changes» on the target dates for phasing out gas boilers in homes and the sale of petrol and diesel cars.
The SNP confirmed controls on licensing vehicles has been left to the UK Government and Mr Sunak's decision to delay the car ban from 2030 to 2035 will apply in Scotland.
However, a program aimed at getting householders to replace gas boilers with heat pumps has been devolved to Holyrood, with all buildings in Scotland to be converted to «net-zero emissions» by 2045.
Ms Macallan said that Prime Minister The minister's announcement, which included giving homeowners south of the border «much more time» to install heat pumps, was an «unforgivable betrayal» of the climate change agenda.
Scottish Labor backed her position, and Sarah Boyack, a member of the net-zero party, accused the prime minister of «a complete abdication of leadership.»
Iain Murray, Labour's shadow Scottish secretary, said Keir Starmer's government would return to the target of banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
But the Tories challenged Ms Macallan to explain how homeowners should find approximately £33 billion to convert buildings to zero-emission heating. systems during the cost of living crisis.
The Scottish Government has provided an initial tranche of support of just £1.8 billion for the current Parliament, with Scottish National Party ministers urged to «start being honest with people» about the financial shock they face.
Statement The SNP's claim that Mr Sunak had abandoned net zero was also denied after the director of an offshore wind company said there were «reasons to be optimistic». that we are still on the right track.”
Writing in the Telegraph, Dan Jackson, founder and director of Cerulean Winds, said: «Far from undermining this mission, the Prime Minister has given significant support to our ambitions by promising to revolutionize the UK's energy infrastructure.»
Mr Yousaf's government plans to introduce legislation requiring «the installation of heating systems with zero or near-zero emissions», with the new standard phased in for parts of the gas grid from 2025 and for gas grids from 2030. .
But the Scottish Government's Heat in Buildings Strategy acknowledged that the average cost of installing a heat pump is around £10,000. This is around four times the £2,500 cost of replacing a fossil fuel boiler.
In his Downing Street address on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said politicians had not been “honest” with the public about the cost of net zero. as he warned they risked losing the «consent» of the British people and provoking a backlash.
Responding to an urgent question from Ms Boyack at Holyrood about the implications for Scotland, Ms Macallan said the Scottish Government » remains firmly committed» to its zero-emission targets.
«Serious implications»
But she added: «We have always been clear that achieving Scotland's climate ambitions depends on the UK Government's action in reserved and shared areas, and yesterday's announcements will undoubtedly have significant implications for achieving climate ambitions in Scotland.»
She said her officials were working on a draft climate change plan that would set out how the Scottish Government's targets would be achieved, but it would have to be revised to take into account the Prime Minister's announcement.
< p>In December 2020, the SNP-Green Government at Holyrood announced a plan to «phase out the need to buy new petrol and diesel cars» by 2030.
Transport Scotland confirmed that the target was «ambitious» because control of vehicle licensing remains with the UK government.
Scottish National Party ministers will instead try to persuade drivers to switch to electric cars through “incentives and infrastructure”, but there are only around 2,500 charging stations in Scotland.
“Reliability problems”
They complained that there were too few of them. Dave Dougan, the SNP's Westminster spokesman, said: «There are of course issues with the reliability of these charging stations.»
He insisted this issue would be resolved «as the market calms down» and more electric vehicles are purchased.
But Douglas Lumsden, a spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said the Prime Minister had been «honest» with people, telling BBC Radio Scotland: «This is about achieving net zero in a sensible, pragmatic way that doesn't throw together all the costs and burdens for ordinary working people «.
He added: «We don't fall asleep at the wheel. If you look at the changes in cars, for example, it just brings us in line with the rest of the EU.»
Focus on the big energy transformation and we will stay on track to net zero
Following the Prime Minister's major net zero reboot, many were quick to voice concerns about whether Sunak's new approach would jeopardize the UK's net zero target. goal, writes Dan Jackson.
If you take the politics out of the conversation, however, there is cause for optimism that we are still on the right path
There has always been a significant shift in the way we produce and consume energy based on pure zero. The Government has long been committed to a «green industrial revolution» and nothing in the Prime Minister's speech suggests that this is no longer the case.
We must keep our foot on the accelerator in attracting investment in renewable energy. Producing green energy will help us achieve our climate goals, but will also provide a huge economic boost.
We are already seeing evidence of the job growth that investment in mature technologies such as offshore wind brings. This is a revolution that can and should be “made in Britain.”
Far from undermining this mission, the Prime Minister has given significant support to our ambitions by promising to revolutionize the UK's energy infrastructure. Currently, a significant barrier to investment is the long wait for renewable energy projects to connect to the grid.
A new offshore wind turbine will be developed for use in decarbonizing oil and gas production. Photo: imaginima/E+
There are currently enough projects waiting to be connected to supply more than half of our future electricity needs. Radical reform of the network infrastructure, accelerating this process, is a positive step.
But in the current circumstances, it is right that the government also seeks to extract all the profits from domestic oil and gas production. This is recognition that, in the short to medium term, North Sea oil and gas is vital to our energy security and reducing pressure on household bills. Oil and gas or net zero should not be a binary choice — we can and should have both.
To ensure we stay on track to achieving net zero by 2050, it is important to ensure our energy sector continues to make progress in decarbonisation. Historically, the energy sector has accounted for the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. But we should be proud of the progress we have made. Since 1990, emissions from the energy sector have fallen by 69 per cent.
This is the biggest reduction in emissions of any UK industrial sector.
All the tools we need to cut emissions
We now have all the tools we need to further reduce emissions from energy production. Oil and gas, often described as dirty and polluting, could be at the forefront of energy decarbonization. These are not just lofty ambitions, this is the reality that is happening now.
The first carbon capture projects have been announced and are in the process of being funded. And earlier this year the Scottish Government approved the development of a new 5GW offshore wind project for use in decarbonising oil and gas production.
New offshore wind power will create a North Sea renewable energy network. This will allow us to connect clean energy to oil and gas installations and reduce the carbon emissions associated with production.
By 2028, it could cut emissions from oil and gas production in half. Any new oil and gas exploration approved under the current licensing round could be electrified and significantly decarbonized from day one.
This was made possible thanks to investment from industry. The North Sea renewable energy network alone will require more than £18 billion of investment in development and construction. Much of this investment will be spent here in the UK, benefiting local supply chains and creating good-paying jobs.
Transformation projects like this need to be implemented as quickly as possible if we are to achieve our net zero targets. This is where government has a role to play and can have the greatest impact in moving us towards net zero.
We must not underestimate the scale of the challenge in achieving net zero. The Government must remain disciplined and focused on ensuring we can deliver major changes that will drive our progress.
If the effect of Rishi Sunak's net zero reset is to refocus the government on these priorities, then there is reason to be optimistic that we are on the right path to achieving net zero.
>Dan Jackson is the founder and director of Cerulean Winds
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