The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill amends the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to introduce limits on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in Scotland over a five-year period.

The move, which is based on recommendations from the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC), aims to provide a more reliable framework for emissions reduction. This is because the previous annual emissions targets are vulnerable to year-to-year fluctuations caused by events such as a particularly cold winter or a global pandemic.

The legislation enables the carbon budgets to be set through secondary legislation based on expert advice from the Climate Change Committee. The Bill also changes the current deadline to finalise the next Climate Change Plan for Scotland so the Plan can align with the process for setting the new carbon budgets.

Acting net zero secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland is now halfway to net zero and continues to be ahead of the UK as a whole in delivering long-term emissions reductions.

“The Scottish Government’s commitment to ending Scotland’s contribution to global emissions by 2045 at the latest, as agreed by Parliament on a cross-party basis, is unwavering. It is crucial that our target pathway to 2045 is set at a pace and scale that is feasible and reflects the latest independent expert advice. 

“Carbon budgets are an established model for assessment of emissions reductions used by other nations including Japan, France, England and Wales, and they will include emissions from international aviation and shipping and there will be no provision to ‘carry over’ emissions from one carbon budget to another.

“We will continue leading on climate action that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us and reflects our commitment to the ambition of credible emissions reduction.”