Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 September 2019
25 Sep 2019 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill
The 2009 act was groundbreaking at the time, but it now looks old-fashioned, because things have moved fast. At that time, the Opposition party—my party—pushed the Scottish Government hard and ended up with a reduction in emissions of 42 per cent. We felt that that was radical, and I have a sense of that today. Today, we are going to support a bill that has a radical target, although I know that Claudia Beamish was up for 77 per cent, and that the Greens were up for 80 per cent. We do not know where we will be in a decade. The point is, what we have agreed today is not the limit; it is the absolute lowest bar that we can set for our emissions reductions over the next decade. If we can go further, we should.
To pick up on what Gillian Martin just said, it is the case that, in too many of our communities, people do not have the choices that we want them to have. They do not have the low-carbon present that they need and which they have the right to.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is the stage 3 debate on motion S5M-19025, in the name of Roseanna Cunningham, on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (Roseanna Cunningham)
SNP
We are 10 years on from the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. Stewart Stevenson, who was the minister who took the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill through t...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
The cabinet secretary says that the Government has tried to accept amendments wherever possible. However, she rejected the proposal for an 80 per cent target...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Mr Harvie, this is a bit of a speech.
Patrick Harvie
Green
Given that we were right before and that the Government has now accepted that it can go beyond those targets, is it not possible that we are right again this...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Cabinet secretary, I will give you your time back.
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I hear what Patrick Harvie says; I understand and accept that he will want to say that. However, those of us who are in govern...
Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
The Scottish Conservatives are committed to tackling climate change and protecting our planet for future generations. We know that human activity has caused...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
One thing about having a quiet debate is that I can hear a conversation at the back of the chamber. I suggest to those members that they should go away, get ...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Scottish Labour’s vision for the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 has, from the outset, been about meeting ambition and about being just. It has also been ...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
It would be remiss of me not to thank everyone who has lobbied, protested and provided evidence on the bill. There is an incredible youthful climate movement...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Mark Ruskell
Green
If I can get the time back, Presiding Officer, I will take the intervention.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You certainly can, if it is a brief intervention.
Finlay Carson
Con
It sounds from what the member is saying that he will not support the bill at decision time. Why is that, when we have all worked so hard across the parties,...
Mark Ruskell
Green
That is disappointing from Mr Carson. Did he not listen to any of the evidence that was given to the committee? The nature of the crisis demands an emergency...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
It is regrettable that Mark Ruskell has chosen to take the tone that he has. I respect very much the differences of opinion that he has not just with the Gov...
Mark Ruskell
Green
Will the member give way?
Liam McArthur
LD
No. At stage 1, I quoted Jessie Dodman, a young constituent from Papa Westray in Orkney, who wrote to me saying: “The ... Climate Change bill offers a go...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We turn to the open debate. I ask for speeches of four minutes. 17:38
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
I start by wishing John Scott well. I hope that he will be sitting beside me when we look at the climate change plan update, because his wise counsel—which i...
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I agree, but does Stewart Stevenson think that maintaining the existing road-building programme will be a positive or negative contribution to women in sub-S...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
If sub-Saharan Africa had better roads, I suspect that climate change would be less of a feminist issue, but I expect that that is not really the point that ...
Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
First, I acknowledge the hard work on the bill by our clerks and researchers, as well as all the constituents and organisations who have contributed. I also ...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
There is no greater political cause than climate change, and there is nothing in which there is more urgent need for action. In that context, the bill is to ...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
We are on the cusp of passing legislation that will have a massive impact. The hugely ambitious and challenging targets set out in the bill will cross every ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We come to closing speeches, which must be kept tight to time. I call Sarah Boyack. You have four minutes, Ms Boyack. 17:54
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
The 2009 act was groundbreaking at the time, but it now looks old-fashioned, because things have moved fast. At that time, the Opposition party—my party—push...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will the member take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
I need to get on. I was struck by the cabinet secretary’s comments in her opening speech. Through collective work on the part of business, Government and al...