Scotland’s new emissions strategy ‘too reliant on science fiction’, critics say

Scotland has cut emissions by 51.3% since 1990 by closing its coal-fired power stations and building windfarms, but campaigners and the UK CCC have voiced concern that its future emissions plans are unrealistic and reliant on unproved technology Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Scotland has finally produced realistic short-term plans on cutting its climate emissions, but there is “real concern” about the credibility of its overall strategy, the UK’s climate policy watchdog has found.

Nigel Topping, the chair of the UK Climate Change Committee, said there were “flashing amber lights” about the quality and seriousness of some of the Scottish government’s medium- and long-term proposals to reach net zero by 2045.