Transport and climate change

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 includes a target of an 80 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050.

Meeting the challenging targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act will require a significant contribution from the transport sector. The transport sector accounted for 22% of total Scottish emissions in 2008. While all other sectors have seen a reduction in emissions since 1990, transport emissions were 7% higher. Full details of Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2008 are available on the Scottish Government website.

The Scottish Government's Climate Change Delivery Plan states that we require:

"Almost complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2050 with significant progress by 2030 through wholesale adoption of electric cars and vans, and significant decarbonisation of rail by 2050."

In addition, there is a need for:

• extra planning and demand management measures by 2020 to reduce the need for travel and to promote active travel
• improved technologies, including a shift to hybrid and electric vehicles
• an electric charging infrastructure to support the use of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles
• action in the traded sector to offset any growth in emissions from aviation (which will be included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012)

Many drivers of transport policy are controlled by the UK or EU governments. Scotland has powers over measures such as:

• infrastructure and local speed limits
• smart measures including adoption of more fuel efficient eco-driving
• demand management measures including road space reallocation in favour of sustainable modes
• prioritising integrated public transport and maximising active travel
• influencing the location of new development through the planning system