Nicol Stephen calls for real action to tackle climate change

2.03.00pm GMT Wed 14th Mar 2007

Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Nicol Stephen has commented on the publication of the draft Climate Change Bill.

Nicol Stephen MSPMr Stephen said:

"The Climate Change Bill is a step in the right direction. It is welcome that the UK Government is starting to take the problem of climate change more seriously.

"Defeating climate change requires serious, substantial proposals. Across the UK Liberal Democrats want a green tax switch to cut taxation for low and middle income earners and increase taxation on pollution.

"With Liberal Democrats in Government, Scotland is well ahead of the rest of the UK when it comes to tackling climate change. We have already set an ambitious target to exceed the Scottish Share of the UK carbon savings by an additional one million tonnes by 2010.

"If I am elected First Minister in May, we will go even further.

"I want to see Scotland become the renewable energy powerhouse of Europe. I have set a deliberately bold target for 100% of Scotland's electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2050. Together with continued improvements in energy efficiency and a raft of other measures, we can and will exceed the targets set in this Bill.

"I am determined to deliver more decentralised energy, with micro-renewables in every new development. I want to see wind turbines, solar panels and biomass boilers in our homes, schools and hospitals.

"We have proved in Scotland that the Liberal Democrats are prepared to make tough decisions and take real action to tackle climate change."