Responding to the release of the latest climate change emissions that shows Scotland has missed its yearly target for a third year in a row, Scottish Labour’s Environment spokesperson Claire Baker MSP said:

“The news that Ministers have delivered a hat-trick of missed climate change targets is deeply embarrassing for a Scottish Government that continually heralds them as world leading.

“The latest statistics are worse than what was expected with emissions actually rising in the past year. The Minister must now fully explain why, under his watch, emissions have risen in the past year and the SNP Government have failed to make the step-change needed.

“It is 5 years since the Climate Change Act was passed by the Parliament but so far the Government’s lack of action has led to a significant lack of progress on a number of environmental targets.

“Time is running out for the Scottish Government to prove they are serious about meeting their own targets. Today’s statement must show that they are willing to take bold action rather than hiding behind flimsy excuses and political spin.

“It is time for the excuses and spin to end and action to be taken.”

Responding to the Ministerial statement on the Scottish Government missing the 2012 climate change target, Scottish Labour’s Environment spokesperson Claire Baker MSP said:

“This is the third year in a row that the Scottish Government have had to come to the chamber to explain why they have missed Scotland’s climate change targets.

“Whilst I welcome the modest measures announced today and pushed for by opposition parties and environmental organisations, we were clear these were only a minimum and will not compensate for the missed targets.

“Significant action is needed before people start to wonder if we will ever meet our targets. The Government must now drop their spin around their failures and come back to Parliament in October with serious measures to tackle emissions in Scotland.”