THE SNP will set out a roadmap for drastically reducing emissions in a bid to catch up with climate change targets, the party’s conference agreed.
Delegates discussed the “existential threat” of the climate crisis and Scotland’s response to it on the final day of the virtual conference.
The lengthy resolution called for a stop to “prevaricating” about what is practical and affordable and instead work towards goals set by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
The original motion read that the party would do “whatever it takes” to avert the climate crisis, but the wording was changed to alignment with UN policy after an amendment was passed.
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The road map, which would set out goals for as soon as 2025, would have “specific timescales”, the resolution says.
This would be to achieve implementing recommendations from the IPCC climate change report in full, eradicating energy imports that come from fossil fuels, the creation of a state-owned public integrated transport system powered only by renewables and bring forward the deadline to stop production of vehicles powered by fossil fuels.
The resolution also called for a drastic reduction in the meat, dairy and fossil fuels, contributing to the global efforts to tackle forest fires and reforest the Amazon Basin and Indonesian provinces.
Finally, the resolution said that this must be done “using existing powers” until independence is achieved.
Susan Dyer, who proposed the motion, said that “nothing is more important” than tackling the climate crisis.
Addressing delegates, Dyer continued: “If we dig up more fossil fuels, we dig our own graves. “The next five years are critical, in that time there will be an independence referendum.
“This gives us a glimmer of hope. Scotland could lead the way.”
Criticising world leaders who “literally slept through COP”, Dyer added that “no-one is coming to rescue us” and that everyone needs to join the effort.
“We all know what we need to do, but governments can act swiftly and drastically when they choose.
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“They did it for COVID, they did it for the financial crash. In World War Two overnight car production was stopped.
“The workforce was retrained in three months.and they made bombers and fighters for the war effort.
“We could mobilise at that scale to put in renewables and with 11 million dollars a minute in global oil subsidies, there's plenty of money. Demand transformational change at a scale and pace never seen before.”
Chris Handlon, who seconded the motion said he had had “enough of the blah blah blah”.
He added: “It is time we stood up as a nation and said enough is enough. We aren't going to wait for independence.
“We aren't going to wait until we have all the legislative powers we want.
“We are going to start taking the sort of action that must be taken and to heck with anyone else.”
There were two amendments to the resolution. The first proposed a costed plan for the transition to decarbonised heating in homes and called for improvements to be brought in to ensure energy efficiency in new homes.
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Proposing the amendment, Edinburgh SNP councillor Kate Campbell said that carbon emissions from homes represent around a third of all emissions and tackling the issue is “absolutely crucial” to meeting net zero targets.
Campbell said this was a two part plan which will require improving the fabric of buildings to make them more energy efficient, as well as switching from gas to a sustainable heat source.
Edinburgh City Council are currently looking at piloting a model to set out the different kinds of buildings in the city and what solutions would suit them best, but added a caveat.
Campbell said: “But it's not going to cover all building types and people need to understand, before they start on the measures, what the cost might be and what the best solutions for their type of building might be.
“And we need to make sure that there are right subsidies in place for people who just can't afford to fund the changes.
“This is a very very big piece of work so it must be led by governments.”
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Edinburgh council leader Adam McVey seconded the motion and said the capital intends to be net zero by 2030, which would require retrofitting 120,000 homes.
Explaining that the goal was ambitious, McVey added: “Frankly, we have no excuse and we must go as fast as we can.”
The amendment passed with 262 votes in favour and 22 against.
The second amendment changed the wording of the initial resolution to “do whatever it takes” to tackle the climate crisis instead to “support all positions on this issue agreed by the General Assembly of the United Nations”.
Simon Barrow, who seconded the amendment, explained: “The amendment is to substitute an aspirational phrase about doing what it takes with concrete action.”
The amendment passed with 247 votes in favour and 47 against, while the resolution, as amended, passed with 301 votes for and 12 against.
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