FOR once, I find myself strangely in sympathy with the Scottish Government now that climate change protesters have set up a camp in the Holyrood grounds. Extinction Rebellion Scotland wants the UK to enact legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2025, and is calling on the Scottish Government to ‘do more’.
Exactly what more can the Scottish Government do? It has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2042; that is eight years before the UK net-zero emissions target of 2050. The share of global emissions from Scotland is 0.13 per cent, and the UK 1.3 per cent, so would all Green protesters not be better protesting in China – 30 per cent?
Perhaps I can ask Extinction Rebellion and those with similar demands what ‘legally binding’ promises they have personally made? A few suggestions: no flying, no owning or travelling in any vehicles using diesel or petrol, no goods made in China, India or Indonesia. Bang go their mobiles, computers and much more. No food prepared using gas, certainly no drinks from plastic bottles.
It’s no good just protesting, people, you’ve got to live it.
