Official warnings over climate-busting projects ignored
for Sunday Herald, 05 July 2009
Scottish ministers have ignored warnings from official advisers that their plans for improving airports and building roads could bust their targets to cut climate pollution.
Both the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) and the Sustainable Development Commission cautioned that major developments approved in the government’s National Planning Framework, published ten days ago, could put the aim of cutting emissions 80% by 2050 in jeopardy.
But ministers decided to go ahead with the developments despite their “potential for adverse effects” on the grounds that they were needed to support economic growth and “connectivity” within the UK and with other countries.
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