from Sunday Herald, 27 November 2011
Scottish ministers are coming under mounting pressure to reverse their “embarrassing” failures to put in place the policies needed to cut the pollution that is altering the climate.
As the climate change minister, Stewart Stevenson, heads for the world’s crucial next round of climate talks in Durban, South Africa, his government is coming under fierce fire at home for slashing spending on environmentally-friendly travel and not doing enough to save energy in homes.
A powerful coalition of groups representing substantial swathes of Scottish society are pressing ministers to drop their budget plans to cut spending on “sustainable and active travel” by a third. The spending review in September proposed reducing the money available for improving walking, cycling and other low-polluting travel facilities from £25 million in 2011-12 to £16 million in 2012-13.
“Scotland’s track record on this issue is embarrassing to the point of recklessness,” according to Scottish Environment Link, which represents 36 environmental and recreation groups with half a million members.
In a letter to ministers on Friday, Link’s chair, Deborah Long, condemned the cutback to the active travel budget. It contradicted the SNP’s manifesto pledge to increase spending, and would damage public health, she argued.
She said: “We cannot go on, year after year, spending around a meagre one per cent of the transport budget on walking and cycling infrastructure without profound consequences for the health and well-being of society.” Experts suggested that at least 10 per cent of the travel budget should be devoted to walking and cycling.
Investment was needed to build networks of well-maintained cycle lanes and footpaths in and around towns as in other European cities, they say. Instead, the Scottish government is boosting spending on motorways and trunk roads by nearly £100 million next year.
“Stewart Stevenson could have difficulty in Durban trying to explain how Scotland today has world class climate change legislation but a transport policy stuck in the last century,” said Dave Morris, the director of Ramblers Scotland.
“Nobody will regard the Scottish Government as serious players if expenditure on roads completely overwhelms that spent on walking and cycling routes. A massive increase in walking and cycling routes is also needed if Scotland is to deliver physical activity legacy benefits from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.”
Morris pointed out that better cycling paths were supported by the Olympic and world champion cyclist from Edinburgh, Chris Hoy. “I want to make it safer for kids to ride bikes, for anyone to ride bikes, to have meaningful bike paths,” he has said, “not just a couple of painted lines on the side of the road in which you still get huge, big gutters and cars parked on the pavement.”
Ministers have also faced criticisms from two other major coalitions involving health groups, sporting organisations, land managers and local authorities. The 24-member National Access Forum and the 25-strong Paths for All partnership have both asked ministers to withdraw the cuts to the active travel budget.
The other area of climate policy where the Scottish government is said by some to be performing poorly is in improving energy efficiency in homes. Although the budget proposes increasing spending on this from £48 million to £65 million, this is nowhere near enough, allege environmental groups.
Ministers were accused of ignoring an “easy win” by failing to back a free, universal home insulation scheme. “We welcome Scottish ministers involvement in the Durban talks, but they have much to do at home to convince us that they are willing to take concerted action on tackling climate change rather than just talking about it,” said Stan Blackley, the chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland.
The Scottish government insisted that it was “absolutely committed” to meeting its climate change targets. “Despite the dramatic reduction on public spending imposed on Scotland by the UK Government, we have prioritised funds that will support emissions reductions, help households address volatile fuel bills and build Scotland’s renewable future,” said a government spokeswoman.
She listed five energy, waste and travel initiatives that would help cut climate pollution, and four figures suggesting that homes were better insulated than they used to be. “This government is proud of its progress in improving home energy efficiency,” she said.
Just to let you all know the the cement works is back in action,this chimnay is still the same in appearance as it was before they shut it down to do major repairs. I have caught it on camera this morning and i will be out and about to see if i can still smell the fumes that come from the plume,i'll keep you all updated.
Posted by: Alexander Lough, | 04 December 2011 at 12:37 PM
We in the East Lammermuirs are still waiting for a reply to have our access to the coast, i have tried my best to get this brought to our Scottish governments attention.
I have sent info i got from the freedom of imformation,which states how the North West quarry was to be returned to arable use,this never happened,the company BLUE CIRCLE CEMENT didn't fulfill their agreements!!WHY?
There is more to this than we think,our council must have been involved in this,why did they not come down on this company for not keeping to the agreements.
This has to be our local councils fault,why didn't they make this company do what was agreed.
There has to be irregularities within this sordid affair,also corruption and greed.
Posted by: Alexander Lough, | 29 November 2011 at 04:52 PM
WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTIONS IN EAST LOTHIAN,PRIOR TO THE VOTING TIME WE VOTE FOR THE PERSON WE THINK SAYS WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO FOR OUR COMMUNTIES.
NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT MEANS NOTHING.
THIS IS NOT RIGHT WE DESERVE BETTER GOVERNANCE.
EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL SAY THAT THIS IS THE FINEST AND HEALTHIEST AREA TO LIVE,ITS NOT,IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE.
THIS IS ALL DENIED BY SEPA AND EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL.
Posted by: Alexander Lough, | 27 November 2011 at 05:53 PM
Where i live has completely been cut off from all of the accesses we had before they made the new A1 TRUNK ROAD at the INNERWICK junction.
I have raised this many times in the past 10 years,nothing has been done,we dont even get a reply from anyone that took part.
I live in WARD 3 EAST LAMMERMUIRS,this is all to do with the boundary changes,since then we have no representation from any councillor that we voted for in the local elections.
This is not a very democratic way to treat people that vote for whoever,they promise us that we would get this and that,we get nothing at all.
If this is the way our SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT WORKS THEN WE HAVE LOST OUT.
Posted by: Alexander Lough, | 27 November 2011 at 05:47 PM