Scotland's carbon footprint increased for the second straight year, reaching 61 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022, up 1.6% from the previous year. Net emissions in 2024 fell by just 1%, far below the pace needed to hit the country's 2045 net zero target. The Scottish government scrapped its 2030 target of a 75% cut after admitting it was no longer achievable. Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin acknowledged the 1% reduction was disappointing and said progress must accelerate. Critics including Friends of the Earth Scotland and Oxfam Scotland argue the government has failed on home retrofits, public transport, and consumption emissions. The SNP government faces mounting pressure to deliver concrete policies rather than revised targets.
