Scotland is expected to announce a dramatic watering down of its key climate targets tomorrow, Sky News understands.

The Scottish government will deliver a ministerial statement at Holyrood after a report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) said the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 is out of reach.

Scotland has missed eight of the past 12 annual targets and its wider plans are “beyond what is credible”, according to the independent experts.

Reacting, campaign organisation Friends of the Earth Scotland, described the decision as “the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish parliament”.

Ministers and government officials have refused to comment tonight on suggestions its ambitions will be weakened but multiple sources are widely expecting a U-turn.

In a damning report to the Scottish parliament last month, the CCC said: “The Scottish government is failing to achieve Scotland’s ambitious climate goals.”

Read more:
Plastic crisis ‘out of control’ in UK
Mass bleaching of coral reefs
Leonardo DiCaprio urges Scotland to be a ‘world leader’ in rewilding efforts

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who announced the initial climate plans, rejected suggestions she had “overcooked” the ambitions when asked at a COP26 event in Glasgow in 2021.

Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan will deliver the update in Edinburgh on Thursday afternoon.

Mark Ruskell, climate spokesperson for the Green Party, which is in partnership with the SNP in government, said: “We are absolutely determined to accelerate the urgent and substantial action needed to tackle the climate crisis as laid out by the CCC recently, and fully expect the Scottish government to respond to that challenge.”

“This is a pivotal moment for us to ramp up the kind of meaningful change that will put us on track to achieve net zero by 2045 at the latest, in the face of a complete reversal of climate action from the UK government.”

Related posts:

Police officer pleads guilty to kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard Weekly COVID cases rise by 71% to highest level since early February, latest figures show Queen holds virtual audience as she takes on light duties at Windsor Castle Boris Johnson’s future hangs in the balance after his apology fails to contain the crisis – Beth Rigby Syrian refugee says plan to send migrants to Rwanda is ‘moral failure’ Two men held over Liverpool shooting released on bail Princess Diana’s Ford Escort sells at auction for £650k Man admits killing a mother and three children whose bodies were found in house Two people arrested on suspicion of malicious communications over missing Nicola Bulley ‘Long colds’ can be just as common as long COVID – here are the symptoms to look out for Police investigate Post Office over ‘potential fraud offences’ after wrongful prosecution of subpostmasters TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has died, his family says