Greens slam Highland Council for abandoning 2025 net zero pledge
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Greens members have slammed Highland Council after officials admitted that they could not meet carbon neutral targets by 2025.
The revelations that officers are currently reviewing the data and reassessing the target dates was made at the first meeting of the council’s climate change committee.
A recent report by Audit Scotland highlighted that Highland Council is now one of just six local authorities in Scotland to have no targets while 26 others are working towards targets ranging from 2025 to 2045.
Councillor Ryan MacKintosh said: “The council had a detailed discussion of the issues in May 2019, declared a climate emergency and agreed a target date to become carbon neutral by 2025. It is deeply disappointing that the previous administration has failed to make progress.
“The UN Secretary General said we have to address climate change now, or face what he described as ‘catastrophe’. Highland Council must now address this with a real urgency and reach net zero as quickly as possible.
“Highland Council has more natural resources than any other area in the UK. The potential for installing publicly-owned renewable energy is immense. I welcome the steps that are being taken towards doing this – but we must ensure our targets are as ambitious as possible.
“The failure to achieve the targets set in 2019 represents a complete failure of leadership over the last few years.
“Local authorities and councils which lead the way in addressing climate change will be those that are best placed to take advantage of the economy of the future. It’s not just in the interest of the planet – it is in the interests of the Highlands that we should lead the way. It is outrageous that the previous council administration has placed the Highlands towards the bottom of the league.
He added: “Greens are calling for the council to waken up and get real about climate change now.”
