Carbon Cost of Roads
Fri., June 20, 2008. 12:35.
True Carbon Cost of Roads Revealed
Green MSPs have obtained figures which show that the Scottish road-building programme will increase carbon dioxide emissions by more than a quarter of a million tonnes. More than 50% of the increase will be caused by the M74 Northern Extension, which Greens have led the campaign against. (1)
Road transport is already the second biggest emitter of CO2 after the energy sector, and accounts for around a quarter of Scotland's total CO2 emissions.
The latest figures also show that between 2004 and 2005 Scotland's road transport emissions increased by 70,000 tonnes of CO2, a trend that will only be aggravated if the SNP's roads projects are all approved. (2)
Patrick Harvie MSP said:
"These figures show the climate cost of the SNP's obsession with roads projects. Even as oil supply declines and prices soar, they're still wedded to 1960s thinking on transport, ramming through a vision of the future where every Scot can sit alone in a traffic jam as if climate change was still unproved.
"These new figures are the clearest demonstration yet of the gap between the Scottish Government's rhetoric and their actions on climate change. The SNP claim their Climate Change Bill will set ambitious emissions targets, but they apparently have no idea what actual changes to policy across Government will deliver these reductions.
"Furthermore, by pushing through financially irresponsible projects such as the M74, the AWPR and the second Forth Road Bridge, they have shown their determination to press on, full steam ahead, in completely the wrong direction."
Notes
1. See PQ S3W-13874
2. See PQ S3W-13877
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.