MSPs pass 'most ambitious climate change targets in world'
Holyrood voted overwhelmingly to pass the new legislation on Wednesday.
New legislation aimed at tackling climate change means Scotland now has the most ambitious targets anywhere in the world, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has insisted.
Holyrood approved a cut in emissions of 75% by 2030 - a new target tougher than the 70% reduction originally proposed by Scottish ministers.
Campaigners welcomed the passing of the new legislation, which was approved by 113 votes to zero with six abstentions.
But Scottish Green MSPs refused to back the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Bill, insisting that it did not go far enough.
Party climate spokesman Mark Ruskell said: "We won't endorse a Bill that is pre-occupied with distant targets while doing nothing to deliver transformative action and does not go far enough for the critical period of the next 10 years.
"Time is running out and while the targets in this Bill are eye-catching, they're not backed by anything that suggests the status quo is really being challenged.
"When we look back at this Bill in years to come we will see missed opportunities to drive strong progress, but there will be no time machine to call on."
But Ms Cunningham insisted it was "extraordinary" that the six Green MSPs had refused to back the Bill, saying it sets "the most ambitious statutory targets of any country in the world".
Holyrood previously legislated to cut emissions in the Climate Change Act of 2009, with the Environment Secretary saying the new law "crucially increases the ambition of Scotland's targets".
She told MSPs: "Scotland is still the only country in the world to set legally binding annual targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"We were the first country to include a fair share of emissions from international air travel and shipping in our targets.
"Since 2009, three climate change plans have been brought with annual targets, with some being met and some missed.
"Crucially, Scotland's emissions are now down by 47% since the 1990 baseline.
"We're already almost half way to reaching net zero emissions, and equally importantly, this progress has been achieved while growing the economy, increasing employment and productivity."
Thousands of Scots took part in a global protest demanding more action just days before the bill was approved and campaigners also gathers outside Holyrood as the bill was being debated.
Tom Ballantine of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said: "This Bill sets a strong long-term target to reduce emissions to net-zero by 2045 and drive action in the crucial next decade. We were particularly pleased to see all parties coming together today to increase the 2030 target."
Labour's Claudia Beamish had put forward the amendment for the 2030 target to be set at 75%, rather than the 70% originally proposed by Scottish ministers. And she said she was "heartened" that "consensus could be found" with the tougher target now written into the legislation.
But she also urged: "Let's all commit today to go further, as soon as we possibly can."