This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Drop in greenhouse gas emissions
21/09/2005
Emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland have fallen by more than ten per cent, according to figures released today.
The greenhouse gas inventory for Scotland shows a steady decline in emissions which contribute to climate change. Emissions of the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, have fallen by eight per cent since 1990.
Speaking at today's Environment and Rural Development Committee debate Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:
"These figures demonstrate that Scotland is playing its full part in tackling climate change. The continued downward trend of greenhouse gas emissions is very welcome.
"We aim to continue this progress by strengthening our climate change response through our review of the Scottish Climate Change Programme. We are committed to developing specific climate change targets in Scotland."
As a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UK is required to submit an annual inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. Since 1998 the inventory has been disaggregated to provide detailed emissions data for the constituent countries of the UK. The regional inventories for 2003 were produced by the National Environmental Technology Centre (NETCEN) for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the devolved administrations.
Disaggregated inventories have been produced for the years 1990, 1995 and annually since 1998. Emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are measured against agreed baselines of 1990. Flourinated gas emissions are measured against a 1995 baseline in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol.
Emissions in Scotland fell by two million tonnes from 19.6 MtC (million tonnes of carbon equivalent) to 17.6 MtC in 2003. This reduction compares favourably with the majority of EU Member States.