Latest news with #CCC
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Scottish Government accused of 'sidelining' climate action
Under former first minister Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government announced plans to abandon the interim target of reducing emissions by 75 per cent by the end of the decade, accepting the goal was 'out of reach', but remaining committed to reaching net zero by 2045. Instead, ministers pledged a five-yearly cycle of carbon budgets, which aim to wind down emission more steadily and be more resistant to outside forces like unseasonable cold snaps driving up heating demand. Climate Change Secretary Gillian Martin stressed Scotland will not 'sacrifice people's health or wealth' to reach net zero. READ MORE: John Swinney tears into 'weak man' Anas Sarwar at FMQs However, climate campaigners criticised the move and said ministers were 'slowing down' action to tackle climate change. The Scottish Greens also criticised the announcement, and said the SNP were 'shying away' from taking action. According to the Scottish Government's proposals, between 2026 and 2030 emissions should be 57 per cent lower than the 1990 baseline – 18 points lower than the initial target. The target between 2031 and 2025 is a 68 per cent reduction from the baseline, and 80 per cent for the following five years. By 2041 to 2045, the final years of the plan, emissions should have reduced by 94 per cent, with the aim remaining for Scotland to reach net zero by this time. (Image: Andrew Milligan) The Scottish Government has said the remaining 6 per cent would amount to around 24 mega tonnes of carbon emissions. 'Scotland is now halfway to our 2045 climate change target and is ahead of the UK as a whole in reducing long-term emissions,' Martin said. 'These carbon budgets will set clear limits on emissions for the coming decades in line with the independent advice of the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC). 'When we publish our draft Climate Change Plan later this year, it will set out the policies needed to continue to reduce our emissions and meet our first three carbon budget targets.' Martin added that the plan 'will not ask the impossible of people'. READ MORE: Israeli strikes kill 72 Palestinians, 29 waiting for aid trucks 'While we welcome the UK CCC's advice on how to stay within these limits, as they make clear, it is always for Scotland to decide whether those policies are right for us,' she said. 'This means, for example, that we will chart our own path on forestry, going further than the CCC suggest.' She added that the Scottish Government won't adopt the CC recommendations on agriculture and peatland and instead 'meet our targets in a way which works for rural Scotland, including supporting and protecting our iconic livestock industries'. The budgets will be voted on by MSPs and, if passed, will be used to inform the plan. The announcement was welcomed by WWF Scotland, but the group urged the Government to commit to 'strong action' to meet the targets. Claire Daly, the group's head of policy and advocacy, said: 'Future generations cannot afford any more missed climate targets, and this carbon budget must be set for success with strong policies to reduce emissions.' Climate campaigners Friends of the Earth (FoE) Scotland said the Scottish Government's announcement showed ministers 'slowing down at precisely the moment we should be speeding up'. Caroline Rance, head of campaigns, said: 'The Scottish Government is in this dire position because of years of insufficient action by Ministers to tackle the climate crisis. 'The original climate targets could and should have been met. This lack of political will continues in Cabinet with a host of key plans and policies sidelined in the past year.' READ MORE: Why won't the BBC report on Israel's nuclear weapons? Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: 'This is a deeply troubling announcement from the SNP, and takes us another step away from evidence-based climate policy. 'We've known for years that ambitious targets alone aren't enough to tackle the climate emergency, but that means we should be ramping up action to protect our planet, not watering down the targets.' 'We are in a climate emergency, and we need to start acting like it, so that future generations don't look back and ask why Scotland abandoned them when we had the opportunity to fix things,' he added.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
After failing to achieve emission goals, Scotland sets new climate change targets
After failing to achieve previous goals set for controlling the carbon emission in Scotland, the government is set to bring in new targets to tackle climate change in the country. The new plan unveiled by the government spans over the next 20 years and aims to reduce emission by an average of 69% by 2035 in comparison to 1990 levels. The latest targets come after the country's ministers abandoned the annual targets in 2024 as they were consistently missed. They, however, had retained the pledge to reach net zero by 2045 back in 2019. The new target states emissions need to fall by an average of 57% over the next five years. Cabinet secretary for climate action and energy Gillian Martin said that Scotland is now halfway to the 2045 climate change target and is ahead of the UK as a whole in reducing long term emissions. He also stated that the new climate change plan will not ask the impossible of people and will not sacrifice people's health or wealth. The Scottish government, in 2019, had set its original goals for climate change aiming to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030. Then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had called the targets as "amongst the most ambitious anywhere in the world" in 2021 ahead of the UN's COP26 climate talks in Glasgow. The targets were discarded in 2024 after the government's independent advisers, the CCC, issued a warning and dubbed them no longer achievable. Now, the Scottish government wants to move to a system of measuring emissions using carbon budgets over five-year periods instead of annual targets. Live Events The Scottish government wants to move to a system of measuring emissions using carbon budgets over five-year periods instead of annual targets. The average level of emissions for Scotland over each five-year period are: 57% lower than 1990 levels for 2026 - 2030, 69% lower than 1990 levels for 2031- 2035, 80% lower than 1990 levels for 2036 - 2040 and 94% lower than 1990 levels for 2041 - 2045, according to the Scottish government. Currently, the country has achieved a 51.3% emissions reduction since the baseline year of 1990. The newly devised targets will be achieved using a carbon budgeting system and the proposals will be voted on by MSPs in the autumn, according to BBC. Will not sacrifice people's health or wealth: Gillian Martin Gillian Martin, cabinet secretary for climate action and energy, said that the new climate change plan will not ask the impossible of people and will not sacrifice people's health or wealth. "Scotland is now halfway to our 2045 climate change target and is ahead of the UK as a whole in reducing long term emissions. These carbon budgets will set clear limits on emissions for the coming decades in line with the independent advice of the UK Climate Change Committee,' Martin said. "When we publish our draft climate change plan later this year, it will set out the policies needed to continue to reduce our emissions and meet our first three carbon budget targets. It will not ask the impossible of people. We will not sacrifice people's health or wealth," he added. Proposals to undergo scrutiny The proposals are set to undergo scrutiny by Parliament before being voted on in the autumn. After the Carbon Budgets will be agreed, the Scottish Government will publish and consult on a new draft Climate Change Plan highlighting the specific actions needed to reduce emissions so as to meet each of the first three carbon budget targets, as well as setting out the associated costs and benefits. Ministers have stated that the five year system of measuring emissions will make measuring progress less prone to annual variations such as extreme weather or a global pandemic., BBC reported. The approach is used in other parts of the world including France, England and Wales. If the targets are agreed then the Scottish government will publish a new plan on how it plans to achieve them.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Scotland rejects climate change committee advice to cut livestock herds by a quarter
Farmers welcomed the move, saying grazing livestock are 'part of the solution, not the problem.' Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland has dismissed official climate change advice to slash cattle and sheep herds by about a quarter for emissions targets. The announcement was made at the opening of the Royal Highland Show on Thursday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the official body offering advice to UK government and devolved nations recommended Scotland cut its livestock herds by 27 per cent by 2040 for Net Zero targets. The announcement was met with widespread concern among the farming community who have repeatedly said livestock numbers can be part of the solution when it comes to climate change mitigation. Speaking at the Quality Meat Scotland breakfast event at the show, rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon said: 'Let me be absolutely crystal clear, this government has no policy and will have no policy to cut livestock numbers.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon The decision was welcomed by the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFU Scotland), who had urged ministers to reject the 'narrow proposals'. The move followed new greenhouse gas statistics showing agriculture emissions in Scotland have already fallen by 13.6 per cent since 1990, alongside publication of the CCC's latest recommendations on UK and Scottish carbon budgets. NFU Scotland vice president Duncan Macalister said: 'Farmers are already cutting emissions and increasing efficiencies - not by reducing output, but by improving how we produce food. 'It's about net zero, not zero emissions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Grazing livestock are part of the solution, not the problem - especially when managed well in pasture-based systems like ours. 'The government now needs to say clearly: how will future support reflect that reality and where does livestock fit in a climate-smart farming future?' Earlier this week, NFU Scotland met with the Climate Change Committee to discuss how farming can contribute to climate goals without undermining food production, biodiversity or rural livelihoods. The announcement comes after first minister John Swinney, ahead of attending the show himself, said: 'Our ambition is for Scotland to be a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. To do that we are working in partnership with the sector to transform the support we give to our farmers and crofters. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The Royal Highland Show is our chance to showcase the absolute best of food produce, farming excellence and all of the industries that support our rural communities.' Mr Swinney pointed to the Scottish Government's commitment to sustainable food production, with more than £600 million annually, including maintaining direct support payments in the subsidy scheme, a system that is being phased out south of the border. Farmers are still in the dark about how the new four-tier subsidy scheme to replace the pre-Brexit CAP payments will work.
1News
3 days ago
- Business
- 1News
Food from fire-damaged New World: Can it be sold or donated?
It is unclear at this stage whether food or drink from an Auckland New World which was damaged in a fire on Tuesday can be sold or donated. The fire broke out shortly after 11am on Tuesday at the store in Freeman's Bay. Damage inside the store has been called "extensive", and Foodstuffs said it will take some time to determine when the store may be able to reopen. But, asked whether items from within the store could be sold or donated, a Foodstuffs person told 1News the "short answer is – too early to know". "Fire and Emergency completed their operations at the site this afternoon and have handed the building back to Foodstuffs," the Foodstuffs spokesperson said. ADVERTISEMENT "At this stage, it's too early to say what will happen to the groceries in the store, but this will be assessed over the coming days. "Food safety will be top of mind when any decision is made." The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including what will happen to food after supermarket blaze, Trump's dithering over the Middle East, and winter car care tips. (Source: 1News) The Ministry for Primary Industries said all food sold in New Zealand was required by law to be safe and suitable for consumption. "Food businesses are regularly verified to make sure these rules are being followed. "Foodstuffs have systems in place to assess potentially affected food products. "We have offered assistance." ADVERTISEMENT As for the building itself, Auckland Council field surveying manager of building consents Jeff Fahrensohn said New World's contractors would assess the damage and then design a remediation plan based on input by specialists such as fire engineers. "The council currently has a live consent for remediation works to New World Victoria Park — lodged prior to the fires — so depending on the level of work needed, the remediation works may be added to the existing building consent as an amendment. Or alternatively, it may need a new building consent and possibly a resource consent as well. "Once consents are approved, the works will commence with inspections by the council and possibly other specialists," Fahrensohn said. "Once work is complete, a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) would be applied for. The CCC would confirm the fire safety systems are all operating as required. The supermarket cannot open unless the CCC is issued. "An exception would be if there are areas unaffected by the fire, it may be possible to partially open those areas under a certificate of public use (CPU) as long as it is safe to do so."
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Florida-based golf course operator acquires Mashpee club
Advertisement MARIJUANA Social cannabis license rules could be finalized in July Becky Klothen smokes during a Bhang Yoga class at Diaspora, a private membership club in Cambridge, on Jan. 29. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe The Cannabis Control Commission's plan for launching establishments where adults could use legal cannabis in a social setting is on track to be finalized by the end of next month, but the commission chairman stressed Tuesday that none of the draft under discussion is set in stone. The CCC embarked Tuesday to work through 'discussion on a number of policy questions' that Acting Chairman Bruce Stebbins said are intended to provide greater direction for the working group that has been crafting regulations for so-called social consumption licenses. He said Tuesday's meeting will lead to 'an updated framework and draft regulations for us to consider' with a final draft of the regulations expected to be back before commissioners 'toward the last week of July.' The framework rolled out by CCC members in December calls for three social consumption license types: a 'supplemental' license for existing marijuana establishments like retail stores and cultivation facilities that want to offer their customers the ability to consume products purchased on-site, a 'hospitality' license category that would allow for on-site consumption at new or existing non-cannabis businesses like yoga studios or theaters, and an 'event organizer' license category that would allow for temporary on-site consumption at events like rallies and festivals. — STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up TECH Advertisement R.I. poised to ban cellphones in schools A student places his phone inside a Yondr pouch, which has a locking device. The pouch can only be unlocked with a strong magnet. Michael Jones/Rhode Island PBS Phones away, please. Rhode Island is poised to ban the use of cellphones during school hours, after legislation passed the Rhode Island House unanimously Monday night. The Senate passed an identical bill last month, also unanimously. The legislation requires school districts to come up with a policy by next summer to ban phones and other personal electronic devices during the school day, but it leaves the specifics — including enforcement — up to local school officials. If signed into law, it won't go into effect until Aug. 1, 2026, giving districts a full school year to come up with their policies. A growing number of states and school districts have been restricting the use of smartphones in school, citing the intense distraction they cause, bullying concerns, and seeking to encourage more in-person social interaction. Governor Dan McKee's office did not immediately say Monday night if he would sign the bill, but the legislation received veto-proof majorities in both chambers. (The House and Senate still must pass each other's identical bills before sending to McKee's desk.) — STEPH MACHADO MANUFACTURING A Boston-based lithium startup is building a US battery plant that will skirt Trump's tariffs US startup Pure Lithium Corp. is working on a testing facility to build a new type of lithium battery that's completely manufactured domestically. The company has developed a lithium metal battery that chief executive Emilie Bodoin says will displace lithium-ion batteries. Pure Lithium has spent the last four years doing research and development on the technology, which could be used in electric vehicles, utility-scale energy storage, and other applications. 'We're working as hard as we can to build a prototype pilot facility,' Bodoin said Tuesday in a Bloomberg Television interview. She added that the company is expanding its lithium production process and is integrating that into a manufacturing plant, 'and as soon as we get it up and running we're going to start getting these batteries out into the hands of US customers that need it.' The Boston-based company's move to build a pilot plant comes as President Trump's administration sets the stage for tariffs on imports of key battery components from China. Pure Lithium says it extracts lithium from brine to manufacture a battery free of graphite, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, allowing it to be produced without any inputs from China. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Advertisement PHARMACEUTICALS FDA to offer faster drug reviews to companies promoting 'national priorities' FDA's long-standing accelerated approval program generally issues decisions in six months for drugs that treat life-threatening diseases. Regular drug reviews take about 10 months. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press US regulators will begin offering faster reviews to new medicines that administration officials deem as promoting 'the health interests of Americans,' under a new initiative announced Tuesday. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency will aim to review select drugs in one to two months. FDA's long-standing accelerated approval program generally issues decisions in six months for drugs that treat life-threatening diseases. Regular drug reviews take about 10 months. Since arriving at the FDA in April, Makary has repeatedly told FDA staff they need to 'challenge assumptions' and rethink procedures. For the new program, the FDA will issue a limited number of 'national priority vouchers' to companies 'aligned with U.S. national priorities,' the agency said in a statement. The special designation will give the selected companies access to extra FDA communications, streamlined staff reviews, and the ability to submit much of their product information in advance. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement FOOD Kraft Heinz to eliminate all chemical dyes over next two years Kraft Heinz said it would remove all chemical dyes from its products by the end of 2027. A spokesperson confirmed it would affect brands like Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Crystal Light and other beverages and desserts that contain dyes like Red No. 40 and Blue No. 1. Gabby Jones/Bloomberg On Tuesday, Kraft Heinz, the food giant best known for its ketchup and boxed Mac & Cheese, said it would remove all chemical dyes from its products by the end of 2027. The company said the shift would affect only about 10 percent of its portfolio by sales. A spokesperson confirmed it would affect brands like Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Crystal Light, and other beverages and desserts that contain dyes like Red No. 40 and Blue No. 1. Kraft Heinz is the first major food company to officially announce plans to stop using artificial colors. In April, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said he had reached 'an understanding' with food manufacturers to remove commonly used artificial food dyes from their products by 2026. — NEW YORK TIMES GOVERNMENT Trump suggests he'll extend deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner to sell app President Trump also said he thinks Xi would 'ultimately approve' a deal to divest TikTok's business in the United States. Gabby Jones/Bloomberg President Trump suggested on Tuesday that he would likely extend a deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner to divest the popular video sharing app. Trump had signed an order in early April to keep TikTok running for another 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice. 'Probably yeah, yeah,' he responded when asked by reporters on Air Force One whether the deadline would be extended again. Trump also said he thinks Xi would 'ultimately approve' a deal to divest TikTok's business in the United States. If announced, it would be the third time Trump has extended the deadline. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement ENTERTAINMENT It's official: Streaming is now the king of TV The logos for streaming services Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Sling TV are pictured on a remote control. Jenny Kane/Associated Press Americans watched more television via streaming services than they did through cable and broadcast networks in the month of May, Nielsen said in a report Tuesday. It is the first time that has happened over a full month. Nielsen began comparing streaming viewership with traditional network and cable television in 2021. At that time, even with streaming on a rapid ascent, the gap between the two was huge: Nearly two-thirds of all TV time was spent watching cable and broadcast, and just 26 percent was with streaming. That lead has now collapsed. It's no surprise that younger viewers were the first to jump to streaming. But another group has since made the leap as well: viewers over the age of 65. Older viewers watch a lot of television, more than any other cohort — one-third of all viewing comes from this group. And they have been moving to streaming in droves in the last few years — particularly to platforms that are free and require no subscription. — NEW YORK TIMES
