Tories ‘got it wrong' when they backed 2045 net zero target, Findlay says

Independent

a day ago

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay insisted his party is the only one 'telling the truth' on net zero – as he announced the Conservatives in Scotland would scrap the target of reaching this goal by 2045.
Tory MSPs had voted for legislation in 2019 which commits Scotland to achieving net zero by that date.
But Mr Findlay now says they had been 'wrong' to do so.
His comments came as a new policy paper published by the party said reaching this target would result in 'unaffordable costs for struggling families across Scotland and put at risk our oil and gas industry and farmers' businesses'.
UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has already said the UK target of reaching net zero by 2050 – five years later than the Scottish date – is 'impossible'.
While Scottish Tories had previously backed the 2045 date, Mr Findlay told the PA news agency: 'I think yes, we did get it wrong'.
When Conservative MSPs at Holyrood supported the 2045 date, he said they had done so 'so on the basis of what was known in those moments'.
But he added: 'The situation has become clearer, it is evident to everybody watching this, to everybody in the Scottish Parliament, if they were being honest.
'Both Labour, the SNP and the rest of them would admit that the 2045 target isn't just unaffordable it's unachievable – that's the reality.
'So we're telling the truth to the Scottish public.'
Mr Findlay continued: 'We want to reach net zero fairly and quickly. We understand the climate crisis emergency but we cannot harm our own economy and force householders who are already struggling to pay the bills with yet more great costs.
'Whether it be ripping out their gas boilers and putting in costly heat pumps, or forcing them to get rid of their cars and buying very expensive electric alternatives.
'This has got to be about the balance between ensuring we reach net zero properly and speedily, but recognising that it cannot come at a crippling cost to those people out there who are having to pay for it.'
Asked later by journalists if his party was pandering to climate sceptics, Mr Findlay said they were 'absolutely not', adding the Tories were the only party 'telling the truth' on the issue.
His comments came as the Scottish Conservatives promised to give every household in Scotland a £100 discount on their energy bills – with this to be funded from money accrued from the ScotWind auction, where areas of the seabed were leased for offshore wind power projects.
The paper also said the Tories would make pylons 'an option of last resort for energy infrastructure projects' – with the party promising legislation to give people 'greater decision-making authority over local infrastructure projects' by abolishing the Scottish Government's existing energy consents union.
Speaking about the changes as he addressed the Scottish Conservative conference in Edinburgh, Mr Findlay said: 'We would scrap the SNP's 2045 net zero target. It is unaffordable and unachievable.'
He added that instead of spending money on 'SNP eco-projects', the Tories would 'use it to protect oil and gas workers' livelihoods'.
Mr Findlay continued: 'We would take £100 off every household energy bill in Scotland from the proceeds of leasing our waters to wind farms.
'We will also give residents new legal powers to oppose mega-pylons.'