According to recently released figures, Scotland could be producing far “greener”, more sustainable energy than the rest of the United Kingdom. An analysis conducted by the campaign group “WWF Scotland” found that the emissions in the region are far lower than those generated by the UK altogether.
The analysis of the latest numbers, which considered the emissions generated during 2014, found that electricity power in Scotland lead to the production of 196g of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour, compared to 400g for the whole of the UK. The same analysis suggested that the climate change impact in Scotland had also dropped by around 38% between the years of 2010 and 2014 – compared to a smaller 12% drop overall in the UK.
A More Sustainable Scotland?
Some believe that the impressive green energy results present in Scotland can be attributed in part to the impeccable leadership of the Scottish government, who imposed a “renewables” policy to help steer the region in the right direction. Thanks to tireless work across Scotland, the climate impact of energy production in Scotland is now half as severe as it is for the rest of the UK. This means that Scotland is beginning to harness many of the social and economic benefits associated with a zero-carbon future.
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Of course, there’s still work to be done. WWF Scotland has also asked the government to widen its targets regarding renewables to move beyond electricity. Since electrical power only accounts for a quarter of energy use, it makes sense that the government should begin to focus on multiple sectors, including heat and transport.
A Step in the Right Direction
Though there is still room for improvement, the latest analysis shows that Scotland does have the power to make an impact on sustainable energy, and reduce their carbon footprint. Scotland adopted one of the largest, and most difficult climate change targets in the world, and up until now it has achieved a great deal – exceeding the 42% reduction in emissions set for 2020, six years ahead of schedule.
For the Scottish government, the new year represents a host of new opportunities to continue improving the way that emissions are handled throughout the region – in a range of different sectors. At this point, it makes sense that the Scottish Government would continue to make plans for a more sustainable and renewable future, as their current progress has helped to significantly lower Scotland’s carbon footprint, and generate long-term economic growth.