The 2011 election manifestos 1. Emissions

With just over a week to 5th May when Scotland votes in the Holyrood elections here is a look at the manifestos of the main parties on a range of climate change issues.  I will compare on emissions and then, in later posts, look at views on nuclear generation followed by carbon capture.   The fourth post will be my own brief comment.  (The numbers in round brackets are the number of times a phrase or word appears in the main manifesto)  [Square bracketed comments are mine]

Emissions (targets and measures)

Conservative (0)  No target mentioned but measures to

• Improve take up of Green council tax discount
• Retain Home Energy Reports
• Consolidate energy efficiency schemes into one system
• Require LAs to produce heat maps
• Require all publioc bodies to publish details of energy consumption and commit to a target

Labour (5)  Measures to

• restates Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 of 42% reduction of carbon emissions by 2020 
• create a new feed-in tariff to promote the expansion of household renewables and investigate further council tax discounts
• create 'New Energy' quango
• loan scheme for energy efficiency
• consult on raising building standards
• commit to Green New Deal to create new jobs and provide low carbon electricity for 10,000 homes
• require LAs to produce heat maps
• introduce schemes to capture and use surplus heat via new smart heat grids
• encourage infrasturture for electic vehicles

Lib Dems (10) No target mentioned but measures to

• provide a single streamlined model for the delivery of energy efficiency in Scotland
• encourage the use of feed-in tariffs 
• new buildings to be zero carbon by 2016.  Introduce minimum standards for existing buildings by 2015.
• divert £250m money from Investing in Scotland's Future Fund to insulation.
• improve Renewable Heat Incentive
• improve grid connections

SNP (7)

• restates Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 of 42% reduction of carbon emissions by 2020
• develop infrastructure to support electic cars
• renewable electricity target to be 100% by 2020
• spend to create a single Universal Home Insulation Scheme and a Future Generations Fund
• 2GW target for renewable energy consumption by 2020
• Increase funding for the Climate Challenge Fund and create a District Heating Loan Fund
• Make use of carbon sinks (sea, peatbogs and more forests)

Parts 2, 3 and 4 to follow.