The 2019 Programme for Government sets out some of the next steps on Scotland's journey to net zero emissions, raising ambitions in light of the emergency we all face. Scotland is leading the world in setting challenging targets, and will redouble efforts to meet the challenges ahead.
The Right Hon. Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Scotland, today set out the 2019-20 Programme for Government ‘Protecting Scotland’s Future’. Tackling climate change creates opportunities and society and economy in Scotland can transition to net zero in a way that creates economic opportunity and provides the assurance of rewarding work for all.
Hydrogen technologies are key to Scotland’s ambitions for decarbonising transport and offer an opportunity to be at the forefront of global innovation. Scotland has a favourable reputation as an early adopter and innovation leader in hydrogen initiatives, hosting some of Europe's major demonstration fleets. To accelerate this, the Scottish Government will now undertake a hydrogen assessment project.
Working with stakeholders, this will assess the use of hydrogen across various applications and the resources, capability and skills needed to implement them. It will also explore the regulatory levers and barriers to hydrogen production. Informed by that, in the coming year we will publish an action plan for the development of a hydrogen economy.
Transport is Scotland's largest greenhouse gas emitting sector and this Programme for Government contains actions across all modes of transport. We will publish a new National Transport Strategy later this year which will redefine investment priorities to put sustainable transport at the heart of decision‑making and ensure that transport plays a key role in delivering net zero emissions by 2045.
Scotland will aim to decarbonise scheduled flights within Scotland by 2040 and aim to create the world's first zero emission aviation region in partnership with Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL). This will include taking action to decarbonise airport operations in the Highlands & Islands region, including trials of low or zero emission planes in 2021.
This new Programme for Government contains the first package of additional measures in response to the climate emergency. The measures cut across all parts of government, but they are by just a start if Scotland is to achieve the Net Zero target to end its contribution to global climate change by 2045 at the latest.
Protecting the environment and ensuring a just transition to a net zero future is part of the core commitment to put wellbeing at the heart of Scottish Government priorities.