Climate survey reveals scores of government failings

Scottish Liberal Democrat climate emergency spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today said that the SNP Government must go further and faster to meet the scale of the climate crisis after a new survey revealed that fewer than half of households trust the government to give information about climate change.

The Scottish Climate Survey revealed that:

• 72% of respondents felt that climate change was ‘urgent and immediate’.
• Fewer than half of households surveyed trust the Scottish (39%) or the UK (31%) governments to give information about climate change.
• Just 3% of households have installed flood resilience measures.
• Fewer than 5% of households have a heat pump.
• Around 70% of households said they had no intention to install green heating systems.
• 33% of households said they were finding it difficult to afford energy bills, while 42% said they were having to cut back spending on other essentials due to increased energy bills.

An estimated 34% of all households in Scotland are estimated to be fuel poor- the highest rate since records began.  

Scottish Liberal Democrat research previously revealed that less than half of the Scottish Government’s flood defence schemes due by 2021 have been completed, with major cost overruns in almost every project.

Mr McArthur said:

“Scotland is feeling the impact of the climate crisis first-hand, but neither government has done enough to meet the challenge.

“On everything from flood schemes to key energy efficiency measures, the Scottish Government have moved at a snail’s pace.

“For those living in rural and island communities, technology like heat pumps have enormous potential but the SNP government are doing little to realise it.  

“To bring down bills and emissions Scottish Liberal Democrats would rapidly insulate homes, drive a rooftop solar revolution, install thousands more EV chargers and overhaul community benefit rules so that local communities get a proper share of the wealth from the renewables rollout on their doorstep."