Scot Lib Dems press for support for energy upgrades in tenements

Newly appointed Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Climate, Environment & Energy and MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie has today pressed the Scottish Government to deliver more support for insulating homes and upgrading heating in tenement buildings.

Figures published today revealed that the amount of greenhouse gases produced by the country in 2024 fell by 1% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, separate statistics released by the Scottish Government show Scotland’s carbon footprint between 2021 and 2022 increased by 1.6% from 60.0 to 61.0 MtCO2e.

Addressing Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action Gillian Martin in the Scottish Parliament, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie said:

"Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for advance sight of the statement and welcome her to her role?

"And I share her ambition to make climate change something which needs sensible, practical solutions not ideological blockages.

"But this is a government which repeatedly failed to meet the majority of its climate change targets in the last parliamentary session. 

"The Cabinet Secretary talks about making homes warmer, but in my constituency of Edinburgh Northern many people are living in old tenements, where it is way more difficult to get consensus to insulate homes and upgrade heating. Can I ask if the government will establish a specific fund to help those most in need, and how is the government going to make progress on tenements in this Parliament?"