APD cut shows SNP are full of hot air on climate change

The SNP’s plan to cut air passenger duty (APD) shows they are full of hot air on climate change.

In December 195 countries across the world agreed to a historic deal on climate change. The deal means each country will attempt to cut greenhouse gas emissions to a level that will limit the global average temperature to a rise “well below” 2C (3.6F) compared to pre-industrial levels – a level of warming deemed to be the point when dangerous climate change could threaten life on earth.

Scottish Labour’s Environmental Justice spokesperson Sarah Boyack MSP said that the SNP’s plans to cut, and then ultimately abolish, air passenger duty will see an extra 50,000 greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland every year.

The SNP have never hit ambitious annual targets on climate change set by the Scottish Parliament in 2009, and Scottish Labour said that cutting air passenger duty will just make it even more difficult to achieve the ambitions of Paris.

Scottish Labour Environmental Justice Spokesperson Sarah Boyack said:

“This winter in Paris we saw an agreement which has the potential to change the future of our planet for the better. For the first time ever the nations of the world have come together to agree that every single one of them will act to cut carbon pollution.

In the coming months and years we have a huge amount of work to do to deliver on the promises made in Paris, that means we should all consider doing our own bit to tackle climate change.

Yet one of the first things the SNP Government plan to do with the new powers coming to Scotland is to cut air passenger duty, at an initial cost of £125 million.

Scottish Labour believes that government would be better investing in our communities than on business class flights, but it will also make the ambitions of Paris all the more difficult to achieve. The SNP should reconsider this plan – or else their posturing on climate change just looks like a lot of hot air.”

Related Posts

5 thoughts on “APD cut shows SNP are full of hot air on climate change

  1. Scottish Labour’s Environmental Justice spokesperson Sarah Boyack MSP said that the SNP’s plans to cut, and then ultimately abolish, air passenger duty will see an extra 50,000 greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland every year.

    Another piece of rhetorical pish from Labour. Evidence free as usual. Another figure plucked out of nowhere free from any formula or mathematical calculated credibility.

    APD wont increase the number of flights or aircraft only the number of times flights take off with less than full capacity.

    Once again we see SNP BAD without justification credibility fact or reason.

    1. Mike,
      So cutting APD will not result in one single extra flight coming in to Prestwick? Eh?!The extra ~1,000,000 passengers will fit into the existing aircraft and routes? Eh?!

      BTW: The SNP Gov estimate there will be an extra 34,000 tCO2e if APD is cut by 50%. I have not see an estimate for a 100% cut, but 50,000 tCO2e looks realistic.

      Scott

      1. No Scott I said it would not result in a single extra flight INTO THE AIR.

        Unless of course you’re now going to tell us that cutting APD at Prestwick will result in airlines ordering and buying new aircraft as a direct result?

        Are you that stupid?

        What difference does it make to the environment if the flight goes from A to B relative to C to B?

        Or do you think the air above Scotland is fixed and permanent? Really?

      2. Why does Labour want to increase runway capacity in England, then, if air travel is so bad?
        How many more air journeys will an extra runway at Heathrow allow?

        Why is air travel in Scotland bad, while air travel in England is fine, according to Labour?

        Will Scots still travel to, say, Manchester to get cheaper flights than they would from Glasgow/Edinburgh?
        In what way is that good for the environment?

  2. Usual utter Labour hypocrisy.
    Labour supports expansion of either Heathrow or Gatwick airports—-increasing air travel and consequently polluting the atmosphere.

    So, what do we have?
    Scottish flights—-Laboursaybad!!!

    English flights—–Laboursaygood!!!
    It is, and always has been, more expensive to fly from Scottish airports, and Scottish Labour want to maintain that disadvantage.

    GO LABOUR!—–Down the tubes!

Comments are closed.

.