COUNCIL bosses have warned SNP ministers that authorities have not been equipped to meet net zero targets – insisting that “urgent delivery is now critical”.

The Scottish Government has a statutory commitment to cut 1990 levels of carbon emissions by 75 per cent in just eight years’ time – and a 2045 net zero pledge.

But delivering the targets will hinge on action at local levels, brought forward by local authorities.

Many councils, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, have made bold 2030 net zero commitments.

Susan Aitkin, SNP leader of Glasgow City Council, has previously told MSPs that ministers must “give local government the confidence that we need to deliver net zero”.

She added that “national targets will not be achieved without recognition that local delivery will make the difference”.

Ms Aitkin added: “In terms of financing, we need to be able to engage with the private sector at a level and scale that has never been done before in local government, either in Scotland or globally.”

Now Cosla, the umbrella organisation for Scottish councils, has issued a warning that authorities have not been given enough support from ministers – ultimately putting the statutory national targets at risk of failure.

Cosla has told MSPs that “the successful delivery of the targets will be put at risk if local government is not properly resourced”.

It added: “Local government needs unringfenced and more flexible revenue and capital – in addition to funding allocated through national programmes - which it can invest in local projects and programmes."

“Urgent delivery is now critical. We need to make progress on emission reduction on a month-to-month basis or the targets will be at risk.”

The organisation has told the Scottish Government that its 2030 carbon reduction target “requires urgent and consistent progress in the months and years to come”.

It added: “As we, perhaps, tentatively exit the pandemic, and we evaluate the recent budget settlement we must ask if local government is being equipped to meet this target? The answer we must arrive at is, unfortunately, no.

“We cannot underestimate how important the next few years will be to the longer-term targets.

“Decisions which may normally be taken within years will need to be taken quicker. We need to be able to take risks, because doing nothing or not enough is likely to be a bigger mistake in the long run.

“We need a strong political consensus that local government needs to be resourced to achieve our just transition goals and this consensus must hold during what is likely to be a challenging period of time over the course of this parliament.”

Cosla has described decarbonising buildings as a “vast undertaking which needs to be considered a national mission if it is to be achieved”.

The organisation added that "as we stand, we do not know how the target will be delivered successfully.”

Scottish Conservative shadow local government secretary, Miles Briggs, said: “SNP ministers need to heed this stark warning from Cosla. Once again council leaders are having to raise concerns about not having the resources from the SNP Government to tackle major issues facing us in the years ahead.

“The SNP have imposed savage cuts on our local authorities year after year and that simply cannot continue if they are to play their part in hitting crucial emissions targets.

“Ministers must urgently engage more with our councils in relation to the climate emergency and back Scottish Conservative calls to give them a fair funding deal once and for all.”

Scottish Labour local government spokesperson, Mark Griffin, added: "Once again councils have been abandoned entirely while they try to make the SNP's promises a reality.

"The SNP's woeful lack of leadership and brutal cuts to councils threaten to derail our essential journeys to net zero.

"Councils shouldn't have to choose between delivering for their communities and delivering for the planet, but these are exactly the kind of impossible choices being foisted upon them.”

He added: "Susan Aitken has already admitted Glasgow can't afford to make the changes needed - but we need local champions in our councils to stand up to the SNP and demand better.

"If we are to stand a chance of tackling the climate emergency the SNP must help councils do their bit."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Budget includes record levels of investment to support a just transition to a net zero and climate resilient nation.

"We are also working with local government partners to deliver a ten-year £500m just transition fund for the North East & Moray and aim to unlock £200 million of local authority investment in low carbon infrastructure through our green growth accelerator programme, which has been developed in partnership with Cosla."