THERE is no doubt the Scottish Government has high ambitions to end the country’s contribution to the climate crisis.

Legally-binding targets tie Holyrood with cutting 1990 levels of emissions by 75 per cent in just eight years’ time – despite progress only reaching 50% over the last 30 years.

At COP27, Nicola Sturgeon’s government was justifiably praised for leading the way on loss and damage payments.

But the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) latest progress report has launched a scathing attack on the SNP-Green government’s credibility in backing up strong words on tackling the climate crisis with action at home.

Frustration from the government’s statutory advisers has been brewing for some time. The CCC was left baffled by the 75% target, when its own pathway predicted a 67% aim was more realistic – with the advisers now seemingly at the end of their tether.

The 2030 ambition left a target on the Scottish Government’s own back – meaning bolder progress was needed if that aim was to remain a reality.

The CCC’s latest assessment points the finger almost solely at the Scottish Government. It highlights a need to work better with Westminster, particularly to secure funding for carbon capture technology – but responsibility for the failings are almost exclusively at the door of devolved areas of policy.

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Transport, agriculture and heating buildings are all given a dressing down – with a lack of concrete plans and strategies brought forward.

The Scottish Government has pledged to cut ‘car kilometres’ by 20% by 2030 – but hasn’t set out measures to cut demand or incentivise people to leave the car at home.

Ministers north of the border have also no plans to cut demand for aviation, despite a report by Transport Scotland commissioned last year found that aviation demand will need to be cut by one third by 2030.

The Scottish Government has had powers to take over air passenger duty since 2016, but has not acted and introduced a devolved air departure tax.

Troublingly, Chris Stark, the chief executive of the CCC, told us that ministers expect to be able to cut 30% of agriculture emissions in the next decade without a hint of a policy to make that happen – something he labelled “magical thinking”.

It is clear that the Scottish Government will need more than “magical thinking” if harmful emissions are to be cut at the pace required. The time for talk is over and action is urgently needed.