LABOUR and environment campaigners have condemned the Scottish government’s scrapping of a key climate change target of reducing carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030.

Shadow climate change and net zero secretary Ed Miliband said abandoning the target was “humiliating” for Scottish ministers, and Greenpeace accused the Scottish government of failing to take the action necessary to meet the target.

The target was declared “out of reach” in Holyrood last week by Scottish Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan.

But she said a 2045 target to reach net zero would remain.

Mr Miliband said: “This is a devastating and humiliating admission of defeat from the SNP-Green government in Scotland — one that will leave bills higher for longer, energy jobs continuing to flow overseas, and households and businesses across Scotland vulnerable to Putin’s whims.” 

Greenpeace UK’s political campaigner Ami McCarthy said abandoning the target was “like striking a match in a petrol station.”

“It might not set the whole thing ablaze immediately but it’s clearly a dangerous step to take.”

Mr Miliband hit out at the Scottish government’s new targets as he argued Labour’s commitment to climate leadership is “ironclad.”

Labour’s proposals include establishing a publicly owned GB Energy company based in Scotland and creating more than 50,000 clean power jobs by 2030.

But Labour was also criticised earlier this year for cutting its £28 billion green spending pledge to £23.7 billion over the course of the next UK parliament if it wins the general election.

First Minister Humza Yousaf was among those to criticise what he called “another screeching U-turn” by Labour on the issue.

A Scottish government spokesman said: “Our legal commitment to reach net zero by 2045 steadfastly remains.”