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SCOTTISH BUDGET - FoES Comment

06 February 2008
Topics: Politics


Commenting on the approval of the SNP government’s budget in the Scottish
Parliament this afternoon, Duncan McLaren, Chief Executive of Friends of the
Earth Scotland, said:

“This is a curate’s egg of a budget for the environment. It was always going
to be a challenge for a minority Government to win parliamentary approval
for a budget for Scotland without making a range of potentially
contradictory concessions. We welcome the creation of a climate challenge
fund, even if it remains smaller than we might have liked.

“We also welcome the extra support for public transport and the commitment
to ensure full carbon accounting of future budgets. However, it is very
disappointing that this budget has not been through a full carbon audit. Had
this been done, it would have highlighted carbon-busting projects such as
the M74 extension, the Aberdeen bypass and a second Forth Road Bridge which
are not consistent with the published Scottish Climate Change targets.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland is an environmental charity based in Scotland
5 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PR. Tel: 0131 243 2700. Registered charity number SC003442