Co2 cuts 'can be achieved without nuclear power'

Published Date: 15 November 2008
By Joe Quinn

MAJOR reductions in Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved by 2050, experts said yesterday.
A Co2 cut of 75 per cent is possible even without controversial measures such as building nuclear power stations, they said. The findings came in one of three Scottish Government-commissioned reports on aspects of climate change published yesterday.Stewart Stevenson, the climate change minister, said: "Taken together, these reports give us further evidence that we need to do everything possible to meet our statutory targets."Next month, the government plans to publish a Climate Change Bill aimed at reducing emissions of six greenhouse gases by 80 per cent by 2050, with a mid-way target of 50 per cent by 2030. Two of yesterday's reports study policy options and energy and carbon dioxide projections. The third studies issues relating to power generation. Carbon capture and storage is given a "very high" rating for its benefits and cost-effectiveness, while Scotland-wide road pricing is deemed a "very low" priority.