Renewables Cutting Tonnes Of Harmful Gases

Scotland's renewable energy sector is helping stop record amounts of harmful gases entering the atmosphere.

New government figures show green energy displaced around a million tonnes of CO2 a month last year - an increase of over 14 percent on the year before.

It comes on the final day of the UN's Climate Change Conference in Peru.

Joss Blamire, Senior Policy Manager at Scottish Renewables, said: “This means that not only are renewables now the number one source of electricity in Scotland, but we have achieved this milestone while preventing a record amount of harmful carbon emissions from being released into our atmosphere.
 
“Renewable energy in Scotland is doing exactly what it was designed to do: creating jobs, securing our energy supplies and, most importantly, reducing our carbon emissions to help limit climate change.”
 
Speaking from the UN’s Climate Change Conference in Lima, where he is an observer, WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “That renewables in Scotland are now helping to displace almost a million tonnes of climate pollution every month is fantastic news, and proof that a renewable power sector is the foundation of a truly low carbon economy – keeping the lights on, creating jobs and cutting emissions.

"Right now, governments from almost 200 countries are meeting in Peru to agree how they will reduce global emissions and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. The growing success of renewables in helping to cut emissions both in Scotland and across Europe is exactly what is needed right now to help encourage other countries to secure a good deal on climate."