Storm Ali ensured that the environmentalists' lobby of MSPs calling for radical action over greenhouse gas emissions could not take place at the Scottish Parliament as a marquee could not be put up due to the strong winds.

Despite the weather, 70 people from across Scotland still gathered to lobby 24 MSPs as the protest moved to the Harry Younger Hall.

 

SCCS, a coalition of civil society organisations campaigning together on climate change organised the lobby to demand the Scottish Government takes on board the growing concern about climate change and the urgency needed to tackle it.

 

Campaigners want a more ambitious strategy and for the country's new proposed Climate Change Bill to include a clear net zero emission target.

Gail Wilson, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland campaigns manager said: “It’s inspiring to see people from all over Scotland coming to tell their politicians that more must be done.

“It’s clear this summer’s extreme weather events have made climate change much more real and urgent for many people. Scotland now needs to join with other countries across the world and commit to reducing emissions faster and prevent even more devastating climate impacts for people across the world."

The draft bill published earlier this year set new targets to set Scotland on course to become one of the first countries in the world to achieve a 100% reduction in carbon emissions, the Scottish government has claimed.

 

But it stopped short of committing to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, setting a target of a 90% reduction by 2050 – which the UK Committee on Climate Change states is currently “at the limit of feasibility”.

But the campaigners say scientists report that this is not enough to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

 

Tom Ballantine, chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, has previously described the targets as hugely disappointing and that Scotland was failing to ally itself to the global momentum towards zero emissions, led by countries like France, Sweden and New Zealand.

 

Campaigners now want MSPs from all parties to push for net-zero by 2050 at the latest, to keep Scotland in line with the 2016 Paris agreement.

Former Scottish Labour Party leader Alex Rowley was one of those who welcomed the lobby saying: "Well done to all those that managed to brave the weather to attend. Climate change is one of the biggest threats we and future generations are faced with, and that is why we need a Climate Bill that is both ambitious and radical."

 

Net-zero emissions is when emissions have reduced to the absolute minimum and where carbon is absorbed by trees and peatlands.