John Swinney slammed by green groups for offering 'too little, too slowly' on climate change

The First Minister launched his Programme for Government on Tuesday, including a pledge to scrap peak rail fares.

John Swinney has been slammed by green groups for offering “too little, too slowly” to tackle climate change in his Programme for Government. The First Minister launched his legislative programme for the year on Tuesday, including an eye-catching pledge to permanently scrap peak rail fares.

But campaigners said the list of policies was otherwise “hollow”, hitting out at watered down plans to phase out gas boilers in homes and failures to hit nature restoration targets. Activists also said Swinney risked “greenwashing” fossil fuels after pledging more than £80million towards a controversial carbon capture scheme in the north-east.

The SNP chief has claimed tackling climate change is one of his four key “missions” in office. Speaking to MSPs on Tuesday, Swinney said scrapping peak ScotRail fares would “put more money in people’s pockets and mean less CO2 is pumped into our skies”.

But Mike Robinson, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), hit back: “With numerous climate policies recently scrapped or delayed, this Programme for Government was a critical test of whether the Scottish Government is serious about delivering meaningful climate action in this final year ahead of the elections in 2026.

“Unfortunately, it’s a case of too little, too slowly…

“Ultimately, the time for promises of action is past, we urgently need to accelerate the speed of delivery, including by doing more to ensure we make polluters - like those who choose to travel by private jets - pay for their climate damage.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Caroline Rance said: “Scottish Government ministers have been guilty of paying lip service to climate action for too long.

“This hollow Programme contained very little to suggest that they will deliver the transformative change needed to improve lives and cut pollution.

“Climate solutions are the same as the solutions to the cost-of-living crisis – cheaper energy in warmer homes, affordable public transport and secure jobs building the green infrastructure we need.

“Whilst it is welcome to see ministers committing to ending peak rail fares once and for all, far more is needed to give public and active transport the priority they deserve.

“Tens of millions of pounds of public money should not be going to subsidise the carbon capture greenwash of big oil companies.”

Tessa Khan of Uplift added: “Where is the government’s plan to insulate homes, which is the easiest route to reducing household energy bills?

“Where’s the transition plan for Scotland’s energy workers, who have seen the number of jobs supported by the oil and gas industry more than halve in the past decade?

"Meanwhile, the Scottish Government remains on the fence on new oil and gas projects, despite climate scientists warning that they will push us past safe climate limits.”

It follows the Holyrood government watering down its flagship Heat in Buildings Bill which aims to transition the nation’s homes and buildings towards clean heating systems.

Claire Daly Head of Policy and Advocacy at WWF Scotland: “Bringing forward a Heat in Buildings Bill would be more worthwhile if it included clear triggers for the fitting of heat pumps when buying or selling properties.

“This is needed to cut our carbon emissions and free people from volatile fossil fuel prices – a big factor in the cost-of-living crisis…

“We look forward to the speedy introduction of the Heat in Buildings Bill, but it needs to reverse the recent watering down of proposals.

“As it currently stands it will miss the opportunity to lift those most in need out of fuel poverty, while failing to… shift us from damaging fossil fuels to clean heating.”

Gillian Campbell, director of the Existing Homes Alliance, said: “We still do not have any clarity on whether the Bill will give industry the certainty they need to invest in the skills and jobs needed to upgrade Scotland’s homes.

“Unless we get that soon, Scotland runs the risk of missing out on significant economic growth resulting from the creation of new jobs in manufacturing and installation.”

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