Scotland's government said Thursday it would abandon its target to reduce carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 after the UK's climate change advisory committee described it as "beyond credible."
The announcement was greeted with outrage by environmental groups.
The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) last month sharply criticized Scotland for repeatedly failing to achieve its climate targets.
The required acceleration in emissions reduction in Scotland was now "beyond what is credible," due to inadequate efforts in areas including home heating, transport, farming and nature restoration, it said.
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf vowed that the country would still meet its target of reaching net zero by 2045.
"The CCC were always clear with us that the 2030 target was a stretch," he told Scottish lawmakers.
