Chamber and committees

I understand that the UK has been invited to a meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in Washington on 18-19 April.

In light of the current General Election and the uncertainty over UK policy direction, Scottish Ministers consider that it would be more appropriate for a Scottish minister to represent the UK on this occasion. As you know, there are recent precedents for Scottish ministers representing the UK abroad.

Scotland has an excellent basis from which to engage with the international community on climate change. We have made the commitment to act as a model of international best practice in tackling climate change and to a world-leading level of ambition of 42% cuts in emissions by 2020. We have particular strengths in renewable energy, carbon capture and storage and forestry all of which are important to the international agenda. Developing countries in particular need to hear more examples of high ambition from the developed world at what is a crucial time for re-invigorating the international negotiations. Of course, we were disappointed that Scottish ministers did not have a place on the UK delegation to Copenhagen but the forum presents an excellent opportunity for the UK Government to more fully involve all parts of the UK in its international work.

There are further areas where actions in Scotland will be of particular interest to the international community. The UK Government''s International Climate Change Action Plan published last week sets out the need for new alliances between developed and developing countries and also the position of small island states that are in the front line of the impacts of climate change. In Copenhagen, the First Minister and the President of the Maldives, an observer on the forum, made a joint statement announcing a Partnership on climate change that won the praise of the international community. Since then, our co-operation with the Maldives on the partnership has made good progress and a further announcement will be made at the earliest opportunity. Partnerships like this are a vital link between those countries strongly committed to tackling climate change and countries which are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and such partnerships can underpin broader international negotiations.

The action plan also in several places mentions the importance of forestry globally. As a tangible outcome from the Copenhagen conference, the Scottish Government has pledged that 100 million trees will be planted in Scotland by 2015 as Scotland''s contribution to a pledge by The Climate Group States and Regions Alliance to plant 1 billion trees to persuade governments, businesses and communities worldwide to plant a tree for everyone on the planet. I hope you will agree that this is another excellent practical example of concrete action within the UK designed to maintain the momentum from Copenhagen.

As you may know, Scotland has been an active member of The Climate Group''s States and Regions Alliance for many years and has many useful international contacts in that network. During the UNFCCC meetings in Barcelona and Copenhagen, the First Minister and our Minister for Climate Change made a number of very useful bilateral contacts, including from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland and Norway.

Scottish Ministers are determined to play our part in the UK and EU international leadership effort to secure significant progress during 2010 towards Cancun and a legally-binding treaty. You can be reassured that Scottish Ministers will continue to work with and support the UK Government in this important international agenda and I look forward to a positive response to my proposal that the Scottish Government should represent the UK at the forthcoming meeting.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The scheme will launch on 24 May and be delivered through the Energy Saving Scotland advice network, which the Scottish Government funds to provide householders with a one-stop-shop on energy efficiency, renewables and sustainable transport advice.

The £2 million scheme will support up to 5,000 homeowners with a £400 grant towards the replacement of a working G-rated boiler (for those over 60, the boiler does not need to be in working order) with an energy efficient model that is certified under the Energy Saving Recommended scheme.

However, the scheme will be delivered through the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Network, which comprises of five locally managed advice centres covering all of Scotland. The network will advise customers on the scheme and continue to offer wider energy efficiency advice to all Scottish consumers.

Area of New Woodland Created (Hectares)

Note: The figure for 2009-10 is currently an estimate.

Using an average stocking density of 2,000 trees per hectare, the average number of trees planted annually since 2007-08 is estimated at 6.7 million.

The Scottish Government has introduced a target to meet 50% of Scotland''s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020, and is supporting the development of a wide range of renewable energy technologies in pursuit of this target.

Number of Grants Offered

By Technology

Number of Grants Offered

Energy Saving Scotland Home Renewables (formerly Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative) Grant Offers - FY 2008-09

Number of Grants Offered

By Technology

Number of Grants Offered

Energy Saving Scotland home renewables (formerly Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative) grant offers - FY 2007-2008

Number of Grants Offered

By Technology

Number of Grants Offered

Note that statistics has not been provided on size of technology as this information is not recorded when grants offers are issued.