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To encourage reduced car ownership and use, Transport Scotland is supporting theestablishment of car clubs in urban populations over 25,000 and a network of community-ledrural car clubs. Eleven car clubs have so far received support from the Developing Car

Clubs in Scotland programme, including city-based schemes in Aberdeen and Dundee and anumber of community-led schemes. Car clubs also have potential to give drivers experience

of low carbon vehicles. http://www.carplus.org.uk/dccsreview/

In addition to the policies and proposals in RP P2, we are investing more than 1 billion peryear to encourage people out of their cars and onto public transport or other sustainable

transport, including developing the infrastructure to support electric cars, and increasing theproportion of transport spending that goes on low-carbon, active and sustainable travel.

Electric vehicles are an emerging technology, but are likely to have an important role to play

in delivering emissions reduction in the long term. We have recently established the E-cosse

partnership, involving industry, government, energy companies, enterprise bodies and non-governmental organisations to promote the adoption of electric vehicles. We are also taking

action domestically to encourage conversion to alternative technologies and fuels. We are

actively supporting the Aberdeen Hydrogen project in partnership with Scottish Enterprise

and industry.

We also work constantly with our partners in public transport on ways to attract newpassengers. We provide bus operators with 50 million of grant annually to help keep fare

levels down and provide support for the bus network. In addition, the Green Bus Fund has

so far supported the purchase of 71 low carbon buses (with investment of 5.75 million in

two rounds) with purchase of a further 40 or so anticipated through an additional 3 million

made available this financial year. Our strategy on smart ticketing and planned

improvements in public transport integration will support further modal shift, while the

Intelligent Transport Systems on our trunk roads and motorways will encourage moreefficient driving and smoother traffic flows, which can result in a reduction in emissions per

vehicle and in fuel consumption.

This Government is proud of its record on housing with two-thirds of homes rated 'good' in

terms of energy efficiency compared to less than half that number in 2002-3. The need to

reduce energy demand in new homes and the benefits of improved insulation is already well

recognised within the 'Homes and Communities' section of the draft RP P2. Our nationalretrofit programme will be launched on 1 April as the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes

for Scotland and will refurbish or refit Scotland's older homes. Our planned spending on theprogramme is in line with the Energ"y, Enterprise and Tourism Committee's recommended

budget of 200 million a year, from Government and energy companies, to tackle fuel

poverty and cut emissions from homes.

The Committee on Climate Change recognised the progress we have made on housing in its

recent report on Scotland, noting in particular that rates of loft insulation in Scotland doubledbetween April 2008 and March 2012. While we will continue to insulate Scotland's remaining

lofts and cavity walls, the ambitious new programmes being introduced in April willincreasingly focus on the more difficult and expensive to treat homes. Our pilot projects,

announced last November, have already shown that we can achieve significant leveragethrough energy company obligations - over 3 to every 1 of Scottish Government funding.

The success of the pilots suggests that the 200 million target is achievable. These pilot

projects are already set to improve the energy efficiency of 2,200 homes.

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EHl 3DG

St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH13DG

www.scotland.gov .uk

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In relation to new homes, the draft RP P2 also identifies a further proposal to review energy

efficiency standards. Following research to investigate the costs and benefits of further)mprovements we are consulting on proposals to reduce emissions from new homes by 45%.

when compared with 2007 standards. This equates to a further 21% reduction in emissions

when compared with the 2010 building regulations, which themselves delivered a 30%. .improvement over the 2007 standards. Current proposals offer balance in recognition of the

need to both reduce C02 emissions and promote sustainable economic growth. The

consultation may be viewed on the Scottish Government website at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/01/4018.

You specifically asked, on behalf of your constituents,.how confident I am in delivering the

42% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. I want to reassure you that, even i~the EU

does not move to a higher EU-widetarget of 30% reduction in emissions by 2020, Scotland

would achieve a 42.8% reduction in emissions from the revised, higher level of baseline

emissions, assuming both policies and proposals are delivered. If the EU does adopt a 30%t~rget, which would give a steeper trajectory for reducing emissions in the traded sector,

t~en Scotland would potentially a~hieve a 46.6% reduction from the revised baseline

emissions again assuming both policies and proposals~are-delivered.

I hope this provide$ you with reassurance on our proposals and policies and makes clear the.

Scottish Government's commitment to deliver on our climate change target of at least a 42%reduction in emissions by 2020 and 80% by 2050, from a 1990 baseline and addresses the

injportant issues that your constituent has raised.,

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P~UL WHEELHOUSE

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TaighNaomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EHl 3DG

St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EHl 3DG

www.scotland.gov.uk

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