The Scottish government has said it will abandon its 2030 target for reducing emissions after advisers said it was “not achievable”.

In March, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) said that “continued delays” in implementing previously promised climate policies made the 2030 goal “beyond credible”.

Speaking to the Scottish Parliament, net zero minister Mairi McAllan admitted that the target was “out of reach”, although plans to stick to a 2045 net zero goal will remain. She said new legislation will be brought forward to introduce multi-year ‘carbon budgets’ to replace the current annual targets.

The CCC said that Scotland missed its annual target for 2021 for the eighth time in the previous 12 years. The only sectors to reduce emissions in 2021 were electricity supply and industry. Most key indicators of progress, such as tree planting, peatland restoration rates and heat pump installations, are off-track.

As part of the concession, McAllan announced a number of new initiatives designed...