THE Scottish government must drop “delusional” support for carbon capture and address the “gaping hole” in its road map from fossil fuels in its new climate change plan, campaigners have warned.

A draft plan was published in November containing “150 actions” to reach net zero, but was slated by climate campaigners still furious at the Scottish government’s 2024 decision to ditch its target to cut emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 for the want of progress.

With the final version expected to be published this week, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland chairman Dr Mike Robinson said: “Ending Scotland’s dependence on dwindling oil and gas was beyond urgent before the most recent horrific scenes coming out of the Middle East.

“The draft climate plan was not fit for purpose when it came out, detailing a pathway for three-quarters of the journey to net zero at best, but it still left a gaping hole for the rest.

“And developments since then make the need for change stronger than ever.”

He added: “We’ve seen very little progress over the last five years. We can’t afford to lose another five.

“Now we need commitment, and above all else some urgency.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Rosie Hampton meanwhile took aim at the government’s continued support of carbon capture to meet climate targets.

She said: “Carbon capture has a long history of expensive failures, perfectly illustrated by the lead developer of the Acorn project withdrawing between the draft climate plan and its final publication.

“It is frankly delusional for ministers to think that carbon capture technology, which has no working plant, no planning application and now without its key backer, can deliver the level of emissions cuts required in Scotland within a decade.”

Climate Action secretary Gillian Martin said: “A recent report from the independent Climate Change Committee highlighted key progress being made in Scotland.

“The Climate Change Committee’s advice accompanies the extensive engagement and consultation the government has undertaken on the draft plan.

“We will use this feedback to inform the forthcoming final Climate Change Plan, which will help inform future decision-making and ensure that we reach net zero in a way that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us.”