Green Shoots of Recovery

There are some amazing claims and ambition in here, including: ambitious target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050; plans to invest £1.6 billion over 7 years in a sustainable rural economy; and opposition to new nuclear power stations in Scotland. From Swinney's speech:

"In our election manifesto we set out our ambitions to build a greener Scotland and in this Budget, we are delivering.
Our spending and our actions will reduce the impact we have locally and globally. It will protect and enhance Scotland's unique natural environment.

The investment will be targeted to help us make much greater use of our substantial renewable energy resource; to reduce the climate change emissions from transport, housing and business; and to improve Scotland's record on waste management and recycling.

Across government we will ensure high standards of environmental performance and design as we refurbish the public sector estate, including schools, hospitals and prisons, and require the same of all new buildings and investments drawing on public funds.

We will protect our environment through record levels of investment in Scottish Water's infrastructure programme and provide additional funding for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's efforts to reduce pollution.

And we will invest record amounts in public transport, providing a total of £2.65 billion over the next 3 years for our railways - that includes Parliament's funding for Edinburgh Trams. We will also invest a total of £740 million over the period to support bus services and bus travel and increase by 40% spending on direct support for sustainable and active travel. This, along with the work of local authorities, will reduce car dependency and increase the proportion of people using public transport, walking and cycling.

That is investment which is good for our economy and the right choice for our environment. And we will do more:

Over the next 3 years, we will invest a total of £154 million as we move towards becoming a zero-waste society, we will provide a total of £45 million for new woodlands - extending forest cover and our ability to absorb CO2 emissions, and we will create a new Sustainable Development and Climate Change fund worth a total of over £30 million.

We will treble support for community and household renewable generation to £13.5 million each year.

And because our climate and our environment are so important to this government's Purpose and agenda, we will do more. Our manifesto proposed a Saltire Prize to encourage innovation in renewable generation. I am proud to confirm today that we will deliver an annual prize fund of £2 million to reward ongoing excellence in research.

And, we will also deliver a £10 million horizon Prize to attract the cream of the world's scientists to put Scotland firmly on the international map as a leading centre for renewable energy solutions. This will be the largest renewable energy innovation prize in the world - and, it will be founded here, in Scotland."