SCOTTISH ministers should be more ambitious and bring forward a target to slash the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2045, according to a poll of The Herald's readers.
The survey found 62 per cent of respondents backed adopting a more radical target date, while there was also support for banning cars from city centres and forcing landowners to plant forests.
It comes as pupils across Scotland prepare to take part in another global climate strike today, as they continue to push for far-reaching change.
Earlier this year, Nicola Sturgeon announced Scotland would seek to cut its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2045 – five years ahead of the rest of the UK.
READ MORE: The full list of climate strikes taking place across Scotland
But the Scottish Greens have repeatedly argued this will be too late to prevent climate breakdown.
Responding to The Herald's poll, Mark Ruskell MSP said: “It’s clear that the public overwhelmingly support the government taking bolder action on the climate emergency, and we’ve published a Scottish Green New Deal that shows ministers how they can do that.
“Young people are also taking to the streets to tell the government that they must do much more.
“It’s time that government’s took their fingers out their ears and started listening to those who are demanding the genuinely transformational action that we need to save our planet.”
The Herald quizzed a sample of 377 readers on a number of issues around climate change.
It found 291 – around 77% - are worried about the declared climate emergency.
Meanwhile, 243 – almost two-thirds – support the right of children to skip classes and participate in climate strikes at least occasionally.
And 57% agreed with non-violent civil disobedience protests over the climate crisis.
Around 73% of Herald readers, or 275 respondents, thought 16-year-olds should have the right to vote to give them a voice on climate issues, while a total of 197 described teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg as ‘inspiring’.
Elsewhere, 42%, or 159 respondents, rated the Scottish Government’s response to the climate emergency ‘adequate’, while 29% considered it ‘good’.
Just under a quarter said the response of Scottish ministers had been poor.
Around 40% of Herald readers – 152 respondents – thought politicians in Scotland are serious about tackling climate change, while 15% thought they are not. Almost 30%, or 110 respondents, accused them of “greenwashing” for votes.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Scottish Greens came out top when readers were asked to pick the political party which best leads on climate issues, although the SNP also scored well.
The survey found a decisive 69% of this paper's readers would accept a ban on cars and some other vehicles in city centres to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.
And just under half – 185 respondents – said Scotland should introduce free bus travel to help tackle road air pollution.
However, just six readers thought oil and gas production in the North Sea should be brought to an end immediately to address the climate crisis. The majority – 55% - said production should cease but as part of a transition.
The same percentage said Scotland’s landowners should be forced to give up land to plant forests to combat climate change.
READ MORE: Greta tells Congress 'You’re not trying hard enough'
A total of 218 respondents, around 58%, said Scotland needs legislation to ban fracking under future governments, rather than the current planning moratorium.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Scotland is already a world leader in tackling climate change and we have almost halved greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 while growing the economy, increasing employment and productivity.
“We are determined to reach net-zero emissions by 2045 at the latest.
"Our independent scientific advisors, the UK Committee on Climate Change, have advised that this will require strong effort across all sectors in Scotland as well as the UK Government acting in areas not yet devolved to Scotland.”
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