Cruise ships to Scotland will pay emissions tax

Monday, October 30, 2023

Cruise ships visiting Scotland will not have to pay a new tax under plans announced by the Scottish Green party.

It said the levy would tackle the “twin challenges” of harmful emissions and the impact of thousands of tourists on port communities.

Circular economy minister Lorna Slater told her party’s conference in Dunfermline that this could target the most polluting vessels.

There was an announcement of extension of free ferry travel for young people.

All young people under the age of 22 living on Scottish islands have the entitlement to avail four free mainland trips a year. Earlier, the scheme was applicable only to 16 to 18-year-old passengers.

Ms Slater, Scottish Green co-leader hoped the cruise ship levy would be structured to incentivise operators to use less-polluting vessels.

This is essential; one ship produces the same amount of carbon emissions as 12,000 cars; operators have the permission to get away with polluting for too long.

A total of 817,000 cruise ship passengers visited Scotland in 2019. Some councils have raised concerns about the trade is having.

Orkney Council last month approved plans to limit the number of ships that can visit at one time.

Greenock, Oban, Lerwick and Leith are among the other ports in Scotland regularly hosting cruise ships.

At the Scottish Greens conference, there was announcement that £2m of Scottish government funding had been secured.

This is to enable the roll-out of free bus travel to asylum seekers in Scotland.

It comes after Holyrood’s equalities, human rights and civil justice committee backed the move.

Ms Slater also pledged at the conference to build on their power sharing deal with the SNP. She also vowed to press on with policies to tackle the climate crisis.

She said the party had made a positive impact since signing the 2021 Bute House Agreement.

The Scottish Greens have been in government for two years now, and are increasingly confident about their role.

In July Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the move to grant 100 new North Sea oil and gas licences and said it was “entirely consistent” with net zero commitments.

And last month he said a new Scottish oil field would help prevent young people from growing up “dependent on foreign dictators” for energy security.

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