The Scottish Government's plan for achieving net zero includes targets to reduce total emissions each year, as well as longer term goals to slash emissions across different sectors. Emissions data in Scotland is published annually and compared against the interim targets Scotland has set for cutting climate pollution each year. For our series, Scotland and the Climate Crisis, Ferret Fact Service examined the government's performance against its own targets. Greenhouse gas emissions Scotland's overall target in 2021 was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51.1 per cent from levels in 1990, the benchmark year. This was the yearly target the country needed to reach in order to be on track to achieve its long term objectives of a 75 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, and a 100 per cent reduction - net zero - by 2045. The latest statistics show levels have fallen to 49.9 per cent in 2021, meaning the Scottish Government missed its yearly target by 1.2 per cent Emissions were up 2.4 per cent from the previous year, with 41.6 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) compared to 40.6 MtCO2e in 2020. The 2020 statistics were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw significant reductions in transport-related emissions as lockdowns took effect across Scotland, limiting the amount of travel. Every missed target for overall emissions makes meeting the target the following year more difficult, as further cuts in emissions must take place. This is because climate pollution accumulates in the atmosphere. In other words, if Scotland achieves net zero by 2045, but misses all of its yearly targets in the lead up to that date, it will still have contributed more to the climate crisis than planned despite the overall target being met. Between 2018 and 2021, Scottish emissions were a combined 4.6 million tonnes higher than the targets for those years. The Scottish Government has committed to producing a plan to catch up on emissions. Scotland does not have statutory targets for each sector, but has published so-called yearly "emissions envelopes" which show the reductions required across different areas, if the overall net zero goal is to be achieved. These are contained in Scotland's Climate Change Plan update. Overall emissions target: Missed Agriculture The sector emitted 7.8 MtCO2e in 2021, which is over its envelope of 6.8. The sector increased its emissions by 100,000 tonnes of CO2e between 2020 and 2021. The sector has also made limited progress towards reducing the use of harmful nitrogen fertilisers. Excessive nitrogen in the atmosphere exacerbates climate change and depletes the ozone layer. Overall emissions target: Missed Buildings Emissions from buildings increased from 8.5 MtCO2e to 9.0 between 2020 and 2021, a 6.1 per cent increase. Its emissions envelope for 2021 was 7.6. The Climate Change Plan update set a target of 1.5 million homes using low emissions heating by 2030. The latest figures for 2019 show 312,000 homes using these systems. Heat consumption from fossil fuels in commercial buildings is planned to reduce to 5,000 Gigawatt hours or less by 2030. In 2020, it sat at 11,170 GWh, having increased since 2016. Overall emissions target: Missed Electricity Electricity generation produced 1.6 MtCO2e in 2021, which matched its sector envelope of 1.6 set out in the climate change plan update. It reduced by 100,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the past year. It should be noted that emissions from the North sea oil and gas sector are not included within these statistics as they are considered to be UK-wide emissions rather than linked to Scotland. Elsewhere, Scotland's energy system is succeeding on its target on carbon intensity, producing under 50g of CO2 emissions produced per kilowatt hour of electricity consumed. This reduction in carbon intensity is mainly down to the closure of coal fired power stations in 2013 and 2016, and reduced reliance on gas. Scotland's renewable energy consumption target is 50 p...