Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur asks why aviation is getting a "free pass", pointing to plans to cut air departure tax and support for the third runway at Heathrow.

Aviation accounts for less that 5% of total Scottish emissions, replies the minister.

Ms Cunningham also reiterates her point regarding needing to balance emissions against the impact on the economy and connectivity.

Image source, bbc

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks if the EU set a net zero target as being discussed, would the Scottish government use that as a reason to set one.

Ms Cunningham understands there is a lot of discussions around a net zero target, but argues there are many varied ways of achieving one.

She argues she cannot tell what the EU will do in the future.

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In January Holyrood's environment committee warned budget cuts in some policy areas could damage the Scottish government's climate change ambitions.

Despite an overall increase in spending, the committee said funding for key areas like mitigating agricultural emissions was falling.

The Scottish government said funding for climate change measures was rising by 20% this year to £558m.

But the committee questioned whether that figure gives a full picture.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish welcomes the targets being met.

However, she suggests the draft Climate Change Bill does not contain the most ambitious targets.

She asks about efforts to tackle emissions in transport, residential buildings and agriculture

Ms Beamish also suggests more could be done to support mandatory action in farming.

Ms Cunningham refers to her previous answer on transport and buildings.

In terms of agriculture, she highlights the majority of these emissions are not carbon and therefore tackling this is a different matter from decarbonisation.

The cabinet secretary also warns again setting targets which are too high.

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Tory MSP Donald Cameron welcomes today's announcement and the progress made on emissions.

Mr Cameron argues the climate change plan and forthcoming Bill are not ambitious enough.

He argues we must discuss what more can be done to reduce emissions in areas like transport.

Ms Cunningham argues the Bill is ambitious, but accepts more can done in certain sectors.

The minister believes in terms of transport the government has already made significant commitments.

Image source, Getty images

The Scottish government has stopped short of committing to a target for Scotland to become carbon-neutral by 2050.

Its draft Climate Change Bill, just published, sets a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by the middle of the century.

Although the bill pledges to achieve a 100% cut, no date is set for the target.

Environmental groups say ministers are missing an opportunity.

Tom Ballantine, chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said: "It's hugely disappointing that the Scottish government has failed to live up to its own rhetoric on global climate change leadership, by failing to set a net zero emissions target in the Climate Change Bill published today.

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The environment secretary says that while the closure of Longannet Power Station contributed to a reduction, we need to be mindful of the impact on workforces.

This demonstrates why we need a balanced approach to meeting climate, social and economic priorities, Ms Cunningham explains.

"This government wants to achieve net zero as soon as possible."

I don't want Scotland just to reduce emissions, but to reduce them in a way that supports sustainable growth, she argues.

Otherwise it may commit Scotland to approach which jeapoardises jobs, limit productivity and impact food productions, the minister warns.

Image source, bbc

Ms Cunningham says she is sure today's figures are good news.

The minister accepts there is scope for improvements in the reporting of climate change targets and pledges to use actual emissions going forward.

She points out decisions around revisions of statistics are made by the UK goverment.

The climate change minister says today's statistics show Scotland is halfway through its low carbon transition and the new climate change bill puts us at the "global vanguard".

Scotland is the only country in the world with statutory annual targets, she explains.

Image source, Getty Images

Greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland have almost halved since 1990, according to the latest figures.

Government statistics, external show levels in 2016 were 49% below the 1990 baseline, with a 10.3% drop on the previous year.

The adjusted figure, which includes Scotland's share of an EU-wide emissions trading system, fell by 45.2%.

The drop has been largely attributed to the 2016 closure of the Longannet Power Station.

Read more here.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham tells the chamber that Scotland's transition to a low carbon society is "well underway".

She points to the 49% reduction in emissions since 1990.

The cabinet secretary praises the actions taken by individuals and businesses which have contributed to the decrease.

Scotland has not only met the 2016 target, but it is also exceeding the interim 2020 target, Ms Cunningham states.

Image source, bbc

The Scottish government will now deliver a statement on Scottish greenhouse gas emissions in 2016.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon asks about barriers to councils getting people out of temporary accommodation.

The minister agrees efforts must not concentrate in finding out what these barriers are.

Housing option hubs are looking into this and also when best practice can be exported, he explains.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene insists there is a chronic lack of housing in chronic homelessness hot spots like Edinburgh and East Renfrewshire.

Mr Greene doubts the government's 50,000 affordable homes pledge will be delivered.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart 76,500 affordable homes since the SNP came to power in 2007.

The minister inisists the government is on track to deliver its affordable housing pledge.

He argues the Crisis report "Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain (2018)", external"takes to bits the UK government's welfare regime".

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart points to the Homelessness Action Group which made a series of recommendations on transforming temporary accommodation.

The Scottish government broadly accepted these, he highlights.

We are committed to ensuring temporary accommodation meets the needs of those who need it and leads to positive outcomes, the minister states.

Mr Greene says the report indicated not all accommodation was adequate and suitable.

He also highlights suggestions that moving people straight to permanent accommodation could save money.

The minister says 81% of people in temporary accommodation are in mainstream social housing and he expresses hopes that this figure will rise.

Mr Stewart also refers to the reduction in the period in which families with pregnant women and children can stay in temporary accommodation.

Image source, Getty Images

The number of homeless households in hostels in Scotland has increased by 43% since 2010, research indicates.

The study, commissioned by Social Bite, found almost 3,000 households are facing such temporary arrangements.

Backers of the study said living in hostels can leave people "marginalised and stigmatised".

Housing minister Kevin Stewart said the Scottish government has pledged to "transform" temporary accommodation.

Read more here.

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The UK could see an end to homelessness within 10 years if the government embraces certain policies, according to the homeless charity Crisis.

In a newly-published report, external, Crisis sets out a comprehensive plan to make homelessness "a thing of the past".

It says 100,500 social homes need to be built each year for the next 15 years.

The charity estimates that there are currently 236,000 homeless people across England, Wales and Scotland, including those living in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

Read more.