Sustainable economic development must be about creating an economy that delivers on both social and environmental objectives. However, your report ("Worrying gap between emissions levels and Scotland's plans for cutting carbon", November 26) highlights the fact that the government's own sustainable development watchdog, the Sustainable Development Commission, is not convinced that this is happening yet in Scotland.

Sustainable economic development must be about creating an economy that delivers on both social and environmental objectives. However, your report ("Worrying gap between emissions levels and Scotland's plans for cutting carbon", November 26) highlights the fact that the government's own sustainable development watchdog, the Sustainable Development Commission, is not convinced that this is happening yet in Scotland.

While the Scottish Government has said many good things and made some bold moves to change the structures of government, it has yet to demonstrate that sustainable development is at the heart of decision-making.

The looming recession is making us challenge every aspect of our current way of doing things, giving us a real opportunity to reshape our system to deliver genuine sustainable development.

The Scottish Government is showing strong international leadership with its Climate Change Bill but the commission's report shows that at home, from transport priorities to fuel poverty, the government needs to sharpen up its thinking.

The cabinet needs to understand that economic growth cannot be sustainable without respecting social and environmental limits. The concept of sustainable economic growth is not yet delivering the right decisions for Scotland.

Dr Richard Dixon, Director, WWF Scotland, Little Dunkeld, Dunkeld, Perthshire.