Scottish Government plans to cut carbon emissions were dismissed yesterday as �weak and irresponsible�. Opposition parties united to condemn the plans setting a target of a 34% reduction by 2020 as too low, ahead of Wednesday�s vote in the Scottish Parliament on the Climate Change Bill.

Scottish Government plans to cut carbon emissions were dismissed yesterday as "weak and irresponsible".

Opposition parties united to condemn the plans setting a target of a 34% reduction by 2020 as too low, ahead of Wednesday's vote in the Scottish Parliament on the Climate Change Bill.

As pop stars painted themselves blue as part of an Oxfam climate change campaign, Labour, the Greens and the LibDems called for higher limits.

Labour wants a target of 40% by 2020, a figure which the Greens say is the minimum required for the bill to be supportable. They are tabling an amendment calling for a 50% target. The LibDems want 42%.

Green leader Patrick Harvie said the Chinese Government warned developed nations last month a commitment to reduce Western countries' emissions by 40% was the minimum required for global justice. He said there was concern about whether China, one of the world's worst polluters, would sign up to a deal on emissions at talks in Copenhagen later this year unless the West responded.

Mr Harvie said: "The SNP have been reduced to lies and bluster on climate change. Alex Salmond clearly doesn't want to take a lead on climate change. He'd much rather just bicker about the constitution and pass the buck to London.

"Without a realistic target for 2020, this bill will be an insult to the rest of the world, not an attempt to lead. Given the position of the Chinese government, the legislation as it stands could even threaten the chances of an international agreement in Copenhagen."

He added:"This week will be crucial to Scotland's future reputation, and if the SNP has to be dragged kicking and screaming to 40%, then so be it."

Labour spokesperson Sarah Boyack claimed the SNP had "hyped this bill up as being world-class". She warned: "Unless Scotland heads towards a 40% target for 2020, it will end up being a second-class piece of legislation.

"Everyone must be on the same page this week. This is a chance for the Scottish Parliament to prove we are serious about tackling the effects of global warming.

"We know that the next few decades are crucial and we can't shy away from making these big decisions now. The experts are telling us that climate change is going to severely alter our weather patterns in years to come and so early action is crucial.

"It is time for the public, businesses and public bodies to pull together to meet a more ambitious target for reducing harmful emissions."

LibDem climate change spokesperson Alison McInnes said the current targets set out in the bill were "staggeringly weak". She said the LibDems backed cutting emissions by 42% because that was the view supported by experts.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said it was taking foward "the most ambitious and comprehensive climate change legislation anywhere in the world".

He added: "Our bill sets a target of reducing Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 and includes emissions from international aviation and shipping."

Jarvis Cocker, Little Boots and Fatboy Slim were among the celebrities who painted themselves blue for a charity photo shoot ahead of the Glastonbury festival.

The portraits are to launch Oxfam's climate change campaign for the festival season.

They also feature Editors' Tom Smith, The View, Luke Pritchard from The Kooks and VV Brown.

Oxfam is asking thousands of festival-goers this summer to paint themselves blue to make a statement to the government on climate change.