Scotland’s leader quits over climate change

The promise of “net zero” carbon emissions claimed another political victim this week as Scotland’s administration teeters on the verge of collapse. Defying reality has consequences.

First Minister Humza Yousaf resigned after scrapping his Scottish National Party’s fraying coalition with the Scottish Greens amid a dispute over net-zero targets. Mr. Yousaf and his left-leaning party run a devolved government with the power to set many policies independent of the United Kingdom government in London. Now he’ll have to govern with a minority in the Scottish Parliament.

“Although I am sad that my time as first minister is ending, I am so grateful and blessed for having the opportunity so few are afforded — to lead my country, and who could ask for a better country to lead than Scotland,” a visibly emotional Yousaf said — before leaving the press conference podium without taking any questions.

Yousaf — whose party faces a police probe into its finances — had struggled to reverse the SNP’s poor performance in opinion polling ahead of a Westminster election later this year.