Public, private and third sector partners have united in a shared mission to identify the economic opportunities that a net zero future offers the Scottish economy.
A new report published by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) and 16 businesses and organisations – including Shell, Scottish Power, NatureScot, North Ayrshire Council and Zero Waste Scotland – expands on the findings of an interim report earlier this year in response to the urgency of the Covid and climate crises.
The Manifesto for Clean Growth recommends actions in seven key areas: industry, energy, connectivity, place, people, finance and nature. These include:
- Helping to create new jobs and de-carbonise fuels for heating, transport and industry by investing in biotech innovation, including the transformation of Grangemouth into a biorefinery.
- Helping reduce fossil fuel usage by boosting investment in hydrogen as a cleaner energy source.
- Piloting ‘20-minute neighbourhoods’ with reduced traffic, improved air quality, strengthened local economies and community bonds.
- Reaching net zero in new buildings from 2023 by introducing standards that require ultra-energy efficient design and use of low carbon heating.
- Helping those both in and out of work to pick up green job skills through a voluntary and inclusive national service scheme for net zero job and volunteering opportunities.
- Supporting the transition to lower-carbon farming methods by introducing a new system of farm support for sustainable agriculture.
Sara Thiam, SCDI’s chief executive, said: “This report sets out a positive plan for action for Scotland, one that all sectors and geographies can get behind.
“We firmly believe that these recommendations will create a cleaner greener Scotland, which is fit for the future, not just in the aftermath of the global pandemic but for decades to come.”
The UK Oil and Gas Industry Association’s sustainability director Mike Tholen said: “This report shows how Scotland’s changing oil and gas industry can help meet our climate ambitions while also using our essential expertise to secure the exciting new energy jobs of the future.”
Earlier this week, a separate report from OGUK urged governments to act now to ensure the UK builds a homegrown transition towards a clean energy future.
Drax Group chief executive Will Gardiner said: “Scotland can kickstart a green economic recovery by embracing flexible technologies like pumped hydro storage at Drax’s iconic Cruachan power station.
“With an appropriate investment framework, projects like this will be transformative for Scotland, the UK and our climate – expanding capacity to support more wind power whilst creating skilled jobs in rural Scotland.”
Councillor Murray Lyle, leader of Perth & Kinross Council, added: “What this report clearly shows is that failure to act is not an option and it will require commitment and collaboration across all sectors to achieve Net Zero by 2045.”
Separately, the National Audit Office has published a report stating that the UK is projected to fail to meet the government’s targets for the years 2023 to 2027 and 2028 to 2032, which were set to establish a trajectory for reducing emissions by 80% over the next 30 years.
If the government is to get to net zero by 2050, changes will be expected to the way electricity is generated, how people travel, how land is used and how buildings are heated, the public service watchdog noted.
This comes ahead of an expected announcement from the Prime Minister around committing to another ambitious target of reducing emissions by as much as 69% within the decade.
Last month the UK Government unveiled a 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution” that included a ban on the sale of diesel and petrol cars from 2030.
