People and planet will thrive with Scottish Green New Deal
The Scottish Greens will deliver a groundbreaking and fully funded Green New Deal investment programme to turbo change Scotland’s transition to net zero, with vital new investment in rail infrastructure, housing and energy efficiency and renewables.
Speaking at the launch of her party’s general election manifesto, Co-leader Lorna Slater said: “We have a huge opportunity to build a green economy that works for people and planet, but it won’t happen by itself. It needs real action from governments who are willing to deliver it.
“The UK’s green investment is far below the US, France and Germany, for example, and has been for decades. Now other leading economies are at last waking up to the huge opportunity of clean, green energy and the transition to net-zero, and they are investing.
“But what has Westminster done? They’ve doubled down on fossil fuels and cut crucial spending. They’re even imposing a 10% cut in Scotland’s capital budget. And what does Labour promise? More of the same. They’ve dumped their investment commitment and tied themselves to broken Tory fiscal rules.
“Under the Tories and Labour, investment has been neglected and we are being left behind. Only the Scottish Greens are committed to reversing this decline.
“We are proposing a Green New Deal investment programme. that will increase annual public investment by around £28 billion - or 1% of GDP. £28 billion of climate spending funded by taxes on the wealthy and big polluters.”
The Scottish Greens would end subsidies and handouts to the fossil fuel industry and require all public sector pensions to divest from fossil fuels, while introducing a £1000 per head tax on private jet users. The investment programme would be funded by wealth taxes on polluters and the super-rich.
Ms Slater finished by saying: “There is no time left for the delusion we have seen from the main Westminster parties. Ditching climate commitments and arguing over which oil fields should go ahead.
“There is no time left to postpone the decisive action we need to save the planet and to build a fair and green country. In this manifesto, we have set out the bold and ambitious change we need, and it needs to happen now.
“Don’t waste your vote on small change. Vote like your future depends on it. Vote for the Scottish Greens.”
