SNP Green Industrial Strategy could damage journey to net zero
The SNP is backing away from the scale of climate action that is needed and is committing to a Green Industrial Strategy that could actively damage our chances of reaching Net Zero, says Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater, following the publication of the strategy this morning.
Ms Slater said: “This strategy sets a worrying direction for Scotland and could actively damage our chances of reaching Net-Zero. The scale of the crisis we face demands bold and transformative action, but this strategy comes nowhere near to offering that.
“They are making the wrong choices. The focus on carbon capture technologies is a huge mis-step, and represents a significant shift since the Scottish Greens were in Government. These are experimental technologies, any role that they have to play in our journey to net-zero will be very limited in both time and scope, and they’re a long way yet from being truly green technologies.
“By placing them front and centre of the Green Industrial Strategy, the SNP is essentially granting permission for fossil fuel companies to continue extracting and burning north sea oil for generations to come.
“By focusing solely on growing wind power - which is already well developed in Scotland - we will miss out on the huge opportunity that comes from our rich renewables potential. Our emerging wave and tidal industries once had a bright future, but will effectively be shelved under these plans, leaving other countries to benefit from the development of new technology.
“The Scottish Government also seems to have abandoned its ambitions on solar power, which is becoming increasingly efficient and has huge potential for a supply chain market in Scotland. There is no mention at all of the biggest domestic transition to come - the transition to clean heating in our homes - which should provide jobs in installation, design and manufacturing for decades to come, if it has the right support from Government.
“This strategy sets a worrying precedent for the SNP minority Government. It is not facing up to the reality or the scale of action needed to decarbonise our industry and economy and instead is pandering to the calls of the fossil fuel industry.”
