Nicola Sturgeon made clear her government has a “duty” to support oil and gas workers into new green jobs as she closed her party’s conference in Aberdeen.
Taking place in the oil capital of Europe, it was no surprise the transition away from fossil fuels became one of the main talking points at the three-day event.
The climate emergency and soaring energy bills have undoubtedly focused minds.
But away from the buzz words, there has long been a lack of detail on the practicalities of moving away from oil and gas.
This began to shift at conference with promising signs beyond the rhetoric.
‘Net zero capital of the world’
The first minister told delegates in the packed hall at P&J Live that Aberdeen is the “oil and gas capital of Europe” but should become the “net zero capital of the world”.
Now, the SNP is acknowledging more forcefully that it does have an obligation to support North Sea workers in finding a future beyond oil.
For decades, the sector’s ingenuity has helped to drive the Scottish economy and employed thousands in the region. 
Yet the Scottish Government has been accused of abandoning and talking down the sector in recent years.
There were other promising signs from conference such as a date being confirmed for an offshore energy skills summit in Aberdeen.
This has been set up in an attempt to break down barriers faced by oil and gas workers in the shift away from fossil fuels.
A survey of 500 oil and gas workers revealed only one in 10 workers in the North Sea oil and gas industry say they have enough opportunities to make the switch to renewables.
‘Agenda is changing’
Just Transition Minister Richard Lochhead highlighted the number of fringe meetings taking place at conference on the transition towards renewables.
There were around nine fringe events at conference focused on different aspects of the just transition from the banking sector to Friends of the Earth Scotland.
He said this “radical change” from conferences past “shows how quickly the agenda is changing”.
Government ministers at the conference also highlighted the SNP government’s plans to publish its draft energy strategy for Scotland by the end of the year.
This will be accompanied by a just transition plan for oil and gas workers – the first in a series – with the intention of charting a path for people in this sector.
Fergus Mutch, policy advisor from Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, highlighted during one panel how the energy sector is “personal” for many.
Most of us in the north-east will have either parents, partners, friends, or family employed in the sector, which for so long has helped fuel Scotland’s economic growth.
The eyes of the north-east will be on the government to hold its promises.
Adele Merson is the Press and Journal’s political editor.
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