The Scottish Tories have launched a new energy strategy including plans to set up a new green jobs centre in Aberdeen and to pay course fees for any oil and gas workers wanting to move into renewables.
The party unveiled their new energy blueprint on the second day of their spring conference at the Scottish Event Complex in Glasgow on Saturday.
Liam Kerr, Scottish Tory energy spokesman, told delegates the party was taken a “jobs first approach to net zero” as he hit out at the SNP-Green government’s own strategy.
His party’s plan calls for a National Centre for Excellence for Green Jobs to be created in Aberdeen as the “home of the oil and gas sector and the just transition”.
It also outlines the need to provide guaranteed funding to any oil and gas workers wishing to take courses to enable them to move into greener jobs.
The party intends for this to be available to regardless of whether they have a degree.
The strategy makes a number of other key recommendations, which include:
- Establishing an independent Office for Net Zero to hold the Scottish Government and public bodies to account for delivering on climate goals.
- Support the continued exploration and production of new fields in the North Sea.
- Create a working definition of ‘green jobs’ and set up a national centre for green jobs in Aberdeen.
- Introduce a new Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Bill to break down barriers to, and help accelerate the roll-out of, EV charging points.
- Pass a Community Energy Benefit Law to enshrine in law rules around community consent for new energy infrastructure and reduce bills locally.
- Deliver a ‘jobs first’ transition whereby energy projects are assessed in accordance with the number of jobs they create.
Mr Kerr, who is an MSP for the North East region, said SNP want to “shut down the North Sea” to appease their Green colleagues in government.
In January, the Scottish Government published its draft energy strategy, which calls for a “presumption against” new North Sea oil and gas exploration.
Speaking to the Press and Journal, Mr Kerr said the government’s plan has “sorely little” on how to actually deliver the just transition towards greener energy.
He added: “We must take a realistic evidence-based approach to this and say what is our demand, how long is that demand for oil and gas going to be…We are going to need oil and gas.”
Mr Kerr was joined on the stage by Andrew Bowie, energy minister and north-east MP, who criticised the SNP for failing to deliver on green job targets.
The MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine said: “Over a decade ago, we were told by the Scottish Government they were looking at a potential 130,000 green jobs in low carbon employment by 2020.
“In 2019, we saw just 21,000 of those roles, less than in 2014.”
But Aberdeen North MP Kirsty Blackman hit back at the Conservatives over their record on the economy and in energy.
She said: “The Tories should be apologising for trashing the UK economy, imposing a devastating hard Brexit, and failing to match the Scottish Government’s £500million Just Transition fund for the north-east of Scotland.
“Unlike the Tory government, which has repeatedly broken its promises to Scotland, including failing to deliver the £1billion of carbon capture funding promised in 2014, the SNP will continue to stand up for jobs and investment in our vital energy industry.”
‘Decisive action’
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said it is taking “decisive action” backed by the £500 million Just Transition Fund.
She added: “Research has provided an initial upper estimate that up to 100,000 roles in Scotland are ‘new and emerging’ green jobs and Scotland is the top ranked nation in the UK for green jobs creation for the second year in a row.
“Our world leading ScotWind leasing round is a key part of this. We strongly welcome commitments made by the successful developers to invest an average projection of £1.4 billion in Scotland per project, which equates to more than £28 billion across the 20 projects and will help create thousands of new jobs.
“Earlier this week a major Japanese company, Sumitomo Electric Industries, announced plans to establish a manufacturing plant in Scotland to supply the country’s growing renewable energy sector. This is a real vote of confidence in Scotland’s green economy, which continues to thrive.
“Whilst the Biden Administration is stimulating massive investment in renewables through the Inflation Reduction Act and the EU is following suit with its Net Zero Industry Act, the UK Government’s lack of action means we are left on the side-lines with the risk that investment flows to the US and EU and not Scotland.”