A NATIONALISED energy sector could create 40,000 more jobs, say the Scottish Greens.
In a report published today, the party claim the best way to save the energy sector is to take it into public ownership.
The report by Mika Minio-Paluell, author of the Oil Road: Journeys from the Caspian Sea to the City of London, says tax cuts for oil corporations are not the answer.
The report states: “The North Sea oil industry says jobs are threatened by falling oil prices, but a better future for Scotland is possible. More and better jobs. A safer and more stable economy. Stronger communities. A long-term future as an energy exporter. Moving from energy colonialism to energy democracy.
“This better future won’t come with tax cuts for oil corporations and trying to extract every last barrel. It means changing direction towards a rapid transition away from fossil fuels. This will require a wholesale change of UK economic policy away from austerity and toward investment in the new economy.
“Sustainable sectors in the new economy can employ significantly more people than currently work in fossil fuel industries.”
The new economy could employ 200,000 people by 2020 in contrast to the 156,000 currently employed in fossil fuel extraction, says the report.
Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone welcomed the report: “In recent months there have been mass lay-offs in the oil and gas industry.
“The ongoing insecurity due to the volatile price and finite nature of this resource has devastating consequences for families and communities.
“The only credible and responsible course of action is a managed transition towards sustainable sectors as outlined in this major report.”
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “We’ve become used to seeing Government-backed task forces set up to help workers and communities when big industries close suddenly.
"However, if Scotland is to grasp the opportunities set out in this report, then we need ministers become more forward-thinking, perhaps by creating a low-carbon futures taskforce that could plan a sensible and coordinated transition that delivered sustainable jobs and communities in cleaner manufacturing and industries. I hope this study helps stimulate that sort of thinking.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here