Reform UK’s plan to scrap climate industries could destroy 500,000 jobs

New research reveals that Reform UK’s plan for a reversal of climate policies would result in “catastrophic” job losses, undermine the economy, and impact already vulnerable regions including the North East of Scotland. 

The report “Job Destruction from Dismantling the UK’s Climate Action Policy Framework ” by Transition Economics demonstrates how the scrapping of support for renewable energy and net zero industries, would destroy nearly 500,000 UK jobs within three years – comparable to almost every teacher in the UK losing their jobs.

Scotland would be disproportionately hit by Reform’s plans, suffering 26,300 direct job losses, which is 13% of the UK total despite having just 8% of the UK population. By 2040, the UK would be missing out on up to 1.4 million jobs that the current policies would create or sustain.

Reform trying to make climate a divisive issue

Despite public support for climate action holding strong, Reform have sought to use the climate crisis as a dividing issue in UK politics. The research focused on Reform as the clearest and most developed force pushing to dismantle climate policy in the UK.

The report describes how the sudden and extreme reversal of policy would undermine decades of public and private investment in technology, products and skills for the low carbon economy. It would be highly disruptive, “leaving ports with no trade, suppliers with no customers, and skilled workers with no employers.”  

Inverness and the North East Highlands is identified as a particularly “at-risk area” with 3,000 current jobs under threat and the removal of industries such as offshore wind which are core to the region’s economic future and the ports of Inverness, Nigg, and Cromarty Firth. 

Fossil fuel donations to Reform

Reform UK have received millions of pounds in donations from fossil fuel companies and had previously pledged to introduce fracking if they win a UK General Election. Reform’s Scottish election manifesto also promises to fast track applications for open-cast coal mining in Scotland.

The research was commissioned by Friends of the Earth Scotland and Oil Change UK.

Rosie Hampton, Oil and Gas Campaigns Manager at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:
“Reform’s plans would destroy swathes of Scottish industry in a flash, putting tens of thousands of workers out of their jobs, reinforcing how destructive their policies are to workers and communities across Scotland.

“Reform’s opposition to climate solutions is economically catastrophic as well as being morally bankrupt. You can clearly see the influence of the party’s huge fossil fuel company’s donors cynically using these politicians to try and stop the rise of renewable energy.

“By undermining decades of public and private investment in green technology, this extreme reversal would leave ports with no trade, suppliers with no customers, and skilled workers with no employers or prospects. 

“Any other political chancers who try to mimic this agenda would be committing to sacrifice workers and communities for their short term political ambitions. This research shows how important the green economy already is to communities across Scotland and it is clear decisive climate action will create even more jobs and bring down bills for good.

“The people we should be listening to instead are the workers who have been advocating for a credible industrial strategy and public ownership of our energy system for years now. Anything else would be a betrayal of those workers and an absolute failure of climate and industrial leadership.

Pete Letton manages operations for teams of wind turbine maintenance workers across Scotland, and is based in Dundee. He commented,

“We need wind turbines, because everybody needs electricity. But at the moment we literally pay these companies to switch them off because our own grid can’t  handle it and at the same time we are buying in gas to make up for it.

“I went into wind because I wanted to support my family.  It’s a good career path, but it’s not just that – the ethics of it make me feel good.

“You’re talking electricians, mechanical engineers, construction experts and now people are saying, and what I am witnessing, is its only going to grow.

“The Global Wind Organisation have forecasted that the industry needs to try and recruit over 500,000 wind technicians globally by 2028. I don’t know why it’s such a controversial industry.” 

Rosemary Harris, North Sea Senior Campaigner at Oil Change UK, said:

“It is clear Reform UK’s ideological drive to derail climate action will come at the cost of the very workers they claim to represent. 

“Politicians seeking to curry favour through economically incoherent plans to reverse course on a green energy future should see this as a warning. Turning back now will not only undermine global progress towards preventing catastrophic flooding, heat waves, and crop failure, but it will also destroy the livelihoods of workers and communities across the UK.

“Selling a fantasy of abandoning climate action in favour of more North Sea oil and gas as the solution to fossil fuel driven energy price shocks and job insecurity is dangerous and disingenuous. It doesn’t help workers and communities, and serves only the narrow self-interests of those peddling snake oil to struggling communities. It’s time to get serious.”