Energy Strategy needs bold ambition

Ahead of today’s launch of Scotland’s first comprehensive Energy Strategy, Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:

“The first comprehensive Energy Strategy for Scotland needs to spell out a bold vision for how our country can use energy much more efficiently and set us irrevocably on course to 100% of our energy from renewables. We are already doing very well on electricity but we must build on this and also transform energy use in transport and heating, getting away from climate-wrecking fossil fuels as soon as we can.

“New nuclear power and fracking must have no place in Scotland’s energy future. Scotland is blessed with clean energy resources and we need to harness the huge energies in the wind, waves and sun to build a modern low-carbon economy the equal of any in the world. We also need to make sure that communities have a major share of the benefits that come from their renewable energy resources.

“The strategy should show how the Government plans to support workers currently employed in fossil fuels to fairly transition to jobs to in the clean energy economy, if they so wish.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Energy Strategy will be launched in Parliament by Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse on the afternoon of Tuesday 24th January.

2. The ‘Energy of Scotland’ report was published last year and mapped out the path to 50% renewable energy for electricity, heating and transport by 2030. It is a joint report commissioned by FoE Scotland, RSPB Scotland and WWF Scotland. http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/ricardo_energy_report_web.pdf

3. Friends of the Earth Scotland is:
* Scotland's leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 75 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups.
www.foe-scotland.org.uk