Government low carbon economy plan

Commenting on the Scottish Government’s low carbon economy discussion paper, Duncan McLaren, Friends of the Earth Scotland Chief Executive, said:

“This welcome consultation represents a big step forward for Scotland. We have long argued that greater investment and support for the environment could be good for jobs too. It’s good to see this consultation looking at how skills development and finance can back policies to deliver low carbon jobs and cuts in emissions together.

“However, in producing a sectoral consultation on the ‘low carbon economy’, the Scottish Government seem to imply that in parallel they will be continuing to back a ‘high-carbon economy’ of fossil fuel extraction, unsustainable finance and airborne tourism. Their plans must address the reality that in the long-term the low carbon economy will have to be the whole of the economy, and that everything we consume from food to clothing, from housing to entertainment will all have to be low carbon.

“The Government must also beware of supporting development which helps lock in high-carbon options even in the short term. There is no place for increased road capacity, airport expansion and even partially unabated coal power in a low carbon Scotland.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:
Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland
T: 0131 243 2719

Notes to editors

Towards a Low Carbon Economy for Scotland: This discussion paper sets out the Scottish Government’s plans to move towards a low carbon economy in Scotland. 

Friends of the Earth Scotland is the country’s leading independent environmental campaigning organisation, and is the only organisation in Scotland that is working for environmental justice, campaigning for the planet and its people.