Friends of the Earth Scotland’s response to the Grangemouth Inquiry

The Scottish Parliaments Economy and Fair Work Committee recently launched an inquiry into the Just Transition at Grangemouth. Part of this inquiry was a call for views from the public. Friends of the Earth Scotland were delighted to take part in this crucial inquiry.

The world is in an existential climate and nature crisis, and we are rapidly running out of time to stop ecological and social collapse.  

Climate science is clear that use of fossil fuels must be urgently phased out if we are to meet the critical 1.5^oC threshold; the principles of equity under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change require that rich, historical polluters like Scotland act fastest to curb emissions. 

Experts at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research have calculated that for only a 67% chance of keeping to 1.5°C, the UK must end oil and gas production by 2031. This date takes into account the capacity of different producer nations to phase out extraction from an equity perspective such as providing basic needs of citizens and a just transition. For the UK, a wealthy country with oil and gas as a relatively small part of the overall economy, this date should enable sufficient time to ensure the transition is fair to workers and communities who currently rely on the industry for their livelihoods, avoiding a chaotic deferred collapse 

With industry at Grangemouth heavily reliant on fossil fuels and accounting for 9% of all of Scotland’s climate emissions, there is an urgent need to for both regional and sectoral just transition planning to ensure the workforce and community are supported through the changes which must come to meet our climate objectives.  

Our response linked below goes into further detail.