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Green jobs blueprint
02/02/2009
Plans to create thousands of green energy jobs by 2020 were announced today.
The Scottish Government will progress action as part of its economic recovery programme - across energy generation, energy efficiency and transport - to create new jobs, tackle climate change and save households and businesses money.
Estimates suggest that there could be 16,000 jobs in energy-related opportunities in Scotland over the next decade.
Addressing a RSPB conference on Scotland's Natural Wealth, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney said the plans will aid economic recovery and lead Scotland to a 'more sustainable future'.
Mr Swinney said:
"We are in the most difficult economic climate for a generation and need to pursue every possible opportunity we have to create wealth. Our central purpose, to increase sustainable economic growth, commits us to supporting an economy that respects our environment and natural resources.
"Today, we are laying the foundations for economic success by investing in Scotland's natural capital and world leading skills base for a greener future - a greener deal for Scotland.
"UK estimates show that harnessing the energy related opportunities presented by Scotland's environment could create 16,000 jobs over the next decade. Yet we have a much greater share of the UK's natural green energy potential - in wave, wind and water - and we want to see that figure go even higher.
"These are jobs for the future - jobs in our rapidly expanding renewables industry, in developing and applying clean fossil fuel technology, in energy efficiency and microgeneration and in new sustainable travel methods."
The Scottish Government will take action to:
- Support and accelerate the implementation of renewable energy through the Renewable Energy Action Plan
- Build a commercially viable, diverse renewable heat industry through the implementation of the Renewable Heat Action Plan
- Work with the oil and gas sector to maintain its competitiveness and facilitate skills and knowledge transfer to other sectors
- Enhance capability to undertake energy and environmental foresight, and develop preparedness to anticipate threats and take advantage of opportunities
- Support the development and implementation of clean fossil technologies in Scotland
- Support the development of sub-sea grids, improvements in the onshore grids, and press the UK government for fairer charging structures
- Improve Scotland's energy use through an Energy Efficiency Action Plan
- Develop and deliver more sustainable transport to improve efficiency and reduce transport emissions in the longer term
- Promote the development, uptake and use of electric and other low carbon vehicles
- Develop international partnerships, through the Saltire Prize and the Scottish European Green Energy Centre, to make Scotland a leader in the development and deployment of green energy
Mr Swinney added:
"We will continue to work to strengthen Scottish supply chains, ensure we benefit from new technology developments and deliver cost savings for consumers and business through energy efficiency improvements. We will work with industry, with academia, with non governmental organisations and range of other partners.
"Over the coming months my Ministerial colleagues and I will be setting out further, detailed elements of our greener deal for Scotland."
The UK Renewable Energy Strategy consultation document 2008 cited potential for 160,000 UK renewable energy jobs by 2020. There are currently around 3,000 jobs in green energy in Scotland.