Government must do more to ensure net-zero transition boosts economy, instead of crashing it – Scotsman comment

The need to decarbonise and modernise the economy is clear. Politicians need to plot a path to the future that does not result in 1980s-style, mass job losses

The recent visits to Scotland by both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer demonstrate the importance that these two rivals place on the votes to be won and lost in this part of the UK. A central issue, particularly in the north-east of Scotland, will be energy.

The decisions by the Sunak and the SNP to roll back climate-related targets and Starmer’s promise to kickstart the green industrial revolution – with measures including the creation of a new, publicly owned company, Great British Energy, to be based in Scotland – show there are clear choices to be made between the Conservatives, SNP and Labour.

The SNP government has also come under fire for not doing enough to safeguard the futures of oil workers at Grangemouth. Unions are rightly concerned their members may suffer the same fate as 1980s’ coalminers.

Keir Starmer, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, as the party launches its Scottish election campaign in Glasgow (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA)

The need to decarbonise and modernise the economy is clear. The task for politicians is to find a way to do this that boosts the economy, rather than crashing it.

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