OIL JOBS: GREENS URGE ENERGY TRANSFORMATION FOR JOB SECURITY
Maggie Chapman, Scottish Green Party co-convenor and MSP candidate for North East, says newly announced job losses in the North Sea show urgent need to escalate transition away from fossil fuels.
British Petroleum announced today that it will cut 600 jobs from its North Sea operations over the next two years.
Chapman called on the Scottish Government to ensure that workers who will be made redundant are supported into new employment, but highlighted that future jobs could only be secured through investment in renewables.
Researched commissioned by the Scottish Green MSPs last year showed that 200,000 new jobs could be created by investing in green industries, such as renewables, decommissioning, energy efficiency measures and sustainable forestry.
Maggie Chapman said:
"Each job loss in the North Sea is a tragedy for the worker and their family. It is vital that we put the right support in place to get everyone who's been laid off back into work.
"As job losses mount in oil and gas the need for a plan to transition the Scottish economy away from dependence on fossil fuels becomes ever more important. The UK Government's cynical attack on the renewables industry means many of the jobs we could be creating in the clean energy sector have evaporated.
"Scotland has a great future in generating clean energy and in other new industries and the creative economy. Greens have a plan to create this new economy, and will be working hard to ensure that we can deliver this much needed transformation."