Latest news with #JustTransitionCommission
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Energy Workers Face ‘Unjust Transition' Amid Shift Away From Oil and Gas, Says Report
Without swift action and investment, Scotland's oil and gas workers face an 'unjust transition,' as the industry shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy. In its report Report authors warned that without clear plans, job opportunities, and training schemes, communities and the local economy could suffer, as workers struggle to find roles in a post-fossil fuel energy landscape. The commission added that it had visited several meetings to speak with oil and gas workers in Aberdeen and the north east, who 'No Plan' The Just Transition Commission, which provides independent scrutiny and advice to governments on the energy transition, said that there is 'still no transition plan for oil and gas workers.' The commission said that workers, industry, businesses, and communities need the government to outline a clear plan for creating job pathways for oil and gas workers, including roles in renewables and decommissioning. It also called for the creation of new green jobs and better preparation to manage potential economic shocks. Authors wrote: 'Accelerated deployment of offshore clean energy is essential and for this to happen employment in the offshore wind and associated transition industries must be made more attractive. Related Stories 4/24/2025 4/4/2025 'Renewables have a key role to play in delivering a just transition provided robust minimum standards are achieved across the industry for pay, conditions, health and safety regulation and union recognition.' Plan for Training Needed The report notes that 'a very significant portion of the current oil and gas supply chain workforce is highly transferable to renewables.' The commission said that a 'clear plan for training' was needed to retain this skilled workforce. This is key, not only to ensure locals remain employed, but to support the national and Scottish governments' aims to decarbonise the grid. 'There is a risk that a disorderly transition will lead to the loss of skilled workers in Scotland who might otherwise switch from oil and gas to renewables,' the report said. Similar concerns were expressed in Westminster last month, when the SNP's Kirsty Blackman A wind turbine at the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm, under construction around 27 kilometres from the coast of Montrose, Angus, Scotland, in the North Sea, on June 8, 2023. Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images Oil and gas workers have high levels of skill transferability, and as drilling processes vary little around the world, they could find well-paying jobs abroad, such as in Dubai. Blackman cautioned that this could lead to a critical skills shortage in Scotland, which could impact the government's plans to expand the UK's renewable energy sector. Workers 'at Heart of Just Transition to Net Zero' The commission called on the UK and Scottish governments to work with each other 'to bridge the widening jobs gap, and so ensure the UK retains, supports and enhances the skilled workforce required for the transition.' The report said: 'The decline of oil and gas production in the North Sea has been underway for a quarter of a century and the current path is not delivering a just transition. 'Without urgent and ambitious action, investment and government leadership, Scotland's offshore transition will not take place fairly, with harmful effects on workers, communities, employers and the regional economy of the North East that could otherwise be avoided.' The Scottish Government told The Epoch Times that it welcomed the Just Transition Commission's work in setting out the issues for the energy transition of industries in Aberdeen and the north east. Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: 'Workers are at the heart of Scotland's just transition to net zero. The Scottish Government is working with the energy sector to plan for a multi-skilled workforce and enable our skilled offshore workers to carry their experience and expertise into different roles as the sector evolves. 'We will continue to work together with organisations and workers across the region to ensure people and the communities they live in continue to thrive.' A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson told The Epoch Times: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters. 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, which has already announced a £300 million investment in British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs, progressing our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.'
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Just transition? Why Aberdeen is facing mass job losses like 1980s coal communities
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish Government has no plan for a 'just transition' that could save thousands of energy industry jobs as oil supplies dwindle and the country moves towards net zero. That's the explosive claim made by none other than the Scottish Government's own Just Transition Commission and, presumably, they should know. It is estimated that some 2,000 North Sea jobs have been lost over the past 18 months, and there are fears that up to 4,000 more could go in the next two years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Professor Dave Reay, the commission's co-chair, said it felt like 'we are sleepwalking into an unjust transition' that could cause lasting damage to the economy and communities. 'We are at risk of losing people to overseas investors, to other countries, when we need those people here. If we want a growing economy, a net-zero transition, we need those skilled workers,' he said. 'There's a real risk now that we are looking at a repeat of previous unjust transitions in coal and steel...' Jobs being lost in the North Sea oil and gas industry are not being replaced quickly enough by replacements in the renewables sector (Picture: Andy Buchanan/WPA pool) | Getty Images World-leading marine renewables industry? This report should be a major wake-up call to both Scotland's governments and the industry. For too long, warm words have been used to mask the lack of substantive action. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We have known for years that the North Sea's reserves are running out and also about the need to reduce carbon emissions. It has also been clear that Scotland has a real chance to use the expertise in marine engineering, built up over decades, to create a world-leading marine renewables industry. However, as Reay pointed out, if those skilled workers lose their oil industry jobs without others to go to, whether in renewables or fossil fuels, many will decide to move to other, more enlightened countries. This should be no surprise for followers of the SNP's performance in government, given their dismal record of failing to 'deliver' on their promises, from climate change targets to ferries and the dualling the A9. But news about Labour's much vaunted public company, GB Energy, also seems to have gone decidedly quiet.
The National
22-05-2025
- General
- The National
Residents in Edinburgh suburb ‘forced to pay £40k for retrofit scheme'
The retrofit scheme, dubbed MTIS (Mixed Tenure Improvement Service) was originally proposed in 2018 to address the poorly insulated and maintained housing stock in Lochend within mixed-tenure buildings. Many of the homes are reportedly in a state of disrepair, with damp and mould among the issues. The scheme – which residents initially celebrated – was meant to insulate and repair homes in Lochend and Restalrig, making them more energy efficient and easier to heat – bringing them up to the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH2). READ MORE: Wales to host major conference of Europe's independence movements But the joint ownership of affected buildings between council properties and private flats has resulted in the affected homeowners being hit with very high bills for the work, Living Rent has warned. According to the tenants union, some homeowners have received estimates of over £40,000 – with initial communications about the project advising people to use their savings, or apply for loans with the council's Scheme of Assistance payment plan, which offers interest rate loans of 4-6%. Living Rent says that many residents do not have thousands of pounds in savings, nor do residents consider it fair to pay interest on a loan they might have no choice but to take out. (Image: Freelance) At yesterday's event in Lochend, tenants' union members presented a report on their experience of the retrofit scheme, making the case that lessons should be learnt from its rollout. Members of the tenants union also presented the report to the Just Transition Commission, an independent advisory body to the Scottish Government responsible for providing scrutiny and advice on putting justice at the heart of climate action. Laura Dalgetty, Living Rent Lochend campaigns officer said: 'We have campaigned tirelessly to make this building scheme a fair deal for our community: homeowners, council and private tenants alike. "We invited MSPs and councillors to hear how this work is affecting our lives and what we think could be done to make this a positive experience for other communities. Their absence tonight is deeply felt. For retrofits to work and actually involve the community, our politicians would do well to start by taking our experience and expertise seriously.'
Press and Journal
22-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen oil workers reveal personal fears for their jobs
Oil and gas workers in Aberdeen have opened up over their job fears and uncertainty for the future. They spoke directly to Scotland's Just Transition Commission which today warns the region is heading for an 'unjust transition' away from fossil fuels. Workers reported: They told the commission – meeting in Aberdeen today – that skilled jobs are already being lost to the Scottish economy in the move away from oil and gas to renewable industries. One worker said: 'It's happening now. We're seeing redundancies on a big scale, perhaps 2,000 over the past two to three years. The skills are going to go.' Those interviewed said the credibility of the approach is 'seriously at risk' among offshore workers. Another employee said: 'I've got probably four years left in the North Sea. Where do I go? My employer is not funding training. What do I do in four years? 'Who's going to be there for me in four years? There's a lack of information about where the work is and what are the skills required. 'Without this information you're just going to have a load of people who don't know what they're doing. 'A lot of guys are in denial. They think the North Sea will go on forever.' A prevalent view is the Scottish and UK governments lack a plan for the transition. There is a perception among some offshore workers that the timescales involved will shed UK offshore jobs while domestic consumption relies on 'dirtier' imported oil and gas. A worker said: 'We are in a critical window. Mess up the next five years and we're really in trouble. Net zero is at stake, not just jobs in the north-east.' The commission draws members from business, industry, trade unions, environmental and community groups and academia. Their report says more needs to be done to support good quality jobs in the offshore clean energy economy – including in wind and carbon capture and storage. It highlighted the need for a 'clear plan' to build the domestic supply chain and manufacturing for renewables. The report adds: 'Workers need a clear and credible offer on training, with employers taking responsibility for supporting this alongside government action.' The commission will meet Scottish Government ministers and UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks to discuss its findings in the coming weeks. Scottish Government minister Gillian Martin welcomed the report. She added: 'Workers are at the heart of Scotland's just transition to net zero.' The UK Government said it has taken 'rapid steps' to deliver the next generation of good jobs for the North Sea as part of its Plan for Change. A spokesman said: 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, which has already announced a £300 million investment in British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs, progressing our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.'
The National
22-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Oil and gas workers face ‘unjust transition', report finds
SCOTLAND is on course for an 'unjust transition', a report has found, with the Government accused of having no plan for oil and gas workers. The Just Transition Commission said urgent action is needed to ensure the transition from fossil fuels to renewables happens fairly. 'Without urgent and ambitious action, investment and Government leadership, Scotland's offshore transition will not take place fairly, with harmful effects on workers, communities, employers and the regional economy of the north east that could otherwise be avoided,' the report said. READ MORE: 20 Scottish mums start hunger strike in protest over Israel's Gaza genocide The independent advisory body warned an unjust transition is possible despite it being known for decades that the North Sea oil and gas sector would decline. Oil and gas workers in Aberdeen told the commission they fear a 'cliff edge' for their livelihoods. The report said: 'In the context of global economic volatility, the pace and sequencing of the transition will be unjust if determined mainly by turbulent commodity prices. 'The fragmented nature of both the fossil fuel and renewables industries makes effective planning more challenging, but also more critical. 'To avoid harms to workers and communities and support new industry, governments must now take a bold, innovative approach that maximises leverage to set standards, establish pathways, create jobs, and manage shocks.' The commission said more needs to be done to support jobs in the offshore renewable energy sector, including wind, decommissioning and green hydrogen – areas it said are expected to see 'rapid' growth. The expert group said: 'Renewables have a key role to play in delivering a just transition provided robust minimum standards are achieved across the industry for pay, conditions, health and safety regulation and union recognition.' It called for a 'clear plan' to be developed for building up Scotland's renewables supply chain that could help mitigate the job losses seen in the fossil fuel sector. It said oil and gas workers need a 'credible offer' from the Government to retrain in green industries. Professor Dave Reay, co-chair of the commission, said: 'There's a real risk now that we are looking at a repeat of previous unjust transitions in coal and steel, where a lack of anticipatory planning left workers and communities abandoned at the sharp end of industrial change.' Satwat Rehman, fellow co-chair of the commission, added: 'As the role of oil and gas in the economy of the north east inevitably continues to phase down, we need our governments to work together urgently on a credible plan to support workers whose livelihoods are tied to fossil fuels, from drill crews to caterers, move into new roles. 'Their skills and experience are hugely valuable and we need a plan to make sure Scotland makes the most of them, whether in our rapidly growing clean energy sector or the wider economy.' A spokesperson for the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters. 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, which has already announced a £300 million investment in British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs, progressing our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.' The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
