Economic opportunities to exploit by tackling climate change, MSPs told

Scotland’s Climate Change Secretary has told MSPs reducing carbon emissions and growing the economy “must go hand in hand”.

Roseanna Cunningham spoke as she updated the Scottish Parliament on the Just Transition Commission, which she set up to explore moving to a carbon-neutral economy.

Its aim is to decarbonise in a way that is fair to all.

Ms Cunningham said: “There are economic opportunities from being at the forefront of the global shift to carbon neutrality but there are also risks and challenges we cannot just wish away.

“Previous economic shifts, like those we saw in the 1980s, have left scars on our communities.

“History must not be allowed to repeat itself and decarbonisation should not happen at the expense of our workforce or our communities.”

She added: “Decarbonisation and economic growth can and must go hand in hand.”

Ms Cunningham said she would back Labour’s amendment calling for further consideration to be given to establishing a statutory, long-term commission to be independent of Government and accountable to the Parliament.

She said the set up of the current commission for an initial two years is a “first step” and its creation on a non-statutory basis enables it to begin work later this month and provide its recommendations in early 2021.

In the future, rather than having a long-term commission, Ms Cunningham said there could be other ways to ensure “key principles are embedded in the public and private sectors”.

She also backed a Conservative amendment stating “implementing a circular economy strategy for Scotland is an effective and sustainable way” to move being carbon neutral.

Ms Cunningham did not support a Green amendment stating the Scottish and UK Government policy of maximum economic recovery of oil and gas is “incompatible” with the Paris Agreement on tackling climate change and with the just transition to carbon neutrality.