This report reviews the latest data from the Office for National Statistics on the Low Carbon and Renewable Economy in Scotland in 2021. The analysis builds upon previous STUC reports into the Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy, ‘Broken Promises and Offshored Jobs’ and ‘Scotland’s Renewable Jobs Crisis & Covid 19’.
May 2023
This report looks at the past promises of employment in the low-carbon and renewable energy (LCRE) economy and how this has not translated into the jobs boom promised. By analysing the current make-up of employment in the low-carbon economy and a number of recent renewables projects, it considers the implications of a failure of industrial policy. In presenting this report, the STUC are not criticising the LCRE economy per se. Indeed the STUC is absolutely committed to building a low-carbon economy and meeting climate change targets. However, we are criticising the failure of industrial policy to ensure that workers, businesses, and Government in Scotland benefit from Scotland’s natural resources. Without a domestic industrial base for the LCRE economy, not only will workers in Scotland miss out, but there are serious implications in terms of tax, transparency, economic democracy and meeting climate targets.
April 2019
This report, commissioned by the STUC and researched and written by Transition Economics, sets out how Scotland can maximise green job creation, as well as Fair Work and effective worker voice in these jobs. The report estimates - with the right policies and funding in place - Scotland could see job creation in the region of 156,000 - 367,000 jobs. However, it is also possible for Scotland to decarbonise without significant domestic job creation - and that those jobs created could be primarily precarious and under-paid. For example, the same very ambitious roll-out of renewable energy could create up to 70,000 Scottish jobs - or less than 9,000. The difference depends on the policies put in place by government.
April 2021
On 7th March 2024, the Scottish Parliament held a debate on the importance of a Just Transition Plan for the Mossmorran complex.
April 2024
A report by the STUC analysing the state of Scotland’s Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy, and highlighting the gap between the rapidly growing income made by companies across offshore and onshore wind with a decreasing number of jobs.
April 2024
This paper looks at the social, environmental and economic importance of buses and considers ways in which they can be taken back into public control. It calls on the Scottish Government to provide financial support to Local Authorities who express an interest in bus re-regulation and public ownership of buses.
September 2021
This paper looks at the potential benefits of climate proofing Scotland’s buildings through retrofitting programmes. It considers how these programmes should be delivered to reduce emissions quickly while maximising social and economic benefit. It recommends that more direct approach to delivery is needed with the Scottish Government providing the finance necessary for Local Authorities to establish municipal energy companies and deliver street-by-street retrofitting programmes, supported by a National Infrastructure Company.
October 2021
This briefing examines jobs in Scotland’s harder-to-decarbonise manufacturing sectors at risk of being offshored without timely and worker-friendly climate action. It finds that between 9,700 and 16,700 direct jobs could be offshored if Scotland falls behind other countries in taking action to reduce emissions from manufacturing and heavy industry. When supply chains are accounted for, a total of 24,430 jobs could be at risk. The STUC is calling on the Scottish Government to work with unions to future-proof jobs at risk of offshoring, ensure policy ambition matches climate targets, ensure local content is used in renewable energy projects, develop a publicly-owned energy company and develop a National Infrastructure Company. It is also calling on the UK Government to increase public investment.
November 2021
STUC’s ‘Public Power League’ shows the progress made by local authorities across Scotland to develop their own energy projects. The league tables, which show Aberdeenshire topping the capacity chart with 226 megawatts of energy, and Stirling topping the number of installations chart, aim to show the progress made by local authorities in creating local municipal energy projects.
August 2023
This report analyses ONS data to examine Scotland’s low-carbon economy. It finds that employment in Scotland’s low-carbon and renewable energy economy (LCRE) flatlined between 2014 and 2018. Despite past promises of 130,000 jobs by 2020, direct employment in 2018 was 23,100, down from 23,400 in 2014. By looking at imports and exports data, the report concludes that a trade deficit and a sector dominated by private and overseas interests are the primary reason behind this lack of employment.
June 2020
This report, commissioned by the Scottish Trades Union Congress and researched and written by Transition Economics, sets out the potential investment necessary to deliver ScotWind projects, and what is needed to scale up Scotland’s supply chain to be able to secure jobs domestically. To reach the job creation potential and domestic procurement ScotWind developers have promised, there needs to be an enormous ramp-up in the Scottish supply chain for offshore wind but existing public investment to scale up Scotland’s domestic supply chains for offshore wind is a drop in the ocean compared to the £2.5 billion - £4.5 billion required.
May 2024
On the 24th of January 2024, the Scottish Government led debate on their motion about investing in the green economy, including the importance of public investment.
April 2024
On 17 March 2023, the Scottish Government published a consultation on the draft legislative clauses to introduce a proposed relief from Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) for Green Freeports. In January 2023, Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport were jointly selected by the Scottish and UK governments to become Scotland’s first Green Freeports.
May 2023
The Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee launched its inquiry into Scotland’s Electricity Infrastructure in March 2023. The purpose of the inquiry is to: scrutinise what electricity infrastructure will be needed to realise the ambitions set out in the Scottish Government's draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.
April 2023
In January 2023, the Scottish Government published its draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan which aims to ‘deliver an energy system that meets the challenge of becoming a net zero nation by 2045, supplies safe and secure energy for all, generates economic opportunities, and builds a just transition’.
May 2023
On 17 January, Crown Estate Scotland announced the outcome of its application process for ScotWind Leasing, with 17 projects awarded option agreements. The 17 projects have a potential total capacity of almost 25 GW of offshore wind - both floating and fixed. Transition Economics has analysed the ownership and jobs potential outcomes of ScotWind lease round.
January 2022
