PA MediaScots must understand the direct benefits of fighting climate change if they are to be persuaded to back net zero, John Swinney has said, as he pledged the “transition will abandon no community”.
During a speech in Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens, the First Minister said the path to renewable energy could benefit communities and the planet.
He said as well as understanding the costs and challenges of lowering CO2 emissions, the Government should “demonstrate clear and direct household and community benefits” of net zero.
He said climate action must benefit all of Scotland.
The Tories, along with the oil and gas industry, have raised concerns that the push to net zero will hurt jobs and investment, particularly in the north-east.
Climate campaigners have called for a “just transition” that ensures fossil fuel workers find new jobs in the renewables sector.
It comes after redundancy letters were sent to staff at the Grangemouth oil refinery with more than 400 jobs expected to be lost this year.
Petroineos, which owns the site, has blamed the lessening demand for oil and gas as one of the reasons for its closure.
Mr Swinney has warned of the impact on the local community if jobs are not secured for the refinery workers.
He said during his speech: “This transition will abandon no community.
“The importance of safeguarding jobs and livelihoods has never been more stark than in the immediacy of the situation at Grangemouth.
“If we are going to ensure a future for the site, opportunities for its highly skilled workforce, investment is needed now.
“That is why yesterday, I announced that the Scottish Government will amend the 2025-26 Budget at this late stage to allocate an additional £25 million for a Just Transition Fund for Grangemouth.
“Today, I urge the UK Government to at least match our funding – and to use the powers they have to go further. If this is a Government for the United Kingdom, then Scotland should be getting its fair share of UK-wide investments.”
He added: “The UK must turn warm words into actions and stop treating Scotland as an afterthought.”
The First Minister voiced his backing for a tax on private jets as part of measures to cap emissions, saying he was “very supportive” of the policy. But he added there were “challenges” to implementing such a policy.
The SNP leader warned of increasing pushback on the need for climate policies and said it was important to bring the public along on the journey to net zero.
He added: “If we are to persuade people to back climate action wholeheartedly, we must speak not only of the costs and challenges – which there will be – but also demonstrate clear and direct household and community benefits where these are possible.
“Tangible benefits at home, in terms of more jobs, lower energy bills, and new economic opportunities, delivering also tangible benefits for the planet.
“My approach to Government has always been collaboration, which is why I want this to be the start of an ongoing conversation, with a focus on action, on delivery.
“I believe that we can only make the progress and map out the next necessary steps on our climate journey, by bringing together local and central Government, agencies, stakeholders, trade unions, community organisations, and the wider public.”
Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “The First Minister’s rhetoric on climate action is very welcome, but words won’t cut emissions.
“Blaming financial pressures doesn’t justify stalling action; especially when a fair tax on the nearly 13,000 pollution-spewing private flights clogging Scotland’s skies could raise up to £30 million more annually.
“On average, the richer you are, the more you pollute, so it’s only fair that the biggest and better off polluters pay for the destruction they’re causing.
“Will the First Minister back his in-principle support for it with firm action?”
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