PA MediaThe majority of Scots “clearly don’t agree” with Donald Trump’s call for more oil and gas extraction, a think tank has said after a survey found just 35% are in favour of the move.
A poll commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) found 65% of Scots believe Britain should resist the US president’s calls and focus on renewables instead.
The survey also found “overall support” for different types of energy, with renewables in the form of onshore wind (64%), offshore wind (73%), solar (66%) and hydro (71%) being more popular than North Sea oil and gas (55%).
When asked how best to ensure Scotland’s’ energy security, 50% of respondents said the focus should be on more domestic renewable energy generation rather than oil and gas.
Less than a third (29%) endorsed the alternative of focusing more on oil and gas, while 21% said they do not know.
Laura Anderson, senior associate at the ECIU, said: “Scots clearly don’t agree with President Trump on Scotland’s energy policy, seeing renewables as the way forwards.
“In reality increasing oil and gas production isn’t an option for the North Sea, a basin that has been declining for two decades with official figures showing more drilling meaning only a slightly slower decline.
“This inevitably means fewer jobs and unless renewables are ramped up fast, the future of communities that have delivered oil and gas for many years is at risk.
“With Scots facing the possibility of two gas price crises in a matter of years with conflict in the Middle East following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, more renewables can help to reduce gas dependence and stabilise prices for homes and industry.”
The polling also asked for opinions on how best to secure jobs for oil and gas workers as the North Sea basin continues to decline.
It found just over half (53%) support the continued rollout of renewable energy for those workers to transition into.
Fourteen per cent said financial support should be provided to help oil and gas workers retrain in different industries, while 21% said they do not know.
Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “As households know to their cost, relying on volatile global fossil fuel markets exposes people to repeated price shocks.
“The North Sea is a mature basin that has been declining for decades, so the real challenge now is managing that transition in a way that protects workers and communities while cutting bills for households.
“That’s why it’s also important that companies benefiting from high prices contribute fairly through measures like the Energy Profits Levy. Polling shows that twice as many Scots back this levy as oppose it.
“Revenues from those windfall profits should support households with bills and fund investment in homegrown renewables and warmer homes, making families less exposed to the next global gas and oil price crisis.”
Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland’s innovation, expertise and vast renewable energy resources will not only benefit the planet, but deliver new economic opportunities and new jobs for households and communities across the country.
“Increased generation of renewable energy is critical to the energy security of the country, and has the potential to reduce our reliance of fossil fuels and the price volatility they come with.
“We also remain clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland’s valued oil and gas sector, which recognises both the important contribution the North Sea continues to make to the energy sector and the maturity of the basin.
“We need to see a parallel track approach to the energy transition, in which North Sea oil and gas production is managed alongside the increasing deployment of renewables.”
The survey of 1,007 Scottish adults was carried by polling firm More in Common for ECIU between January 30 and March 4.
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