Responding to the publication of the Scottish Government’s Green Industrial Strategy, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:
'This is yet another example of government strategy that talks up potential without matching it with the necessary policy. After two decades, the Scottish Government should know that ambition without concrete action to build green industries and create jobs across our communities is worthless.
'The strategy says that an active state is necessary for success yet sets out a role for public bodies and local authorities limited to handcrafting Scotland’s natural resources for private investors and multinational companies. The Irish and Danish governments are listed as examples, but we can’t compare ourselves to them since their governments actually have stakes in Scotland’s offshore wind farms.
'This approach to industrial strategy is outdated and has been abandoned by the USA and across the EU. International investment to build on the huge opportunities from Scotland’s wind, hydrogen and carbon capture potential is welcome if the terms are set clearly – jobs in our communities, trade union recognition, and a fair share of the benefits across the country. This is being done all over the world and the Scottish Government has the power to do far more.'
Source:STUC - Scotland’s Trade Union Centre
