Oil and gas workers face ‘unjust transition', report finds
The Just Transition Commission said urgent action is needed to ensure the transition from fossil fuels to renewables happens fairly.
'Without urgent and ambitious action, investment and Government leadership, Scotland's offshore transition will not take place fairly, with harmful effects on workers, communities, employers and the regional economy of the north east that could otherwise be avoided,' the report said.
READ MORE: 20 Scottish mums start hunger strike in protest over Israel's Gaza genocide
The independent advisory body warned an unjust transition is possible despite it being known for decades that the North Sea oil and gas sector would decline.
Oil and gas workers in Aberdeen told the commission they fear a 'cliff edge' for their livelihoods.
The report said: 'In the context of global economic volatility, the pace and sequencing of the transition will be unjust if determined mainly by turbulent commodity prices.
'The fragmented nature of both the fossil fuel and renewables industries makes effective planning more challenging, but also more critical.
'To avoid harms to workers and communities and support new industry, governments must now take a bold, innovative approach that maximises leverage to set standards, establish pathways, create jobs, and manage shocks.'
The commission said more needs to be done to support jobs in the offshore renewable energy sector, including wind, decommissioning and green hydrogen – areas it said are expected to see 'rapid' growth.
The expert group said: 'Renewables have a key role to play in delivering a just transition provided robust minimum standards are achieved across the industry for pay, conditions, health and safety regulation and union recognition.'
It called for a 'clear plan' to be developed for building up Scotland's renewables supply chain that could help mitigate the job losses seen in the fossil fuel sector.
It said oil and gas workers need a 'credible offer' from the Government to retrain in green industries.
Professor Dave Reay, co-chair of the commission, said: 'There's a real risk now that we are looking at a repeat of previous unjust transitions in coal and steel, where a lack of anticipatory planning left workers and communities abandoned at the sharp end of industrial change.'
Satwat Rehman, fellow co-chair of the commission, added: 'As the role of oil and gas in the economy of the north east inevitably continues to phase down, we need our governments to work together urgently on a credible plan to support workers whose livelihoods are tied to fossil fuels, from drill crews to caterers, move into new roles.
'Their skills and experience are hugely valuable and we need a plan to make sure Scotland makes the most of them, whether in our rapidly growing clean energy sector or the wider economy.'
A spokesperson for the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters.
'This comes alongside Great British Energy, which has already announced a £300 million investment in British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs, progressing our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.'
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
37 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Israel not listening to UK, say MPs, as they urge recognition of Palestine
The UK's actions over the ongoing conflict and 'in the years preceding, have often been too little, too late,' the Foreign Affairs Committee has said, as they called for further sanctions 'against settlers'. The Prime Minister is facing increasing pressure to fulfil Labour's promise to recognise Palestine as the conflict continues. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan is among those who have called for the move. A 'majority' of MPs on the committee have also backed it, according to the chairwoman, Dame Emily Thornberry. 'The UK's actions in this conflict, and in the years preceding, have often been too little too late,' the committee said. In their report the MPs said that 'some of Israel's recent actions in Gaza are difficult to justify given the death toll among civilians' and pressure should be put on Tel Aviv 'for this conflict to end and for hostages to be released'. 'It seems that the Israeli government is not listening to the UK. And while it listens to the US government, it only does so sporadically,' they said. 'If Israel does not listen to its friends and allies, and only sporadically to the US, then pressure must be exerted for this conflict to end and hostages to be released.' Chairwoman of the committee Dame Emily Thornberry has said that the Government 'must not shrug our shoulders in despair and say that there is nothing we can do'. She called on minsters to 'immediately extend sanctions against settlers' and said that the UK 'must also play our part in evidence collection, which will be vital to the inevitable legal reckoning when this conflict finally comes to an end'. She said that the UK 'must be realistic about our role' and 'our greatest power is in our alliances'. 'Whether that is persuading the US to have an influence on Israel to come to a ceasefire, or with nations in the region whose support will be vital to a long-term two-state solution.' She added: 'It is the view of the majority of the committee that the UK Government should immediately recognise the state of Palestine, signalling the UK's desire to work urgently towards a two-state solution alongside our allies.' It comes as there are increasing warnings of starvation in Gaza. On Thursday the BBC joined other news organisations in saying that they are 'deeply alarmed' that journalists are facing 'the threat of starvation'. Sir Keir Starmer said ahead of an emergency call about Gaza with French and German leaders on Friday that while the situation there has been 'grave' for some time, it has 'reached new depths'. But he stuck to his previous stance that a ceasefire should come before the UK recognises statehood. 'A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis,' he said. French president Emmanuel Macron pressed for recognition of Palestinian statehood in a recent address to the UK's Parliament, saying it was the 'only path to peace'. On Thursday, Mr Macron said France would recognise Palestine in a move he plans to formalise at the UN General Assembly in September. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said earlier that such a move would have to be meaningful and come as part of a 'genuine move towards a two-state solution and a long-term peace settlement' with Israel. Mr Reynolds told LBC Radio: 'We are deeply committed to the recognition of Palestine as a state, which was part of our manifesto, but obviously we want that to be meaningful.
South Wales Guardian
37 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Starmer faces pressure to recognise Palestinian state immediately
The Prime Minister condemned the 'unspeakable and indefensible' humanitarian conditions in Gaza ahead of an emergency call with German and French leaders on Friday. He also said statehood was the 'inalienable right' of the Palestinian people but maintained that a ceasefire should come first. Sir Keir said: 'I will hold an emergency call with E3 partners tomorrow, where we will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need, while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace.' He will speak to Emmanuel Macron, who has confirmed France will recognise Palestinian statehood, making his country the first G7 nation to do so in a move he said he would formalise at the UN General Assembly in September. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for the UK to follow suit, saying the UK 'should be leading on this, not falling behind'. 'Recognise the independent state of Palestine now and take the lead on securing a two-state solution and a lasting peace,' he said. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has also called for immediate recognition, while the Trades Union Congress have pushed for formal recognition of Palestine 'not in a year's time or two years' time – but now'. Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said most of its members back recognition right away. 'It is the view of the majority of the committee that the UK Government should immediately recognise the state of Palestine, signalling the UK's desire to work urgently towards a two-state solution alongside our allies,' she said. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the Government wants to recognise a Palestinian state 'in contribution to a peace process'. She also told The Times: 'I think there could be multiple benefits. A lot of people would argue that recognition on its own has a symbolic value that could send a strong message to the Israeli government.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday called for recognition of Palestine 'while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise'. Sir Keir said on Thursday: 'We are clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. 'A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis,' he said. Charities operating in Gaza have said that Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing people there towards starvation and warned that they are seeing their own workers and Palestinians 'waste away'. Israel says it allows enough aid into the territory and faults delivery efforts by UN agencies, which say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of security. The Prime Minister said: 'The suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible. 'While the situation has been grave for some time, it has reached new depths and continues to worsen. We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe.' He said it is 'hard to see a hopeful future in such dark times' but called again for all sides to engage 'in good faith, and at pace' on a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. 'We strongly support the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to secure this,' he said. Sir Keir will meet with Donald Trump during his five-day private trip to Scotland, due to kick off on Friday. US-led peace talks in Qatar have been cut short, the Trump administration's special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday, pointing the finger at Hamas for a 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Hamas-led militants based in Gaza abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack in 2023 that triggered the war and killed about 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.
South Wales Guardian
37 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Householders with heat pumps more satisfied than those with gas boilers
A survey of 3,000 nationally representative British households as part of a quarterly tracker study of homeowners across four countries reveals 94% of heat pump owners are satisfied with their heating tech. Half of those with heat pumps are extremely satisfied and 44% are satisfied with the clean tech heating their home. The survey also found 85% of people with a gas boiler – the main way homes are heated in the UK – are happy with them, with a little over half of gas boiler owners (52%) saying they are satisfied with their heating system, while a third (33%) are very satisfied. Other heating systems, including oil, wood and coal, and electric storage heaters, had lower satisfaction levels. Insights agency Electrify Research's Homeowner Electrification Tracker Study (HETS) surveys more than 4,000 homeowners quarterly across the UK, France, Germany and the US, quizzing them on heating systems, electric vehicles and solar power. Large-scale deployment of clean electric-powered heat pumps is seen as key to replacing the widespread use of gas boilers in heating to reduce carbon emissions from homes as part of targets to cut greenhouse gases to 'net zero' by 2050. While the number of heat pumps being installed in the UK is growing, with the help of Government grants, it remains far below what will be needed in coming years to meet climate change targets, and only a small proportion of British homes have them. Concerns about heat pumps including upfront installation costs and disruption, and whether they will work in people's homes. The independent Climate Change Committee has found households would save around £700 a year on heating bills by 2050 from a shift to the highly efficient heat pumps, but also warned electricity costs need to be reduced to ensure households making the switch feel the cash benefits. Ben Marks, managing director at Electrify Research, said: 'Heat pump owners are actively pleased with the heating systems – more so than all other types of system we asked about. 'Heat pumps sometimes get a lot of criticism in the popular press, but when you talk to their owners, they're generally delighted with them. 'This is important information that those considering the switch should consider as part of their decision-making process.' Minister for energy consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said: 'Demand for heat pumps is growing rapidly, with figures showing 2024 was a record year for installations, up 63% on the previous year, as more families take up our £7,500 grant. 'So it's fantastic to see that once people have made the switch they are really happy they did, and it's no surprise with households able to save £100 a year on their bills when using a smart tariff.' She said the Government is planning to expand its grant scheme to include air to air heat pumps and heat batteries to give families greater choice when upgrading their home heating. Garry Felgate, chief executive of The MCS Foundation, a charity which supports the decarbonisation of homes, said the results backed other evidence that householders 'really liked' their heat pumps. 'Heat pumps provide affordable running costs, consistently comfortable temperatures, and the satisfaction of knowing that your heating is not contributing to climate change,' he said. He added that Government-led information campaigns on heat pumps had helped increase installations, and said: 'Households must continue to be supported with information on how to install and operate heat pumps, so that more people can benefit from lower bills, increased comfort, and clean energy.' Commenting on the findings, Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer rights policy, said: 'Heat pumps can be a great way to heat your home and cut your home's carbon emissions. 'They can also help to cut energy bills, particularly if they are used with a time-of-use tariff.' But she said installing a heat pump could involve complex and costly decisions, and Which? research showed high upfront costs and a lack of confidence in the technology remained some of the biggest barriers to installation. 'In order to support the transition to heat pumps, the Government needs to make sure the upfront costs of installing a heat pump are more affordable and people have access to good-quality independent advice and reliable installers so they can be confident they have the right heating system for their home,' she said.
