Just Transition

I spoke at the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland fringe meeting at the SNP conference yesterday evening. This is part of a series of fringe meetings at the party conferences to promote the SCCS manifesto for next year's Scottish elections. The meeting was chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP.

My contribution was on the need for a 'Just Transition' to a low carbon economy.

There is a broad agreement across the political parties on the benefits a low carbon economy could bring to Scotland. However, without a just transition there could be some economic dislocation as workers in high carbon industries are impacted, leading to a potential loss in public support for the measures we have to take to cut emissions.

The Scottish Government recognised this in the 2009 Joint Communique with the STUC that covers the need for a just transition strategy that addresses the economic, employment and social impact of moving to a low carbon economy. The SCCS manifesto proposal to deliver on this commitment, supported by the STUC, is the establishment of a Scottish Forum for a Just Transition. This would be a partnership body that would advise on the necessary training for new skills, promote Green Workplaces and maximise the employment opportunities.

I gave a couple of practical examples of current Scottish Government initiatives that contribute towards a just transition including the Energy Efficiency Action Plan and the forthcoming Scottish Water Bill.

Just transition is the key to winning support for tackling climate change. We need to highlight the opportunities to build the economy and create quality employment. But this won't happen by accident. We need to put practical measures in place now.

SNP Conference

In Perth today for the SNP conference. We held the UNISON/APSE fringe meeting last night on the subject of the future of public services. As always it generated a wide ranging debate amongst a good audience. 

I took the meeting through the ideas generated by the IBR report. Common ground with most of the audience on the need for an alternative economic strategy and keeping Scottish Water in public ownership. Less consensus on the Council Tax freeze following the First Minister's announcement earlier in the day. UNISON believes that a continued freeze is not viable in the current financial climate. Even less on local government pay with the leader of the SNP group at CoSLA sharing the platform!

A number of SNP councils are considering outsourcing essential services. It was therefore helpful to have Andrew Spowart, APSE's Scottish Director on the platform to explain the work they have done on this issue. Many councillors have no experience of privatisation and are presented with inaccurate reports from management consultants claiming savings that rarely materialise in practice. I was able to refer to the recent report on Liverpool Direct, the flagship English council outsourcing, that shows that the council had been overcharged by £19m and that the council could save £23m annually by taking the work in-house.

Sadly most party conferences are largely stage managed events and the SNP conference itself is not as entertaining as it used to be. However, on the fringe and in the bars the debate and discussion is much more lively.