TRADE union bosses have called for the Scottish Government to draw up a new strategy for green jobs after statistics shows the number of Scots employed in low carbon industries has fallen.
The Scottish Government has pledged to produce 130,000 green jobs by 2020 and has been criticised by opponents after only a fraction of roles expected have materialised.
New statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that the number of estimated full-time equivalent jobs in Scotland’s “low carbon and renewable energy economy” fell from 21,700 in 2019 t0 20,500 in 2020 – a drop from 23,200 in 2014.
In 2015, Scotland had 22,900 green jobs, before the number increased to 24,000 in 2016 – but fell to 22,100 in 2017 and 23,100 in 2018.
Turnover in Scotland’s low carbon and renewable energy sector has also declined from £6.4 billion in 2018 to £5.7 billion in 2019 and £5.5 billion in 2020.
The Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) has called for an urgent strategy to be brought forward by SNP minister in order to boost the number of green jobs.
STUC general secretary, Roz Foyer, said: “Workers were promised the Saudi Arabia of renewables, but all they got was a desert.
“We are getting sick and tired of reading promises of a bright new green jobs future when the truth is we have fewer than we did eight years ago, and the number continues to fall.
“We may have a massive share of Europe’s installed onshore wind capacity, but we don’t manufacture turbines. And we may have some of Europe’s largest offshore wind farms, but we barely fabricate any jackets. We need a new strategy, and we need it urgently”
The Scottish Government have faced criticism for a failure to capitalise on ramping up wind turbines with jobs – amid concerns that jobs have been offshored and the fiasco surrounding the BiFab yard. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/dismal-unions-call-strategy…
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