Capital investment almost trebled to unlock private sector growth
Record funding of £150 million capital investment from the Scottish Government will support the growth of the offshore wind sector and support thousands of well-paid, green jobs across Scotland over the next decade.
Overall strategic investment of up to £500 million over five years is expected to boost private investment in the sector by up to £1.5 billion and unlock opportunities for growth in a variety of industries in key areas from ports, manufacturing and assembly work to major supply chain opportunities.
The 2025-26 Scottish Budget also sets out a commitment to establish an offshore wind hub in the North-East to provide an additional route for industry to engage with policy teams.
The investment follows the recent publication of the Green Industrial Strategy which highlighted Scotland’s wind economy as one of five priority areas to secure growth and investment.
Acting Net Zero and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Accelerating Scotland’s offshore wind capabilities presents enormous economic opportunities for our country.
“Our vast resources provide us with significant opportunity to create thousands of well-paid, green jobs across Scotland while accelerating our journey to net zero. We must maximise the economic benefits from offshore wind deployment if we are to ensure a just transition that takes our existing skilled workforce and supply chain with us.
“This significant investment will help boost innovation and expertise in the sector, create a highly productive and competitive economy and deliver a sustainable supply chain that will benefit all of Scotland for decades to come.
“We will work with industry and public sector partners to ensure we identify and deliver the best projects at pace.”
Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “The renewable energy industry is pleased that the Scottish Government will increase the next tranche of its funding commitment to the offshore wind supply chain. It is also encouraging to see the revenues from ScotWind directly utilised for clean industrial growth.
“We will work closely with the Scottish Government to help shape how this funding can be used as part of the wider investment landscape in order to secure the flow of significant private capital into the infrastructure that will help Scotland optimise the opportunity brought by offshore wind.”
The UK will lead the world in the pro-growth clean energy transition, the Prime Minister has announced at the first day of the World Leaders Summit at COP 29
Prime Minister arrives at COP29 with major boost for industry to invest in clean supply chains
British manufacturing win with blade factory in Hull set to benefit from £1bn offshore wind deal
UK steps up clean energy investment to boost energy security, protect consumers, and create good jobs
UK expected to announce new UK climate target to reduce emissions and show climate leadership during summit
The UK will lead the world in the pro-growth clean energy transition, the Prime Minister has announced at the first day of the World Leaders Summit at COP.
At the COP29 Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister has announced another major step forward in the Government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
Offshore wind developers will be incentivised to invest in the UK’s historic industrial heartlands, coastal areas and oil and gas communities, boosting green jobs, and to support sustainable factories.
Delivering on a Government manifesto commitment, the Clean Industry Bonus will come with a provisional £27 million per Gigawatt of offshore wind projects. That means if between 7 to 8GW of offshore wind apply, the budget could go up to £200m.
The UK is wasting no time to accelerate the global transition to clean energy and putting the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future. The bonus will create the conditions for cleaner energy industries to thrive in the UK and elsewhere, while rewarding firms for investing in less polluting suppliers – tackling the climate crisis at home and abroad.
It will help to crowd in private investment in hard-working communities across Scotland, Wales, the North East and North West, to build more sustainable offshore wind blades, cables and ports – reducing industrial emissions and helping support the rollout of clean, secure, cheap power for families.
Thousands of highly skilled jobs such as engineers, electricians or welders across the supply chain – will create vibrant towns and cities fit for a clean energy future.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower will fire up our industrial heartlands and break down barriers to growth in our hard-working towns and cities.
“It will strengthen our national security - protecting our children and grandchildren from the climate crisis, and impact this will have on their future prosperity.
“By acting decisively and early, the UK has an opportunity to lead the world in the industries of the future — working in partnership with business — creating real energy security, cutting energy bills and building jobs and supply chains in the UK.
“But we can’t move alone – and at COP I will lead efforts to protect Britain from climate change by also working with other countries to accelerate the global clean transition to tackle the causes at its root.”
The Government has committed to tackling the climate crisis and accelerating towards net zero to make the British people better off, primarily by investing in clean homegrown power to end national exposure to fossil fuel markets and the dictators who control them.
Swift action has already been taken to cut emissions through the Government’s clean power by 2030 mission. Steps taken so far include:
Lifting the ban on onshore wind in England.
Delivering a record number of clean energy projects through its renewables auction.
Consenting unprecedented amounts of nationally significant solar – 2GW – more than the last 14 years combined.
Launching Great British Energy
Firing the starting gun on the UK’s Carbon Capture and Storage industry, with funding agreed for two clusters in Teesside and Merseyside.
In a further boost to British manufacturing ScottishPower has awarded a £1 billion turbine contract for its East Anglia TWO offshore windfarm to Siemens Gamesa, including blade production at its Hull blade factory.
This major contract will inject growth into the industrial heartlands with Siemens Gamesa employing over 1,300 people in Humberside, following extensive recruitment, whilst ScottishPower’s investment in East Anglia supports thousands more. Its East Anglia TWO wind farm alone will produce enough clean energy to power the equivalent of almost 1 million homes.
This cash injection has shown funding is already flowing from last month’s commitment at the International Investment Summit where Iberdrola doubled their investment in the UK, through Scottish Power, from £12bn to £24bn over the next 4 years.
This includes funding for the East Anglia TWO wind farm off the Suffolk coast – unlocked by this Government’s expanded allocation at the most recent renewables auction round.
Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower, said: “Today is tangible proof of the importance of Britain’s Clean Power Mission – our East Anglia projects are delivering UK jobs, UK supply chain contracts and UK green energy.
“Getting more projects like East Anglia TWO off the blocks quicker will turbo-boost the UK’s supply chain, giving companies like Siemens Gamesa the confidence to invest in facilities like this blade factory in Hull.
“Britain’s clean power targets are achievable but demanding. We’ve doubled our investment and are ready to play our part with Government as it gets barriers out the way to build more projects like this, alongside the electricity networks needed to ferry green, homegrown power across the country.”
Darren Davidson, UK and Ireland Vice President for Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa said: “The UK is the first leading industrial country to simultaneously phase out coal power and be a leader in offshore wind.
“If we’re to achieve our net zero targets, it’s mission critical this momentum is maintained. As well as delivering the blades to power the UK’s energy transition, our factory in Hull is acting as a catalyst for economic growth and green jobs across the region.”
At COP29 the UK will encourage other nations to follow its lead to deliver change – strong leadership at home to deliver action abroad.
The Prime Minister is expected to use the visit to make the case for supporting the global transition. In his address to other countries he will argue the global economy depends on nature and a stable climate that is under threat.
The 2022 UK heatwave saw record-breaking 40°C temperatures in England and caused 3000 excess deaths. These events are estimated to be 10x more likely due to climate change.
Climate finance at scale is critical to avoiding the worst consequences of climate change, but the UK is clear public finance alone cannot meet the growing needs of developing countries and innovation is essential to unlock billions in private finance.
This is why the UK will also use the summit to announce the launch of the new CIF Capital Market Mechanism on the London Stock Exchange.
This world-leading, innovative new financial mechanism, has the potential to mobilise up to $75 billion in additional climate capital for developing countries over the next decade.
Its listing in London shows the confidence in our economy and showcases the city as a green finance capital, and the UK as an attractive place to invest in the future.
It will help developing countries cut emissions, build renewable energy and adapt to a rapidly changing climate – all at no extra cost to the British taxpayers.
The mechanism demonstrates the commitment of the UK to work with other like-minded countries and partners like the World Bank to mobilise the finance needed to drive the global clean energy transition.
This will also support the UK Government’s priorities for COP29 – to unveil the UK’s new emission reduction goals, secure an ambitious new global climate goal (NCQG) and the Global Clean Power Alliance by showing the potential to unlock billions more in climate finance for clean energy projects over the next decade.
KNITTERS URGE FIRST MINISTER NOT TO CROSS CLIMATE ‘RED LINE’
A group of concerned citizens calling themselves the ‘North Sea Knitters’ gathered outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday to knit a ‘red line’, representing the critical limit of 1.5 degrees of global temperature rise.
Taking place during Scottish Climate Week, as the ‘Knitting for Climate’ group gathers outside the EU Parliament in Brussels, the North Sea Knitters’ message was simple: the Scottish Government needs to stop blaming the climate crisis on individuals and use its powers to speed the phase out of fossil fuels.
The group spoke to MSPs and gave out their famous hand-knitted red scarves to remind them not to lose sight of the 1.5 degrees limit of warming enshrined in the Paris Agreement.
Several MSPs including the First Minister could be seen sporting the red scarves and discussing vital climate issues like the Stop Rosebank campaign, the Peterhead gas power station, and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Scottish Government is currently considering whether to approve a controversial new gas burning power station in Peterhead which would prolong the lifetime of the fossil fuel industry and lock the public into high energy bills and fuel poverty.
Chris Aldred, a member of the North Sea Knitters Group, said: “Knitting is a craft that has been passed down through generations. It symbolises the hope that we can pass on, not just our skills, but a thriving future for all that come after us.
“The knitted red line represents the 1.5C threshold of dangerous planetary warming that nations have committed not to cross. Our scarves are being created through concern, uncertainty and fear for the future, but also through our joy, love and unity.
“The Scottish Government says that climate is a priority but it must turn these words into concrete action to cut pollution now and into the future. This means using its power to firmly reject new fossil fuels, standing up to the oil industry and prioritising the needs of workers through the transition.
“We are allied with our European friends in Knitting for Climate, a movement of people using the art of knitting to express concern over climate change and inadequate political response to the crisis that is already affecting us all. Through our grassroots efforts, we demand climate justice.”
The knitters’ demands for the Scottish Government are:
+ Refuse all on-shore planning permission for fossil fuel infrastructure, including the proposed new gas plant at Peterhead. + Oppose and work to halt extraction from all new oil and gas fields, including Rosebank. + Ensure all public subsidies and tax concessions to fossil fuel companies are revoked. + Back the call for a Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty. + Ensure that workers and communities have a Just Transition to renewables, without allowing the fossil fuel industry to call the shots for the transition.
OVER 100 pupils aged between 16-18 from Scottish schools played the part of politicians, journalists, and lobbyists to debate on the climate crisis.
They were taking part in the British Council’s COP28 Climate Simulation Negotiation at Moray House, School of Education, University of Edinburgh, and had the opportunity to find out what it’s really like to negotiate a climate deal.
Delivered with Learning for Sustainability Scotland this debate was the first time the event has come to Scotland and the first in a series coordinated by the British Council in five cities across the UK.
The event kicked off with a keynote address from Learning for Sustainability lead at Scottish Government, Lucia Ramon Mateo, with the debate taking place in the run-up to the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates which starts on November 30.
During the negotiations, the pupils had to agree on a global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and successfully reduce global temperature rises to no greater than 2 degrees C, making sure that all countries were on target to reduce temperatures by 2030. To do this, they used computer software developed by Climate Interactive and MIT to create a real-life climate simulation.
They were led by Professor Peter Higgins, Director of the United Nations University Regional Centre for ESD (Scotland) and Professor Dave Reay, Executive Director at Edinburgh Climate Change Institute and Professor of Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh.
Attending the event students Rosie Zisman, and Raphael Uddin from Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh shared the role of United Nations Secretariat General.
Speaking about the negotiations, Raphael said: “Today our aim was to reduce greenhouse emissions drastically and we just reached the target agreement for warming, bang on 2.0 degrees.
“We were able to work together, compromise, and reach this goal and no countries were left behind or lost out. It was also great to have schools from Egypt join us today, to hear about their experience during COP27 and to get an insight into the different issues, especially with COP28 coming up in Dubai”.
Rosie added:“We managed to reach consensus to fund $1billion in climate financing per year globally, which was a big win.
“At 2 degrees, we will still see dramatic increases in climate change. Today gave us just a flavour of what is possible and it is progress, but not our final destination”.
Speaking at the event, Professor Reay said: “We’ve seen skilled negotiations from the students today and many congratulations to all those taking part who have worked diligently debating the issues.
“It is extremely important that we have opportunities like this to maintain the conversation about the vital importance of keeping warming under 1.5 degrees.
“This event shows that while the global conversation on the climate crisis still falters, young people have the energy, drive and ambition to focus and ask the hard questions. Today at Moray House, we have had the privilege of working with future policy makers and global citizens, a generation who already know that activism for the planet is crucial”.
Peter Brown, Director, British Council Scotland provided a welcome to the students, he said about the event:“Well done to all those involved in today’s event – I’m delighted that young people from across Scotland, the wider UK, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates are coming together to actively engage in the challenges of climate change.
“Our research at the British Council shows clearly that the climate crisis is of deep concern – particularly to young people, and this event has put students at the head of the negotiating table.
“It has given them a unique chance to experience the realities of diplomacy and international negotiation such as that taking place at COP28, providing them with the skills and confidence to take on some of the world’s biggest challenges.”
The initiative is part of the British Council’s Schools Connectprogramme for schools in the UK and around the world. The British Council works with education policymakers to explore effective practices from other countries and help teachers to bring an international perspective to the curriculum. This supports all young people to build the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need to respond to global challenges and develop international understanding.
Through the Climate Connection programme, the British Council is also supporting people globally to find creative solutions to climate change in support of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in UAE this month.
The British Council is supporting the summit by engaging with networks of education professionals, students, academics, researchers, artists, civil society leaders and policymakers to participate in meaningful dialogue and bring about real change for our planet.
This event continues the British Council’s work, building connection, understanding and trust between people in the UK and overseas through arts, education and English language teaching.
To find out more about their work in Scotland visit:
Culture & Business Scotland Edinburgh event brings the sectors together to ‘cultivate connections‘
With both climate change and the recent slashing of government funding to the culture sector continuing to make the headlines, Culture & Business Scotland will be hosting a Members’ Forum focussing on how sustainability strategies can be incorporated into culture organisations.
Taking place on Thursday 26October at the National Museum of Scotland, the Forum will unite members for a series of presentations, success stories and sustainability strategies, with the aim of fostering collaboration and initiating a dialogue around environmental issues ahead of the launch of COP28 next month.
The cross-sector event will be attended by representatives from businesses of a range of sizes and geographical backgrounds, facilitating networking opportunities as well as providing a platform for businesses to forge connections with culture sector organisations and secure creative solutions to challenges within their practices.
The event will also feature speakers from across the industry, who will be sharing insights into how sustainability can be embedded within culture organisations’ practices.
Dr Ben Twist, Director of Creative Carbon Scotland, will compare the different ways that arts councils are addressing climate change, while Scott Mackay, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Scottish Youth Film Foundation, will showcase COP TV, a project aimed at amplifying the voices of Scotland’s youth in the context of the crucial COP event.
Meanwhile Hannah Schlesinger, Director of Development & Marketing at Edinburgh Science, will discuss TheNetZeroToolkit, a product of the organisation’s Climate Co-Lab initiative, designed to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions. Ruth Gill, Director of Public Programmes at National Museums Scotland, will also introduce the event and give a presentation on how the museum is progressing on its quest for Net Zero.
David Nelson, Head of Development and Programmes at Culture & Business Scotland, said: “The significance of ‘sustainability’ in the culture sector is huge. Incorporating sustainability strategies within our practices should be at the forefront of all our minds as the climate crisis worsens, and our Members’ Forum is set to create a dialogue around how best to do that.
“With funding to culture organisations under threat, it’s also crucial that we maximise opportunities to build strong and sustainable relationships between the culture and business sectors.
“Amongst the many benefits of membership to Culture & Business Scotland is the chance to access these networks and build innovative solutions to the challenges we’re currently facing, as an industry and as a society”.
Individuals interested in attending the Members’ Forum can find out more about Culture & Business Scotland membership here:
Countries hardest hit by the climate crisis will be supported by up to £24 million in Scottish Government funding, First Minister Humza Yousaf will announce today as he welcomes US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry to Scotland.
Three aid agencies – Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), DAI, and NIRAS – will each receive up to £8 million over the next three years from the Scottish Government’s Climate Justice Fund to support work in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia respectively.
It will enable them to work closely with communities to manage the material and social effects of climate change, funding projects such as building more climate-resilient housing or repairing village flood defences.
The First Minister will launch the programme today (Thursday 24 August) as he introduces a lecture by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry focusing on the Climate Crisis.
It is the first in a series of annual Scottish Global Dialogues taking place during the Edinburgh International Festival to discuss global challenges, organised by Beyond Borders Scotland and the WS Society with support from the Scottish Government.
During his introductory address, the First Minister is expected to say: “The countries which are the worst affected by the climate crisis are often those which have done little or nothing to cause it.
“The injustice at the heart of the global climate crisis is why Scotland became the first country in the world to establish a Climate Justice Fund more than a decade ago and why we have led the way in being the first global north country to commit funding to address loss and damage.
“Today, we are able to announce the start of the Climate Just Communities programme in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda. The programme will work with local communities – including with marginalised groups – so that they can identify their own priorities, and build their resilience to the climate crisis.
“The £24 million programme that we are confirming today is a significant commitment from a devolved government. It will make a real difference to the communities we are working with and it’s a further sign of Scotland’s determination to be a good global citizen – and to do our bit in tackling the climate crisis here in Scotland and across the world.”
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said: “I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to speak at a historic site like the Signet Library to address the climate crisis at this critical moment.
“With just a few months to go before COP28 in Dubai, we all need to ensure our unwavering commitment to addressing one of the world’s greatest threats.”
Founder of Beyond Borders Mark Muller Stuart KC said: “We are delighted that Secretary Kerry has accepted our invitation to come to Scotland to launch Scottish Global Dialogues by giving the inaugural address on such a critical issue as the climate crisis as we move towards COP28.
“We believe the convening power of the Edinburgh festivals and the Signet Library’s Scottish enlightenment connections provides the perfect backdrop for such an address, to say nothing of the Scottish people’s enduring commitment to protecting our environment.”
This week, firefighters have battled a wildfire that started burning on Sunday afternoon near Cannich, south of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. 7,400 hectares have burned so far, with images of the 22-mile long plume of smoke captured by NASA from space.
Two firefighters injured tackling the blaze have since been released from hospital.
Wildfires require a significant number of firefighters to respond due to the extensive terrain, physically demanding work over long periods of time, transporting equipment by hand while being exposed to significant temperatures.
A decade of budget cuts has left Fire and Rescue Services stretched for resources while climate related incidents have increased in frequency and severity. J
uly 2022 saw the temperature in parts of the UK exceed 40 degrees centigrade for the first time in recorded history, increasing the risk of wildfires.
Last week the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service announced further cuts on top of a decade of austerity. These cuts will see the loss of ten fire appliances, reducing fire cover and impacting firefighters’ ability to respond to incidents.
Since 2010, 11,500 firefighters have been cut across the UK, and Scotland alone has lost 1,100 firefighters since 2013.
Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary said:“Throughout this week, firefighters in Scotland have bravely battled what is now believed to be one of the biggest wildfires in UK history and which can be seen from space.
“Two of our members have already been injured working in these extreme conditions. Thankfully both have now returned home. However, this shows us the real dangers of the climate emergency.
“Wildfires, such as the ones we are seeing in Cannich at the moment, are on the rise year on year.
“All governments must heed this stark warning: the climate crisis is here now. We need urgent climate action to prevent loss of life, and that must also involve serious investment in our fire services.”
Greenpeace Edinburgh will be hosting a town hall event at the Grassmarket Community Project focused on the cost of living and climate crises. As part of the event, we will be showing a screening of Greenpeace’s latest documentary, “The Cost Of Living”.
This short documentary tells the story of volunteers in food banks and community centres across Rother Valley in Yorkshire. Feeling neglected and left behind by the government and facing enormous energy bills, more and more people rely on their community to help put food on their table and provide a warm refuge.
Food banks, social cafes and community centres are being stretched to the limit as winter looms large. As the women of Rother Valley try to keep their communities afloat, the government’s inaction stands in stark contrast.
Both the cost of living and climate crises can be solved by investing in renewable energy, properly insulating homes and providing people with the skills and training needed to deliver this green energy revolution.
The screening of the approx. 10 minute documentary will be followed by a panel discussion, featuring representatives from organisations including Living Rent, Just Stop Oil, Fuel Poverty Action and Leith Community Crops in Pots.
Climate campaigners have said that BP reporting a tripling of quarterly profits shows that the UK energy system is ‘fundamentally broken.’ The oil giant today announced profits of £6.9 billion ($8.45 billion) in just 3 months.
Meanwhile, energy consultants have forecast that energy bills could reach over £3,600 per household.
BP have said they will use these record profits to pay out to their shareholders as well as buy back shares in the company from investors. Share buybacks are a way of increasing the value of shares for shareholders.
BP continues to invest in fossil fuel projects such as the Murlach oil field which will further ‘lock us into’ this broken energy system for decades, increasing company profits even further at the expense of people and the planet, campaigners say.
Climate scientists and energy experts have warned that we cannot afford any more investment into fossil fuel extraction if we are to limit dangerous climate warming to 1.5ºC.
Recent research revealed the oil and gas industry has made over $52 trillion in profit over the last 50 years.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Oil and Gas Campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “This announcement of yet another obscene profit for BP is a clear sign that our energy system is fundamentally broken.
“Rising energy prices are a key driver of the cost of living crisis which is plunging millions of people in the UK into fuel poverty, yet bosses and shareholders at BP are getting even richer by exploiting one of our most basic needs.”
“BP is also worsening climate breakdown and extreme weather by continuing to invest and lock us into new oil and gas projects for decades to come. Instead of allowing these companies to continue causing social and environmental devastation to boost their profits, we need to overhaul our energy system to rapidly phase out oil and gas.
“A fair and fast transition to renewables must ensure that everyone has access to affordable and clean renewable energy.”
In the wake of COP26, targets to slow climate change have been set across the world. As the host of the climate conference, Scotland has set the ambitious target of reaching net zero emissions by 2045 (Sturgeon, 2021).
Scotland aims to reduce emissions in areas such as transport and housing with numerous initiatives set for the coming years. However, are these targets inclusive for everyone in Scotland? How financial inequality excludes lower income households from reducing their emissions and accessing government support to do so will be explored.
The transport sector creates significant carbon emissions causing climate change (Apostolicas, 2019). This has driven the innovation of electric vehicles. In order to reach net zero, the target for Scotland (and the rest of Britain) is to stop the sale of new petrol/diesel cars after 2035 (Burch, Gilchrist, 2018).
A higher uptake of electric cars within society will be beneficial for reaching climate change targets, however, considering all members of society, this is not realistic. Electric cars have a significantly higher upfront costs and therefore an individual could buy a larger petrol/diesel car for the price of a smaller electric vehicle (Mehta, 2021).
Due to these drawbacks, financial incentives are needed to convince a lot of the public to opt for an electric car (Rotaris, Giansoldati, Scorrano, 2021).
In Scotland there is financial support to aid individuals buying an electric car. Interest free loans up to £28,000 paid back in up to 6 years for new electric cars and up to £20,000 paid back in up to 5 years for used electric cars are available (Net Zero Nation, 2021).
The cheapest used electric car that can currently be purchased costs from £9,675 however, numerous used petrol/diesel cars can be purchased for below £5000 (Buyacar, 2021). Therefore, interest-free loans are not enough to make electric cars accessible/desirable to low-income households.
Grants could be provided to low-income households to facilitate the purchase of an electric car and even the playing field of choice between electric and petrol/diesel vehicles.
Alternatively, government intervention into reducing the costs of electric cars would make them more accessible. The Scottish government should look to partner with electric car manufacturers such as Nissan to fund innovation and reduce tax on production of electric vehicles. With a significant reduction in the price of electric cars to match the price of petrol/diesel cars the financial barrier of purchasing would be removed and uptake across Scotland would increase, hence reducing transport emissions.
One of the benefits of owning an electric vehicle is their low running cost.
Charging points have been installed across Scotland which initiatives to increase accessibility set. However, electric cars are mainly charged by a charging point which is installed at the owner’s home.
The installation of a home charging point costs around £800 (DriveElectric, 2020). Grants of up to 75% of the cost of installing home charge points are available (Gov, 2021).
As of April 2022, this will only be available to homeowners living in flats and people in rented accommodation. This change demonstrates governments aim to aid lower income households more in purchasing an electric vehicle.
Nevertheless, even with a grant of the maximum, 75% of an £800 would still leave a £200 installation cost, which is significant in particular to individuals in rented accommodation. Can people be expected to invest this much into installing a charge point into a home that is not theirs?
In 2018 there were 2.48 million households in Scotland, 14% were in the private rented sector, 22 – 25% in the social rented sector and 61-62% in the owner-occupied sector (Gov, 2019). A large proportion of people in Scotland do not live in a property they own.
Arguably, households in rented accommodation are excluded from accessing means to reduce emissions. In particular low-income households.
Some individuals in Scotland have enough disposable income to invest in an electric vehicle and charging point with/without government loans and grants dependent on their eligibility.
However, for those without sufficient disposable income available, loans and grants are not enough, excluding a large portion of society from reducing their emissions. But transport is not the only area where financial inequality is prevalent and hinders Scotland’s climate change aims.
The Scottish government has been working to “promote home upgrades” to meet the net zero target (Sturgeon, 2021). Across the UK people’s homes contribute 22% of emissions (Sustainable Energy Association, 2019). However, as seen in the transport sector, sufficient support is not provided to lower income households.
As mentioned, over a 3rd of households in Scotland in 2018 were private or social rented (Gov, 2019).
The Future Homes Standard will be introduced in 2025 which will increase efficiency requirements of new homes being built (Gov, 2025). People who buy, rent or build their own new home are rarely low income.
Targets for existing property have also been set to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. T
he Scottish governments Housing to 2040 plan sets out objectives for increasing home efficiency. It states “To lead by example, we will aim for all new homes delivered by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities to be zero emissions homes by 2026” (Gov, 2021).
The objective is there but the execution is not.
In 2018 it was found that 1 in 3 homes in Scotland did not meet the living home standard (Shelter Scotland, 2018).
The government is failing to improve energy efficiency in social houses. In Scotland, 38,046 social housing properties failed to meet minimum standards and 25,564 were exempt from meeting the standard (Campbell, 2021).
This is detrimental to the reduction of emissions within the housing sector but also highlights the issue of fuel poverty within Scotland. Moodie argues “the hardest to fix homes are being left until last” and as lots of social housing is old and inefficient, this is widening the gap between those in energy efficient housing and those in fuel poverty (from Campbell, 2021).
Moodie further argues, support that is available to homeowners and private tenants is not available to those in social housing (from Campbell, 2021). Therefore, financial inequality is evident in the housing sector in hindering the provision of energy efficient housing.
As with purchasing an electric car, government financial support is available to make homes more energy efficient. Interest free loans are available to cover costs of installing various renewables systems (Gov, 2021).
Furthermore, households can receive a maximum of 40% cashback (with a maximum of £6000) for certain energy efficient improvements (Gov, 2021). This is an incentive for homeowners with sufficient disposable income to invest in making their home more efficient, especially due to increasing energy prices which are predicted to soar for years to come, yet a large proportion of society cannot afford to make these changes despite loans available (Jack, 2022).
The possibility of receiving cashback for efficiency improvements is not a sure enough return for many individuals who cannot afford to invest in upgrading their home.
For those living in private rented accommodation, this issue is amplified as individuals will not invest thousands of their own income in improving the efficiency of a home that is not theirs.
If they have to move, they have lost this investment therefore government support available is not appealing enough. Hence, those who cannot afford to improve their homes energy efficiency will suffer more as costs rise as well as their emissions remaining high.
To tackle issues of incentivising home energy efficiency and installation of charge points in rental property, landlords must be encouraged as oppose to tenants. A reduction of tax on landlord’s rental income for properties based on energy efficiency level and presence of an electric vehicle charge point would encourage improvements. Furthermore, moving into a rental property with a charge point makes purchasing an electric vehicle more accessible.
To conclude, the negative impact of financial inequality on Scotland’s aim to reach net zero by 2045 is evident in the transport and housing sector.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon states “that focus on justice and fairness will be central to Scotland’s whole approach to COP26” (Sturgeon, 2021). However, is there justice and fairness in the support available for the Scottish public to reduce their emissions?
With only zero interest loans available to aid the purchase electric vehicles, high upfront costs still prevent lower income households from accessing them.
Similarly, with interest free loans and cashback available to increase home energy efficiency, households with enough disposable income have incentive to upgrade homes however, support is not sufficient in aiding those with lower incomes.
The large proportion of the public who rent property are not incentivised to make improvements and as energy prices soar, the issue of fuel poverty increases with the government’s claims to upgrade the energy efficiency of social housing failing.
Scotland’s target of reaching net zero emissions is not attainable by 2045 with current inequality. It is clear that the if changes are not made, financial inequality within Scotland will prevent Scotland from meeting its net zero goal and tackling the climate crisis.
