We can all agree on the desirability to move to sustainable energy over the mid-to-long term. The debate as ever is how we get there without dropping the baton in the change-over.
On this as on other issues there is a fundamental conflict between Holyrood and Westminster as Ben Wright highlights in this week’s Telegraph 08.12.21:
“Having used North Sea oil riches as one of the main pillars of the case for Scottish independence in 2014, Nicola Sturgeon appears to have undergone a Damascene conversion to aggressive environmentalism in the intervening years.
This is a very different tack to the UK Government’s plan to introduce future “checkpoints” that will take into account domestic demand for oil and gas, projected production levels and the increase in clean technologies such as offshore wind.
The energy sector will face targets to reduce emissions by 10pc by 2025, 25pc by 2027 and 50pc by 2030. We can have a debate about those targets. But it is surely right to follow a well signposted roadmap to net zero.”
And until the day comes when we can confidently rely on renewables the paradox of our current position remains untenable:
“Without proper planning the UK will end up importing more fossil fuels, which will leave us diplomatically compromised and likely cause greater environmental damage.”
The full article can be read here with a link to the original beneath it:
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