In the lead up to the Scottish election, Energy Voice asked each party to outline their policies on energy. This week the the candidates take on oil and gas. Next week they discuss how they would approach renewables.
Fossil fuels will remain part of the picture for years to come and despite the occasional voice coming from the forest, the determination to keep the oil and gas industry alive is one shared by almost everyone, including the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
But Scotland has now missed its climate change targets for the last four years in a row. There is no doubt that climate change threatens our future way of life in this country and around the world so we need an energy mix that will help us cut down on emissions.
That’s why the Scottish Liberal Democrat 2016 manifesto will include a commitment to oppose fracking on climate change grounds. Scotland needs a strong climate change policy that does not divert investment and research away from green technologies. Our focus must be on supporting renewables rather than increasing carbon emissions and we don’t want to distract from that focus by opening up a whole new front of carbon-based fuels and energy production. We will also end open-cast coal mining, which has had a devastating impact on landscapes and which now have little prospect of restoration.
Scottish Liberal Democrats also want to cut the carbon out of transport. We will help build a low-carbon transport system for Scotland through a commitment to public transport. As part of that commitment, we will speed up rail journey times to the North East and Highlands and support the extension of high-speed rail into Scotland. We will also develop contactless multi-mode payment for all public transport, making it easier and faster for people travelling around the country and encouraging more people to use trains and buses.
Finally, to cut down on our reliance on fossil fuels we will not support the devastating surge in air transport pollution and the environmental damage that would come from the SNP’s abolition of Air Passenger Duty. There is protection already in place for lifeline services and these should be maintained, but a wholesale cut is not the right way to go. So far, the SNP have been unable to produce independent analysis showing the impact to the country’s economy, instead pointing us towards reports written by EasyJet. We should not be living out of the pockets of the aviation industry. We should be passing on a sustainable legacy for future generations.
Liam McArthur is the Scottish Liberal Democrat energy spokesman.
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