£45m fund will help to decarbonise Scottish homes

The Scottish Government has announced an extra £45m for energy efficiency, fuel poverty and heat decarbonisation. 

This funding was part of the UK Treasurys announcement of a further £1.1bn of coronavirus support for the Scottish Government.

Friends of the Earth Scotland are calling on the Scottish Government and opposition parties to work together to negotiate a final budget that delivers the immediate action needed to create good green jobs that reduce climate emissions and strengthen Scotland’s recovery.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Climate and Energy Campaigner Caroline Rance said: ‘This extra cash is a welcome step, however, the total still falls shy of what is needed to drive the transformative change required in energy efficiency and fuel poverty.

‘Choosing to invest in warmer homes can create a triple win for jobs, public health and the fight against climate change. It is welcome to see the Scottish Government responding to recent calls from housing, environment and anti-poverty groups.

‘The final budget still needs to find the upfront investment that will deliver on political promises to create a fairer, greener society as we exit the pandemic. Scotland needs a green jobs recovery that drives up demand in key areas like energy efficiency, public transport and skills training. Opposition parties must prioritise these areas in negotiations, to ensure the final budget can help to build back better.’

In related news, experts and campaigners have questioned the modelling used by Scottish Government officials to predict future changes in emissions. They have also challenged the government’s over-reliance on technologies such as Carbon Capture and large-scale hydrogen from fossil fuels.

The experts and campaigners have expressed concern that the Government’s prediction of the impact of policies is not properly connected to the policies chosen.

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