NEWS | Eve Lucas | October 2024
In the midst of Scotland’s Climate Week 2024, an event dedicated to celebrating and encouraging climate action, Alasdair Allan MSP, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Climate Action, visited the Centre for Energy Policy (CEP) at the University of Strathclyde. During the visit, the Minister and the CEP researchers engaged in discussions focused on collaborative strategies to meet the ambitious net zero targets set by the Scottish Government, emphasising the urgent need for effective policies to combat climate change.
Scottish Government’s ambitious commitments to achieving a fair and effective transition
As the Minister for Energy within the Scottish Government, Dr. Allan oversees a diverse remit that includes energy policy — encompassing wind, wave, tidal energy, and carbon capture technology — as well as energy efficiency initiatives. His role involves supporting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, in advancing Scotland’s comprehensive climate agenda. His work is central in guiding Scotland toward a Just Transition, ensuring that the shift to sustainable energy sources is fair and equitable for all communities. The Scottish Government has committed itself to leading a fair and equitable transition, with regular progress reports carried out by the Just Transition Commission.
The Scottish Government is keen to engage with academic institutions and energy policy experts to refine its strategies and harness innovative solutions that will accelerate progress towards its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2045. The Centre for Energy Policy – which is celebrating its ten-year anniversary – works with a wide range of stakeholders, including government at all levels, energy industry, energy charities, and trade union organisations.
CEP research findings resonate with Minister
Researchers at the Centre for Energy presented some of their recent projects to the Minister, which included policy research on carbon capture, hydrogen production, and energy demand. Dr Allan, who had recently visited Shetland, was interested to hear that CEP colleagues had just returned from the Islands, investigating the impacts on Shetland’s economy and people of harnessing offshore wind and marine renewable energy to produce zero carbon hydrogen and ammonia fuels. The work also aligns closely with the Centre’s focus as part of the Energy Demand Research Centre in which CEP leads the equity theme, and is looking at issues such as fuel and transport poverty.
As MSP for the Highlands and Islands consituency, and a resident of the Isle of Lewis, Dr. Allan has a particular stake in these discussions, especially concerning the equity implications of energy policy in such remote and rural areas, which have disproportionately high rates of fuel poverty in Scotland. The Minister has backed calls for the establishment of a social tariff for those who need it most, a policy the Scottish Government has recently been exploring through a working group containing energy industry experts.
Keeping the conversation open is key to ensuring effective policy action
The ministerial visit to the Centre for Energy Policy during Scotland’s Climate Week underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in achieving net zero targets. The message is clear: achieving net zero is not just a governmental objective but a collective endeavour requiring the involvement of various stakeholders across society. CEP’s work echoes this, and very much centres around the idea that net zero is a public policy challenge as much as it is a technological one. Moreover, that identifying and pursuing economically and politically feasible policy pathways will be key to the success of the transition.
Image credit: Net Zero Scotland https://x.com/ScotGovNetZero/status/1838878621601083531