Commissioner Energises Scotland

On Valentines Day (2007), SDC Commissioner, Professor Jan Bebbington addressed the Holyrood Manifesto Conference, ‘Energy and Environment: A Sustainable Burden? at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

During the 'Energising Scotland' session, Professor Bebbington's keynote address said "We are clearly not living within our environmental limits due to our heavy reliance on fossil fuels. The knock on effect of this is global climate change."

"The ability of our citizens to enjoy warm homes is unequally spread. Therefore, on both social and ecological grounds, the way we source and use energy needs to change."

"In Scotland the future could be very positive. In particular, we have an abundance of natural resources that will allow us to shift from fossil fuel dependence, to an economy based on sustainable development principles."

Professor Bebbington also warned Scotland about new nuclear energy, saying "The Sustainable Development Commission’s position is that we see no justification for bringing forward plans for a new nuclear programme at this time. Instead government should focus on energy efficiency, renewables and decentralized energy, to deliver the carbon saving we desperately need."

"When thinking about energy, it is important to note that heat makes up over 50% of Scotland's energy needs. There is also a need to diversify fuel types for heat. The SDC has produced a report Wood Fuel for Warmth The report shows that Scotland could be using its wood fuel supplies to help meet future heating needs. This may be especially beneficial in rural areas that are not supplied with natural gas."

The event was designed to help shape party policies for the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections and allowed organisations, groups and individuals to have their say on the crucial issues affecting public policy in Scotland.