There is potential for 34,000 new green jobs in Tayside and Fife in the next decade, according to new research.
Thousands of jobs could be created in housing retrofit, offshore wind, and hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing.
That is according to the study by Transition Economics and Platform.
The research suggests a retrofitting programme to increase the energy efficiency of homes could create 22,500 jobs.
It adds offshore wind and the domestic construction and manufacturing to support it could create more than 10,000 jobs.
And expanding green hydrogen production to power hard-to-decarbonise industries like steel could create 1,250 jobs.
The report adds that current government and industry policy is falling short in replacing jobs lost through the decline of oil and gas.
There has already been a decline in the number of jobs associated with offshore energy, the report shows.
The number of workers in the sector has fallen from 326,000 in 2016 to 178,500 in 2020.
By contrast, the research suggests a shift from fossil fuels has the potential to create at least three times as many jobs as the number of oil and gas roles impacted by 2032.
Support needed for oil and gas workers
Jake Molloy, RMT Union organiser and ex-oil rig worker, said: “This research shows that it is possible to phase out oil and gas in a way that doesn’t leave whole communities at risk.
“Now we need politicians to get on with it.
“Any talk of a just transition will mean nothing if the offshore oil and gas workers aren’t supported in the move to renewables.
“As we phase out North Sea oil and gas, we need to see protections in place for workers. Job guarantees, skills transfers and vastly improved conditions.”
Mr Molloy said workers are currently finding it difficult to find jobs in the offshore wind sector.
He said that is due to “obstructive training standards bodies” and “rapidly worsening conditions”.
An offshore energy skills summit will be held on November 2 to help break down barriers faced by oil and gas workers in the shift away from fossil fuels.
MPs urged to take further action
Rosemary Harris, just transition advocacy campaigner at Platform, called on elected officials to do more.
She said there is an urgent need to scale up alternatives for workers in high carbon industries.
“We need MPs in areas currently reliant on the offshore oil and gas industry to boldly speak out for proper public investment in renewables,” Ms Harris said.
“Continued oil and gas extraction is bad for workers and bad for the climate.
“Simply clinging on to the fossil fuels of the past isn’t enough.
“It only serves to harm workers who could end up stranded in these industries as they are phased out.”
Montrose Port ‘well placed’
Montrose Port Authority chief executive Captain Tom Hutchison said the port is “actively engaged in the expanding offshore wind sector”.
Both the Seagreen and Inch Cape offshore wind farms have selected Montrose for their operations and maintenance bases.
He said: “These commitments will see these renewable companies working out of our port for at least the next 25 years, boosting our regional economy and creating jobs.
“As a trust port, we are here to create an infrastructure that supports our stakeholders and that includes adapting to the energy transition.
“We always welcome any opportunity that has the potential to create more jobs for our community and wider region.”
Conversation