Carbon capture is no substitute for renewables investment
Pouring billions of pounds into unproven Carbon Capture and Storage technology (CCS) is no substitute for investment in clean, green renewable energy, says Scottish Green Co-leader Lorna Slater.
Ms Slater’s comments came as the Prime Minister announced a £22 billion commitment for CCS projects.
Ms Slater said: “Carbon Capture is a costly and unproven technology that is often used to justify our continued reliance on fossil fuels.
“It is no substitute for clean, green and renewable energy and must not distract us from the investments that we need to be making and the green change that we need to deliver.
“The billions of pounds that Keir Starmer is pouring into CCS would be much better spent on cutting people’s electricity bills, investing in green skills and proven industries and boosting energy efficiency and public transport.
“Global temperatures are rising around us and the situation is urgent. All governments badly need to be moving away from oil and gas.
“We can not greenwash our way out of the crisis we are in, and must not put our hopes on technology that doesn’t deliver the carbon capture rates being promised and is being pushed by polluters to allow them to keep drilling our North Sea.
“Scotland has the skilled workers and resources to invest in renewable technology that will make a real difference here and now. Both the Scottish and UK governments must invest in that rather than pumping money into giving companies permission to pollute.”