ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have called for parties to prioritise green jobs and reducing climate pollution in May’s Holyrood election, including the creation of a publicly owned renewable energy company. 

Friends of the Earth Scotland (FoES) has sent parties a programme of ideas that can contribute to delivering a “green jobs recovery,” calling for the next Scottish government to take a more interventionist role in the economy. 

The group has said Scotland must launch a publicly owned renewable energy company generating power, putting Scotland on course to be fossil-fuel-free. 

FoES also want to see Scotland’s next government extend free bus travel to all on publicly owned buses, putting people and climate action at the heart of decisions about the economy. 

FoES director Dr Richard Dixon said: “The next Scottish government must ensure that people in Scotland are truly benefiting from the renewable energy revolution with more work for local supply chains, subsidised power for those in fuel poverty and an increase in our overall ambition.

“Achieving this requires nothing short of reprogramming the economy so that it improves people’s lives and creates green jobs, while driving down emissions.

“The inequality exposed by coronavirus and the rapid pace of climate breakdown make clear that we can’t go back to the mistakes of the past that got us into this mess.”

The Scottish Greens warned that other parties are sleepwalking Scotland into climate breakdown. 

The party’s co-leader Patrick Harvie said other parties’ support for continued exploration for oil and gas reserves would see Scotland exceed environmental commitments under the Paris agreement.

“Scotland can’t afford to continue this complacency, and with just six months before the COP climate conference in Glasgow, it’s time to get real,” he said.