Chamber and committees

Will the member give way?

[Made a request to intervene.]

Will the minister give way?

I hear what the minister says about increasing strategic oversight for the Government and giving more control to ministers, but can she explain why no guidance exists for planning authorities, which have been having to deal with such applications up until now? In the absence of such guidance, there has been no comfort or certainty for communities.

I am really glad that we are debating Scotland’s energy opportunity. As I listen to the debate, it feels that the Parliament that I rejoined a week ago feels and sounds quite different to the one that I left before the election. Although most of us understand that the climate crisis is becoming more serious by the day, I feel that climate change denial has crept into the chamber. I hope that I am wrong, because we must be in no doubt that the climate crisis is an existential threat to our health, to our living standards and to our communities.

We need a new energy future that will help us to tackle the climate crisis, and I am optimistic about the economic opportunities that that will bring. However, the question in my mind is, who owns that future and who will benefit? Hundreds of my Glasgow constituents have been in touch through the Our Power Scotland campaign. They are fed up of watching private companies and overseas investors get richer while Scots miss out. As they put it,

“we have the wind, we have the workers, but we lack ownership”.

They are demanding more public ownership, more community wealth building and secure well-paid jobs through a proper offshore wind manufacturing industry, and they are right to do so.

I will come on to talk in a moment or two about big oil and gas and the eye-watering profits that they continue to make and about how we need to use some of that money to fund the just transition. What is evident is that Scotland is world leading in offshore wind and has abundant renewable resources. We have heard from the minister that we are creating thousands of good jobs, we are strengthening our energy security and we are building an economy that is fit for the future; however, we need to go further and faster.

Climate change is already causing havoc—something that I do not think that Reform and the Conservatives have mentioned today—from the wildfires in the Cairngorms and excess deaths from heat to the devastating loss of life from climate impacts in Nepal. Meanwhile, workers and communities are paying the price, while big oil and gas continue to make billions and record profits.

We need those profiteers—I hope that the members on the benches across from me agree—to pay more tax and contribute more to the just transition. Those members are shaking their heads, so perhaps they do not agree. That would help the workers who are facing redundancy due to the geology of the North Sea.

Will the minister take an intervention?

I will make some progress; I have only three minutes.

I do not know whether Rosebank and Jackdaw will ultimately be approved, but I do know that we cannot drill our way to lower energy bills, to long-term jobs and energy security or out of the climate crisis. We need to accelerate the just transition, and that must include having trade unions at the table—I know that we do not all agree with or believe in trade unions, but we need to have them at the table. We need investment in skills, domestic manufacturing, insulation of homes and acceleration of electrification—

I welcome the minister to his post. I welcome the Government’s plans to increase community ownership of Scotland’s renewable resources. Can he tell the Parliament when the ScotWind wealth fund will be established?

I was allocated only three minutes. I will try to conclude very quickly.

We need democratic control of our energy wealth alongside properly resourced planning.

I pay tribute to campaigners, including those across Glasgow, and especially to our young people, who are demanding action. They understand that international climate justice is not a weakness but a strength.

I am pleased that the minister has pledged to work constructively with MPs and also with the UK Government, because we should co-operate more. I want to hear a bit more precision around dates for the ScotWind wealth fund and the long-awaited energy strategy.

Scotland can meet the climate challenge if we have the right strategy and plans. We can meet the moment when it comes to our energy future, but we need to shift the power from multinational profiteers and distant investors to our workers, communities and the Scottish public. It is not only about changing how we generate energy; it is about changing who has power in our economy and our democracy.

Scotland has the natural resources, we have the workers and we have the opportunities. What we need now is the political will and action from the Scottish Government to put that power and opportunity into the hands of the Scottish people.

16:14