Blade is sign of change

Campaigners brought a 42ft wind turbine blade to Aberdeen as part of the Greenpeace Just Transition Tour.

The public were invited to sign the blade to show their support of a fair energy transition deal during the event at Duthie Park on Saturday.

Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Platform have said they are passionate about their shared goal of ensuring oil workers can gain easy access to sustainable green jobs in renewable energy.

Sam Chetan-Welsh, a political campaigner for Greenpeace, said: “We’ve brought this wind turbine here... so we can talk about Just Transition, and getting the government, both in Scotland and at Westminster, to support offshore workers to be able to transition away from oil and gas.

“We know that because of the climate emergency we need to be moving out of oil and gas as quickly as possible, but in a way that is equitable and doesn’t leave communities behind that have kept the lights on for so many years.

“We’re getting people to sign the blade saying that they support the transition for oil workers to retrain and reskill. So far, there has been an amazing response.”

Almost 12,000 people have already signed a petition on the Greenpeace website asking First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to act.

The campaigners believe that workers need more power over their jobs and their futures, while communities should have a greater say over investments and who benefits from them.

Signatures from all over the UK now cover both sides, including several from Friday’s tour stop in Inverness.

Martin Fraser, 36, lost his job in the oil industry during the downturn in 2015 and now runs his own external cleaning business.

He said: “I think it sounds like a good cause and it’s definitely a sensible thing to be discussing.

“There’s going to be a lot of guys out of work when the oil industry does blow so it makes sense to retrain and speak to them about renewable energy, rather than just being cut off.”

Rachel Maurice, 40, heard about Saturday’s event through her volunteering work with Aberdeen Climate Action.

She said: “It spreads awareness and starts conversations. People often don’t feel involved in decision making, but signing names... is a way for us to be a part of something and show support.”

Mr Chetan-Welsh said: “People we’ve spoken to who have worked in the oil industry have been very supportive of our work.

“The people who are in the industry are the people who understand. Workers tell us that they feel a sense of it being in decline and they would like to see government step in and help them move to other industries.

“It’s a big job we’ve got on our hands, helping this transition happen, and that’s one of the reasons we’re starting conversations with people, to turn any scepticism into support.

“We need to see policy change, we need to see money, and most of all we need to see proper commitments from both governments.”

“The people in the industry are the people who understand

TURBINE TOUR: The 42ft Greenpeace wind turbine blade in Duthie Park, which has been signed by members of the public. Pictures by Kath Flannery.