Green industrial strategy

Joint Ministerial Foreword

In the past two centuries there have been dramatic shifts in the sources of energy which power the global economy. Whether this was the move from wood and charcoal to coal in the nineteenth century or the transition to oil and gas in the twentieth century, each has driven extraordinary innovation, growth, and social change. Each of them brought challenges and each created extraordinary new opportunities.

We now stand in the midst of the next energy transition – to clean and renewable power. Scotland can, and should, play a leading role in this next revolution, just as it did in the growth of the fossil fuel economy in earlier decades.

Our Green Industrial Strategy has a single aim: to help Scotland realise the economic benefits of the global transition to net zero. We want to ensure the growth of the world’s net zero economy translates into good, well-paid jobs across Scotland today and for future generations, and stimulates exports of Scottish energy, goods and services. It means securing investment in every part of our country and ensuring that our workforce shapes and shares in the benefits of green growth. And – by boosting growth and earnings – we want to ensure that a thriving green economy also helps to power progress on the Scottish Government’s other priorities of eradicating child poverty and investing in public services.

Wherever we go in Scotland we are struck by two things. The first is the enormous value of the natural capital which makes our country so special. The second is the immense wealth of knowledge, skill, enterprise and enthusiasm found across our country: we have reserves of talent and ambition which are envied around the world.

Our task – and our opportunity – is to bring these strengths to bear in a global race to create the products and services which will power the net zero economy. This requires us to make choices. That is why this strategy identifies five ‘opportunity areas’ in which we believe Scotland has the strengths and sources of comparative advantage to compete internationally.

It also requires an active state. That is why it describes how we will focus on creating the conditions for good green growth, building on our strengths and removing the barriers to investment and success. We face that challenge along with our partners in our enterprise agencies, the Scottish National Investment Bank, Crown Estate Scotland, universities and colleges and elsewhere. We also look forward to working with the new UK Government and our partners in Europe and elsewhere wherever we can to deliver in Scotland’s interests. The success of our neighbours such as Denmark and Ireland shows what a country like Scotland could achieve with the right levers and powers.

But the public sector is only part of the economy. Businesses and workers are key drivers of growth, and we are grateful to all those firms and individuals who have contributed their time and expertise to help us develop this strategy and will, we hope, play a vital part in ensuring that it delivers for Scotland.

This strategy is a statement of direction, focus, and intent. We look forward to working with you to make it a reality and a success, and to build a fair, green and growing economy in Scotland.

Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic

Gillian Martin, Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy