Renewable energy needs to have a far more prominent part of Scotland’s current consultation on future land use plans, according to Scottish Renewables.
In new blog on its website, Scottish Renewables said Holyrood is reviewing land use plans within the Climate Change (Scotland) Act and is consulting interested parties on a new draft strategy.
Scottish Renewables said renewable energy is seemingly all but absent from the draft.
It said renewable energy supports about 21,000 jobs, creating prosperity across Scotland and doing so in a sustainable manner, just as one of the draft strategy’s key objectives – “land-based businesses working with nature to contribute more to Scotland’s prosperity” – says.
But, while the plan mentions other factors that can help tackle climate change, such as forestry and peatland restoration, renewables are not included.
“It is essential that the renewable energy industry, which can help to protect Scotland’s environment in the long term, is involved in the discussion of the new draft strategy,” Scottish Renewables said.
“Indeed, renewables developments often have an active, positive role to play in habitat management, forestry planting and peatland restoration.”
With this in mind the renewables industry also needs to integrate and workwith communities in more depth, it added.
“Shared ownership, where developers and local communities utilise local land for renewables projects to the benefit of local people, is a clear focus of government, communities and industry, and one which fits perfectly with the draft strategy’s aim of ‘urban and rural communities better connected to the land, with more people enjoying the land and positively influencing land use’.”
Image: Harestanes wind farm in Scotland (Iberdrola)
Scots need RE in land use plans
Renewables all but absent from government draft on future management
By EBS