Just the job for green transition

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Ecologist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Climate groups and trade unions are calling on the UK government to allocate £1.9 billion annually to help offshore oil and gas workers transition to clean energy jobs
• Over 65 organizations, backed by unions, have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, urging support for job retraining, renewable manufacturing, and port upgrades
• They warn that without proper funding, the energy transition will leave workers behind

🔭 The context: The UK aims to reach clean power by 2030, with no new oil and gas licenses and plans for a publicly-owned energy company
• However, job losses in traditional energy sectors, like the recent closures at Grangemouth Oil Refinery and Port Talbot steelworks, highlight a lack of plans to transition workers into renewable energy sectors

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Supporting workers in the fossil fuel sector through the energy transition is essential for achieving climate goals while maintaining social justice and preventing further reliance on imported fossil fuels

⏭️ What's next: As the government prepares the autumn Budget, climate groups and unions demand the establishment of a national strategy to invest in renewable energy, prioritize job creation, and fund worker retraining

💬 One quote: "For too long, industry bosses have pocketed record profits while oil and gas workers bear the brunt of the decline of North Sea oil and gas" — Mel Evans, Greenpeace campaigner

📈 One stat: According to a 2023 report by Energy & Utility Skills, around 200,000 UK energy workers will need to be retrained or reskilled by 2030 to support the transition to net-zero energy sectors

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