Vital plans to invest at least £1.8 billion to make buildings in Scotland net zero were endorsed by parliament this week, just as gas prices surge, threatening to push many more families across the country into fuel poverty.
Figures show that a quarter of households in Scotland are already considered to be in fuel poverty.
Scottish Greens Highlands and Islands MSP Ariane Burgess (pictured) has said that as well as the need to tackle the immediate problem, the issue shows that the requirement to lower Scotland’s climate emissions goes hand in hand with tackling fuel poverty.
Ariane Burgess MSP said:
“The surge in gas prices is a real concern to so many people who rely on fossil fuels to heat their homes, and yet again demonstrates why we must end our dependency on volatile, unreliable and climate-destroying fossil fuels.
“That’s why Scottish Greens in government are accelerating plans to make homes across Scotland more efficient and to switch from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives.
“To support this, we will invest at least £1.8bn over the next five years.
“It has been galling to see Boris Johnson preach climate responsibility on the world stage while at home his government is forcing families in across the Highlands and Islands into poverty and doing nothing to decarbonise heating and transport.
“We don’t have time for this kind of reckless approach which is why, with Greens in government, Scotland will take a different path.”
