Green New Deal

A Green New Deal for Scotland and for Europe

: Patrick helping to insulate a Glasgow tenement

The present economic crisis provides us with an opportunity to take a good, hard look at the state of our society, economy and environment. Earlier depressions have led to major rethinks, such as the development of the welfare state or Roosevelt's New Deal in the US.

This time, we need to plan for the long-term. We need to shift away from the destructive short-term profiteering that has dominated in recent decades and move towards genuinely sustainable thinking, which address social, environmental and economic needs as part of the same solution.

A Green New Deal is the only way of delivering the changes to the way we live and work that will result in the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions which science shows will be necessary if we are to avoid the most disastrous impacts of climate change.

Crucially though, the benefits the Green New Deal will bring are not restricted to the arena of climate protection or the environment, as important as they are.The Green New Deal will provide a major boost to the economy, lead to sustainable economic development and result in the creation of millions of new “green collar “jobs in renewable energy and other future-oriented technologies.

In terms of social policy, the Green New Deal will ensure that social and labour rights are not weakened or sacrificed in the name of competition and that services of common interest are provided in the fairest way possible so that all of our citizens can be protected from social and economic exclusion and enjoy a good quality of life. Greens will continue to defend equal rights for all within and outside the workplace, fight all forms of discrimination and intolerance and take the urgent action required to help the most disadvantaged in society.

Green Action

The Scottish Green Party forced the minority government in Scotland to make a start in insulating Scotland's homes. The scheme, based on a very successful model pioneered by Green councillors in Kirklees, would have seen Scottish homes insulated free of charge, striking blows equally for the health and budgets of hard-pressed families, for tackling climate change and for sustaining the building industry in the teeth of the recession.

This joined-up thinking, tackling acute social problems, environmental needs and economic well-being is classic Green thinking in action. It is a microcosm of what the Green New Deal could be like when rolled out across the economy and across the country.

In the budget process, the SNP administration watered down the proposals quite severely, but we have made a start. It would not have happened without Green representatives. More Green representatives mean more Green action.