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Peter Faccenda: If we don’t capitalise on just transition opportunities, future generations will ask why

A 'just transition' is both the outcome and the process that must be undertaken with those most affected by the changes.

Transitioning away from oil and gas should mean new jobs in new sectors (Image: James Jones Jr/Shutterstock)
Transitioning away from oil and gas should mean new jobs in new sectors (Image: James Jones Jr/Shutterstock)

There’s a strong argument that the north of Scotland has always played a leading role in both supporting and promoting the best of the country. However, with our location being fundamental to the transition to renewable power, we’re now at the centre of opportunities.

The efforts needed to reach net zero by 2045 will transform all elements of our economy and society.

Caithness and Sutherland encompass in microcosm many of the issues likely to be faced by the rest of Scotland during the just transition process.

The region comprises 8.5% of Scottish land area – but only 0.75% of the population. These figures (including less than 40,000 people in total) cover coastal communities, fishing and fish farming communities, agricultural communities (including crofting), dispersed remote and hard-to-reach communities, and urban centres – with a mix of some affluent areas juxtaposed with some of the poorest wards in Scotland.

Just transition means a ‘fairer, greener future’

A “just transition” is both the outcome – a fairer, greener future for all – and the process that must be undertaken in partnership with those most affected by the changes. It supports a net zero and climate resilient economy in a way that delivers fairness and tackles inequality and injustice.

At Focus North, our goals are very much aligned with that ambition. They are to develop a fairer, resilient, more balanced economy, expand the working population, grow and diversify a sustainable economy, increase the number of private sector businesses operating locally, and attract investment.

Our vision is that our region will be a truly sustainable one, providing a healthy and economically stable environment for everyone living here.

Opportunities to deal with long-standing problems and achieve a just transition

With our three-year regional plan centred around sustainable economic growth for the benefit of our communities, Focus North seeks to attract jobs in key sectors, such as space, offshore wind, tidal generation, hydrogen, future transport, nurturing the area’s natural resources and environment, and sustainable tourism.

Unusually for such an otherwise rural area, we also have world class engineering companies and research facilities on our doorstep. We have nationally important projects developing in the energy and space sectors, and a major local employer with a goal to help diversify the local economy.

If carefully coordinated, these can provide the opportunities to deal with long-standing problems and achieve a just transition.

The challenge is to capitalise on these opportunities – ensuring those benefits that can be attracted to the region are. If we don’t do it now, future generations will be more than entitled to ask why we didn’t.

For more information on our work and to find out the latest, you can visit focusnorth.scot, or follow us on social media: @_focusnorth


Peter Faccenda is programme manager for Focus North, an informal partnership established to deliver transformational initiatives in the north of mainland Scotland

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