Stop Climate Chaos Scotland welcomes Scottish Climate Change Bill

For immediate release 05/12/08

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland – the leading coalition of environment, faith and development organisations – welcomes the Climate Change Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament and calls on all MSPs to ensure it becomes a genuinely world leading piece of legislation.

Stop Climate Chaos includes UNISON Scotland amongst its main supporters.

Mike Robinson, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said,

‘The Scottish Government had more than 21,000 people respond to its consultation process, and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland welcomes this strong Scottish Climate Change Bill with enthusiasm. This Bill could be the most significant for a generation and is warmly welcomed by the members of more than 30 of Scotland’s most respected organisations campaigning on climate change.

‘But, as Lord Turner’s report for the UK Climate Committee showed on Monday, there is no reason to back down, and every reason to be even more ambitious in investing for a green economy.

‘We call upon MSPs from all parties to back strong measures already in the bill, and to work constructively to improve it further so it becomes genuinely world leading legislation.

‘Poor people around the world are already feeling the real impacts of climate change – changing weather patterns undermine their ways of life while increased disasters threaten their lives. Our natural environment is already showing changes and heralding the devastating problems ahead if we don't cut greenhouse gas emissions. Scotland has had huge benefit from fossil-fuel based energy; we can and should be leading efforts to shift to a more efficient and sustainable low-carbon economy.’

ENDS

For more press information please contact:

Claire Aston, Christian Aid on 0131 240 1523; 07961 303481 or caston@christian-aid.org or Mandy Carter, WWF Scotland on 01350 728200; 07771 818677 or mcarter@wwfscotland.org.uk

For more information about Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, please contact:

Ruth Dawkins, SCCS on 0131 311 6512, 07790 386 329 or ruth@stopclimatechaosscotland.org


Notes to editors

1. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) is a diverse, growing coalition of organisations campaigning on climate change. The SCCS Coalition has 40 Scottish members, representing more than 1.5 million supporters, ranging from environment and development groups to faith organisations, trade unions, student societies, care providers and many more. For full details visit www.stopclimatechaosscotland.org

2. SCCS will be holding a Climate Change Rally in April 2009. All coalition members and their supporters are being encouraged to spring into action for a strong Scottish Climate Change Bill. We will be gathering to lobby MSPs outside the Scottish Parliament, from 11am – 2pm, on Wednesday 22nd April 2009. For further details of the rally contact SCCS Co-ordinator Ruth Dawkins (contact details above)

3. SCCS is calling for the Scottish Climate Change Bill to:

* Set a target to cut all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050
* Establish statutory annual targets to reduce emissions by at least 3% year on year
* Include all emissions from international aviation and shipping in the targets.

Ofgem probe confirms UNISON prediction of 'golden hole' in flawed energy market

Press release: Mon 6 October 2008


Leading Scottish energy union UNISON Scotland responded to the Ofgem Energy Supply Probe by roundly criticising the failed energy market for which the regulator is responsible.

UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson called for an end to the “market madness” overseen by Ofgem which has seen consumers pour billions into a “golden hole” of energy company profits.

Ofgem’s report fails to address the problems faced by consumers, or to propose any realistic solutions in the face of blatant profiteering by energy companies. But amongst the discredited and increasingly desperate Ofgem recommendations that customers try to make ends meet by switching amongst suppliers, the report reveals the ugly truth about price discrimination against the poor. The average annual bill for households on pre-payment meters is £118 higher than those better off customers who were able to pay by direct debit.

UNISON is calling for immediate windfall taxes on energy profits, and in the long term, wider intervention in the failed energy market to ensure that consumers stop funding company profits.

UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said: “In January of this year UNISON published a research report highlighting the huge increase in energy company profits at the expense of household consumers. We showed that companies made £2.5bn more than the increase in costs of producing and selling the electricity and gas. That is £100 a year extra for the average family. We called on Ofgem to take action to address the obvious failings of the competitive market. And we predicted that Ofgem would resist such an investigation because it undermines their ideological commitment to market solutions.

“We also predicted that when the facts and noise became irresistible they would produce a very long report that would say the market was working well. Sadly in today’s report they have done just that!”

Dave Watson added:

“No serious observer is claiming the companies act as a cartel. But equally it is clear that the market is not working and the report fails to address this ‘golden hole’ of energy profits. At a time when consumers are facing even higher energy bills, today’s report simply avoids the big issue. In the short term there needs to be a windfall tax on these profits to fund some much needed relief for consumers. In the longer term we need to end this market madness and ensure that consumers stop funding company profits.”

UNISON Scotland is also concerned at the wider impact of energy on public services. Increased energy costs are a major factor cited by the local government employers body CoSLA for their below inflation pay offer to council workers.

ENDS

For Further Information Please Contact: Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser)- 07958 122 409 (m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) – 07715 583 729 (m)

NOTES TO EDITORS

UNISON Scotland: UNISON is one of Scotland’s largest trade unions representing over 160,000 members,and is the biggest union in the Scottish power industry. Our members in other sectors including local government also have an interest in energy, particularly fuel poverty.


Fuel Poverty: The Scottish Government Review of Fuel Poverty in May 2008 showed that 543,000 households (comprising over a million people) were in fuel poverty - which means they have to spend more than 10% of household income on energy bills. And the sharp rises in fuel costs are making the situation worse: the Scottish House Condition Survey in March 2008 estimated that for every 1% rise in average annual fuel price, around 8,000 more households go into fuel poverty. See also http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/povertyresponse.html

UNISON report on ‘Golden Hole’: Report Exposes Golden Hole in Energy Firms' Accounts - Inquiry Demanded into Missing billions UNISON Press Release 22/01/2008 on the publication of ‘Gas and electricity costs to householders’, produced by Cornwall Energy Associates and commissioned by UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign, January 2008 http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1087