SNP MSP WARNS OVER ‘ASTRONOMICAL’ COST OF LIVING FOR ISLAND COMMUNITIES IN MOVE TOWARDS NET-ZERO

Emma Roddick has today highlighted the need to find balance in achieving net-zero whilst also not pushing island communities further into fuel poverty.  The Highlands and Islands MSP expressed her support for Scottish Government plans to achieve carbon-neutral status in the Isles whilst also sharing concerns on how this could be achieved fairly.

Commenting she said:

“There are obvious extra challenges to living in an island community. Islanders need ferries and planes to survive, this is non-negotiable. Many homes and buildings are very old now and some are not compatible with air source heat pumps or other greener heating systems.

“Fuel poverty is at its highest in parts of my region and it is vital that when we talk about doing away with oil boilers and such, we also think about the impact this could have on household energy bills.

“A greener country cannot just mean flashy statistics; it has to also mean that those living here can afford to heat their homes in winter without starving. “I will continue to make the case with the Scottish Government that, while many of the levers of power around energy policy lie with Westminster, more has to be done at home to support those bearing the brunt of bad decisions down south and more consideration has to be given to island contexts when we create Scottish policy