'Timing couldn't be better' for Alness and Invergordon as local figures react to Climate Action Towns
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A GAME-changing new climate scheme which is to be led in part by two Easter Ross towns should have community engagement and a just transition at its heart, local figures believe.
Their calls come after Alness and Invergordon were among the communities included on the new Climate Action Towns programme, which will be delivered by Architecture and Design Scotland with £146,000 from the Scottish Government.
Local figures have welcomed the announcement and the possibilities it offers their communities.
“It’s very uplifting to think of all the opportunities that come with it,” said Emma Roddick MSP, who grew up in Alness.
“If you give a community ownership of the issue then they are going to do their best to promote it, so even just the act of naming Alness a Climate Town is going to give people that sense of responsibility, something for them to get involved with. It’s important that they feel empowered.
“I am biased, but I think it’s the perfect choice. When you look at Nigg, it’s just the perfect place to set the example on the transition and how you do it well. We are looking at the Port of Cromarty Firth moving from oil to wind turbines, it’s just a great setting for promoting sustainability.
“I think we have to make it really clear that there are jobs in renewables and in tackling climate change, and we are already seeing it at the port where they are offering apprenticeships to local kids who go to Alness Academy or Invergordon Academy.
“It could be fantastic for their futures and for the towns themselves.”
The news comes at a time of rising interest around the Cromarty Firth, as the Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF) consortium is involved in several green transition projects. Strategic business development manager at the Port of Cromarty Firth, Joanne Allday, said: “We are really excited.
“It dovetails perfectly with what we are doing with Opportunity Cromarty Firth. The port does a lot of community engagement already but I hope we will now have more engagement from the community driving some of the decarbonisation plans.”
Talking about one of the criteria for the initiative’s choice, which relates to the towns being regarded as high deprivation areas, she added: “Everything we are doing in OCF is about increasing the level of jobs and the level of economic activity, bring in new businesses, and the majority of that is in renewable energy. It’s all about transformative change, green jobs and careers for the future, this is why we are so excited.”
An important reality in the area for opportunities and employability for young people is The Place Youth Club in Alness, who have been running The Field for just over a year.
The Place’s co-ordinator, Janette Douglas, said: “I am certainly hoping that we can be included and be at the table when they are talking about it. A lot of what we are doing at the Field is in line with this: trying to empower young people to be part of the community, think out the box and learn how to grow and cook their own food.
“We are looking to use that Field with young people for employability opportunities and for enterprise opportunities as well as being a community resource. It’s going to be a great community asset.”
Green MSP, Ariane Burgess, commented: “This is an interesting opportunity for the towns to work together to create a just transition corridor. Invergordon has played a role in the oil and gas industry and is now moving to the renewable energy sector.
“We must be designing communities that can adapt to change, and meet community needs while supporting the surrounding natural environment to regenerate. Solutions to our climate and nature emergencies lie in well-informed, local place-based solutions. Each town must see itself as a node in a network and build relationships with other rural communities and food producers as well as improving transport links.”
