Contents 4. Scotland’s Green Future 6. A Green New Deal 10. Emergency Action for the Planet 12. A New Democracy 14. Our Place in Europe 17. Our Candidates 18. A Just Society 20. Rebuilding our Public Services 22. Sustainable Transport for All 24. An Inclusive Scotland 26. A Fairer World Contents 4. Scotland’s Green Future 6. A Green New Deal 10. Emergency Action for the Planet 12. A New Democracy 14. Our Place in Europe 17. Our Candidates 18. A Just Society 20. Rebuilding our Public Services 22. Sustainable Transport for All 24. An Inclusive Scotland 26. A Fairer World 4 5 subsidies and tax breaks for the big polluters, and we Scotland’s have a plan to create over 200,000 high-quality jobs for Scotland in a new economy. Green Future Scotland needs a green vision of the future, where everyone has the right to live with dignity, free from the The social and environmental protections achieved in fear of poverty. The current social security system, rather the EU are now in the hands of a chaotic Conservative than supporting those in need, serves the needs of big government openly calling for a bonfire of regulations. business by enabling poverty wages and exploitation This risks lives. at work. Greens are making the case for a real social We need Green voices to fight for these protections, security system, based on a Universal Basic Income. backed by a Green vision to strengthen and deepen This general election comes at a time of unprecedented them for the future. To do this we must co-operate threats to our democracy, our environment and our with our European neighbours – this is why the Scottish future. We face a government, a Prime Minister and a Greens stand firm against Brexit. Brexit, none of which were backed in Scotland. The The UK Government’s years of austerity have destroyed Scottish Green Party will stand up against those in people’s lives, resulting in Westminster who want to a failure to invest in the deny the right of people new, sustainable economic living in Scotland to decide future Scotland needs. our own future. Scotland urgently needs a The Scottish Green Party will Green New Deal to invest fight for the sustainable, fair, in our future and tackle caring and confident society the climate emergency. we all know this country can Other parties talk about become. A society with a environmental policies but future. have failed to act. We need more than Lorna Slater platitudes. Greens have and Patrick Harvie, been the only ones to Scottish Green Party oppose ever-bigger Co-Leaders 4 5 subsidies and tax breaks for the big polluters, and we Scotland’s have a plan to create over 200,000 high-quality jobs for Scotland in a new economy. Green Future Scotland needs a green vision of the future, where everyone has the right to live with dignity, free from the The social and environmental protections achieved in fear of poverty. The current social security system, rather the EU are now in the hands of a chaotic Conservative than supporting those in need, serves the needs of big government openly calling for a bonfire of regulations. business by enabling poverty wages and exploitation This risks lives. at work. Greens are making the case for a real social We need Green voices to fight for these protections, security system, based on a Universal Basic Income. backed by a Green vision to strengthen and deepen This general election comes at a time of unprecedented them for the future. To do this we must co-operate threats to our democracy, our environment and our with our European neighbours – this is why the Scottish future. We face a government, a Prime Minister and a Greens stand firm against Brexit. Brexit, none of which were backed in Scotland. The The UK Government’s years of austerity have destroyed Scottish Green Party will stand up against those in people’s lives, resulting in Westminster who want to a failure to invest in the deny the right of people new, sustainable economic living in Scotland to decide future Scotland needs. our own future. Scotland urgently needs a The Scottish Green Party will Green New Deal to invest fight for the sustainable, fair, in our future and tackle caring and confident society the climate emergency. we all know this country can Other parties talk about become. A society with a environmental policies but future. have failed to act. We need more than Lorna Slater platitudes. Greens have and Patrick Harvie, been the only ones to Scottish Green Party oppose ever-bigger Co-Leaders 6 7 A Green New Deal The current economic system has brought us to the To reverse the Conservative government’s cuts to brink of climate collapse, while stagnating wages and renewable energy subsidies. Our energy system job insecurity have left millions in poverty. must deliver emissions reductions, tackle fuel The Green parties of the United Kingdom are offering a poverty and reduce energy tariffs, while bringing Green New Deal that will: in new measures to reduce energy demand. To see public ownership of the grid, and a focus Tackle the climate emergency by accelerating the on collective energy production and distribution transition to a zero-carbon economy projects. Create thousands of good-quality, secure jobs, A programme of “people- and place-centred including 200,000 in Scotland industrial strategies” that commits to overhaul Improve wellbeing and build a more fair and equal the powers and finance needed to enable regions society and localities to set out their own industrial plans A programme to invest in warm homes for all, A Green New Deal cannot be delivered by the private which would both increase energy efficiency and sector alone. We must rebuild the public sector to act as a major economic stimulus work alongside a well-regulated private sector to To redirect funding away from car-centred deliver this transformational programme. schemes towards green city and region deals to Government must play a direct role in decarbonising the transform our transport network, by maintaining economy. We want: current infrastructure, decarbonising railways and investing in public transport, cycling and To use our plentiful natural resources and skilled footpaths workforce to develop a government-funded, A network of regional banks, to ensure banks progressive support scheme for renewables start working for the economy and communities, rather than the economy working for the banks 6 7 A Green New Deal The current economic system has brought us to the To reverse the Conservative government’s cuts to brink of climate collapse, while stagnating wages and renewable energy subsidies. Our energy system job insecurity have left millions in poverty. must deliver emissions reductions, tackle fuel The Green parties of the United Kingdom are offering a poverty and reduce energy tariffs, while bringing Green New Deal that will: in new measures to reduce energy demand. To see public ownership of the grid, and a focus Tackle the climate emergency by accelerating the on collective energy production and distribution transition to a zero-carbon economy projects. Create thousands of good-quality, secure jobs, A programme of “people- and place-centred including 200,000 in Scotland industrial strategies” that commits to overhaul Improve wellbeing and build a more fair and equal the powers and finance needed to enable regions society and localities to set out their own industrial plans A programme to invest in warm homes for all, A Green New Deal cannot be delivered by the private which would both increase energy efficiency and sector alone. We must rebuild the public sector to act as a major economic stimulus work alongside a well-regulated private sector to To redirect funding away from car-centred deliver this transformational programme. schemes towards green city and region deals to Government must play a direct role in decarbonising the transform our transport network, by maintaining economy. We want: current infrastructure, decarbonising railways and investing in public transport, cycling and To use our plentiful natural resources and skilled footpaths workforce to develop a government-funded, A network of regional banks, to ensure banks progressive support scheme for renewables start working for the economy and communities, rather than the economy working for the banks 9 Download our full Scottish Green New Deal booklet at bit.ly/ScotGND As the climate emergency becomes ever more acute, there will be a global move away from fossil fuel use. Government must support the transition to a sustainable economy, built on regional industrial strategies that are owned and developed by unions, employers, local communities and local government. We need to target investment through bold, transformative support towards those communities PROVIDE LONG-TERM CERTAINTY FOR THE across Scotland that currently depend on fossil PRIVATE SECTOR Based on Offi ce of National Statistics (2017) and Scottish InGreens addition (2015), to aincludes strengthened jobs in zero public and low sector, carbon the energy private sector and energy effi ciency sectors, excluding nuclear energy fuel extraction. Failure to do this now is to let these has a key role to play in delivering the low-carbon transition, 7 investing in Scottish industry, and providing high-quality unionised jobs. Long-term certainty and ambitious communities down and condemn them to decline and public-private partnerships have delivered massive Vattenfall investment into heat networks economic collapse. We will prioritise investment in low- in cities like Amsterdam carbon industries to protect workers and their families from future shocks, and transition them away from this Whilst the long-term target of net-zero In contrast, the City of Amsterdam emissions by 2045 sets a clear direction has connected over 100,000 homes of travel, the Scottish Government to a district heat network over the past urgently needs to stop giving tacit two decades and is now adding to this precarious economic situation as soon as possible.