How Scotland's biggest polluters would be compelled to protect Grangemouth workers under plans amid Ineos snub

The Scottish Just Transition Commission has called for accelerated action and intensive work to avoid a “disorderly and unjust transition” when Scotland’s only oil refinery closes at Grangemouth next year.

Commissioners have called for Scotland’s two governments to force the country’s biggest industrial polluters to produce just transition plans to protect jobs as they move to cleaner energy industries. But Scotland’s biggest private polluter, Ineos, which is based at Grangemouth, declined an invitation from the commission to discuss the proposals.

In a stark report, the commission has stressed a just transition plan for the site is a “major opportunity to re-set relations between industry, workers, community and the public sector so that the energy transition can bring major gains for Grangemouth”. But the document warned that achieving this “will require an accelerated schedule of intensive work via regular in-person meetings”.

As it stands, the commission warned: “The likely closure of the refinery in 2025 and lack of effective just transition planning to date means the current path will deliver a disorderly and unjust transition.”

The report has called for governments to compel Scotland’s biggest industrial polluters to draw up just transition blueprints to protect workers and jobs.

The document states “the Scottish Government should now ensure that those with responsibility for each of the top 20 industrial emission sites in Scotland, including operations at Peterhead, Mossmorran, Dunbar, St Fergus, Markinch, Lockerbie, Shetland, Irvine, Alloa, Dalkeith, Stirling and Girvan, are required to consult, negotiate and publish a just transition plan to show how the social dimension of transition will be managed”.

The report adds “this process should begin as a matter of urgency”.

Commissioner Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, warned “the powers of responsibility lie between Westminster and Scotland”.

Highlighting the need for polluters to take more responsibility, Mr Banks said: “One key element of this is how we can compel companies to take responsibility for their sites because that’s one of the other challenges. I think governments, both Scottish and UK, need to make sure that companies involved in this are compelled to act and join in this plan.

“It’s only through governments that we will see companies compelled to make sure they undertake just transition plans.”

Richard Hardy, vice-president of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), hit out at Ineos snubbing the crunch discussions in Grangemouth.

He said: “Let’s address the elephant in the room. Who is missing from this room today? There’s nobody from Ineos. It’s incredibly disappointing that they were invited, but have chosen not to be here with us. The Government has a massive role to play in compelling companies who have a duty to their communities and the workforce in which they operate in, to engage with that process.”

The commission said it expected to see a draft plan agreed by the end of September.

Representatives from Ineos and Petroineos said they had agreed to attend two previously scheduled meetings, but were unable to attend the third arranged meeting to discuss the plans for Grangemouth.