Following the passing of an amendment by Scottish Labour, the Scottish Parliament has agreed to make the Just Transition Commission separate from the government and give it statutory footing. The Just Transition Commission is a national taskforce that advises on how a carbon-neutral economy can be fair for all.
As reported by Holyrood Magazine, the vote on Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party MSP Claudia Beamish’s amendment took place on 15 January, with Beamish calling for the commission to be “well-funded, independent of government and accountable to the Parliament”. The government had announced plans to establish a Just Transition Commission in September 2018 to advise it on ensuring a fair transition towards a low-carbon future.
Beamish said: “The short-termism of the Scottish government’s initial design for a two-year long Just Transition Commission showed a fundamental misunderstanding of the concerns of communities and those working in industries that need to adapt.”