Greenpeace ship arrives in Wick tomorrow for latest campaign
A Greenpeace ship will arrive in Wick tomorrow (Tuesday, July 20), as the campaigning group embarks on the second leg of its Just Transition Tour.
Greenpeace is calling on the Scottish government to take action to deliver a just transition for oil and gas workers, or risk abandoning a whole workforce, as was seen with coal miners and shipbuilders in years gone by.
Mel Evans, head of Greenpeace UK’s oil campaign said: “We stand in solidarity with oil and gas workers, who are currently being ignored by the Scottish Government and by Westminster.
“Offshore workers have powered our economy through some really difficult times, and have plenty of transferable skills that will be vital to our transition to renewable energy.
“Politicians must sit down with offshore workers, and take urgent action to make the funds, retraining opportunities and jobs available to make Scotland’s clean energy transition a success.”
Earlier this month, environmentalists visited Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee with a 42-ft wind turbine blade and invited politicians, oil workers, and members of the public to #SignTheBlade in support of a just transition for oil workers.
The turbine blade has already amassed hundreds of signatures, including MSPs Ariane Burgess, Mercedes Villalba, Joe FitzPatrick, and MP Chris Law.
The arrival of the 190-ft yacht in Wick marks the beginning of the next part of the tour, where campaigners will head out to Beatrice wind farm to explore the challenges and opportunities for workers associated with the energy transition.
The ship will arrive tomorrow (Tuesday, July 20) and complete two day-trips to Beatrice wind farm – weather permitting – before setting sail for Aberdeen on Thursday evening.