Offshore job losses ‘will hit 30,000’ without faster energy transition

Tens of thousands of offshore jobs are at risk unless the renewables transition in Scotland is accelerated, and time is running out to implement solutions, academics have warned.

A report to be published on Tuesday suggests that there would need to be the equivalent of one offshore wind turbine installed each day until the end of the decade and the laying of 9,300 miles of cabling to meet targets.

Researchers indicate that £200 billion needs to be invested by 2030 in developing offshore wind, carbon capture, utilisation and storage, grid capacity and hydrogen production.

Political uncertainty, in which an incoming Labour government may ban new oil and gas drilling, the speed of progress and question marks over the extent of state backing are