- Bishop Hill blog

As if any further evidence were required to demonstrate the point, the Scottish Government has received a report showing that their policies are costing us dearly.

Government support for the renewable sector in Scotland is costing more jobs than it creates, a report has claimed. A study by consultants Verso Economics found there was a negative impact from the policy to promote the industry. It said 3.7 jobs were lost for every one created in the UK as a whole and that political leaders needed to engage in "honest debate" about the issue.

I'm reminded of what Green MSP Patrick Harvie said at the Environment Question Time at Strathclyde University when I pointed out that the concept of green jobs were topsy-turvy in economic terms, representing a cost and not a benefit (H/T Timmy). He said that it was "not about bean-counting jobs", or words to that effect.

So I guess the response to this news will be a collective shrug of the shoulders from Holyrood.

(H/T Jimmy)

Update on Feb 28, 2011 by

Bishop Hill

Obama's green crusade looks like it has reached its end:

Barack Obama may be forced to order a two-year delay in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action on climate change to try to avoid a complete government shutdown, an environmental conference has been warned.

President Obama faces the prospect of a government shutdown by 4 March, with a funding gap leading to federal employees being sent home and government services temporarily closing down, unless he can reach a deal with Congress Republicans who are demanding a crippling $61bn (£38bn) in budget cuts.

Update on Feb 28, 2011 by

Bishop Hill

Still more at GWPF, reporting a Bloomberg article

You won’t get offshore wind money, you won’t get tidal energy money, you won’t get carbon capture and storage money because it’s all got to come from these same pension funds and they won’t trust the government.

This sounds promising, very promising indeed.