GREEN & GOLD

Expert says governments must 'supercharge transition from fossil fuels to renewables now

- DAN VEVERS

SCOTLAND must seize a "golden opportunity" to supercharge the green economy now amid North Sea decline, one of the country's top energy experts has said.

Professor Paul de Leeuw said there was massive potential to lead in the clean energy race - and urged governments to show "leadership and accelerate the transition.

But he warned just switching off the oil taps would threaten jobs and energy security.

It comes as a study showed how the decline of the industry in recent years had hammered the Scots economy.

The report - by the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found there has been "slower growth" in employment and earning levels in Scotland overall since 2014.

And it said there had been a particular "deterioration" in jobs and wages in the northeast along with the Highlands and islands with North Sea decline the "likely" reason.