11 June 2010
New warnings over threat from Peak Oil
Transform Scotland communications officer, Matthew Byrne said:
"Speaking at a press conference earlier this week Sir David King, the former chief scientific advisor to the UK government, has warned about the prospects of peak oil. Sir David predicted that by 2015 demand for oil will reach a point where it starts to surpass supply. The consequences of this include increasing volatility in oil markets and rising oil prices, not to mention the increased risk of an ecological disaster like the one we are currently witnessing in the Gulf of Mexico. Sir David urged politicians to make serious efforts to "de-fossilise" the economy, arguing that there needed to be further investment in low carbon technologies. Sir David specifically mentioned the need to tackle the transport sector's dependence on oil, which is currently 98% oil dependent.
"While Transform Scotland welcomes Sir David's warnings over peak oil, we believe that we cannot simply rely on new technology to get us out of this problem. Simple measures such as improving provision for active travel and encouraging people out of cars and onto public transport are much more cost effective than investing in unproven technologies. Indeed the government first needs to focus on technologies that are already proven, such as electrification of the railways, which would be a major step towards reducing our dependence on oil.
"It is clear that, against the backdrop of peak oil within the next decade, the Scottish and UK governments need to act fast to address our economy's dependence on oil. In light of the economic threat posed by peak oil the Scottish government's commitment to roadbuilding on the basis that it is crucial to our economy is ludicrous. Transform Scotland believe that to safeguard our economy we need a sensible programme of investment in sustainable transport projects, as well as an overall reduction in the amount of traffic on our roads."