Nicolson chosen as Scottish Greens’ candidate
Jim TaitTresta resident Debra Nicolson has been selected by the Scottish Greens as the party’s candidate in the upcoming Shetland by-election.
The party believes she is “a well-known local face who understands the day-to-day issues that impact people across the constituency”.
Scottish Green councillors had made a huge impact in Highland and Orkney councils as well as John Finnie representing the Highland region in Holyrood, the party stated, but Ms Nicolson becomes the first candidate that the party has stood in a constituency seat in the region.
Ms Nicolson stood unsuccessfully in the Shetland West ward at the last Shetland Islands Council election, and has recently been involved with the Up Helly Aa For Aa group which campaigns for equality for women in the Lerwick fire festival.
She said: “I am delighted that local party members have selected me to contest the upcoming by election on behalf of the Scottish Greens.
“In recent years the Scottish Green MSPs have secured millions of pounds to support local services in Shetland and millions more to support our inter island ferry services.
“In the face of the climate challenge we know things need to change. That’s why I’ll fight for a ‘green new deal’ for the islands. Shetland has huge wave, wind and tidal resources and it’s vital that Shetlanders benefit from the job opportunities that come along with these new technologies.
“Shetland can’t afford to wait for the Lib Dems or the SNP to catch up with what a climate emergency actually means.
“We can’t keep lobbying for tax breaks for oil giants. Actions speak louder than words, and we need to start transitioning to low-carbon jobs now to guarantee our future.
“We’re already well set to benefit from decommissioning and if you send me to Holyrood I’ll push for more of these jobs to come to Shetland.
“From fighting for improvements to the NorthLink service, to demanding that Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (Hial) lives up to its obligations to our communities, ensuring that safe patient transport is always in place and supporting farmers, crofters and fishers in the face of Brexit, it’s clear there’s plenty of issues to tackle, and I look forward to getting started on the campaign.”
David Spence
Although Climate Change is happening due to human activity, there is one area of pollution which has never been scrutinized, and this is Agriculture.
Although we are brainwashed into believing most pollution is caused by transportation, agriculture has never been looked into with any solution to reduce the pollution it causes. Agriculture produces six times more greenhouse than all of transportation put together.
There is the dilemma of producing food but trying not to create pollution caused by such an industry.
As the population grows, this form of pollution will become even more dominant, where something will have to be done to sooner rather than later.
It will be a scenario where technology may help in producing foods but not causing greater pollution. Possibly radically changing our present farming methods for more eco-friendly substitutes?
Reducing what foods we consume by reducing these foods due to the amount of land they require, better methods of feeding livestock, changing our food intake by becoming more self-sufficient, putting the environment ahead of profits and a system which does more harm than good (monetary system) and changing our whole way of thinking towards the environment, the planet and life (all forms) itself.
John Tulloch
Ms Nicolson reportedly stated:
“Shetland can’t afford to wait for the Lib Dems or the SNP to catch up with what a climate emergency actually means.”
That’s funny, because Nicola Sturgeon has already declared a Scottish “climate emergency”. However, you are suggesting she doesn’t know what it means?
So, Debra, perhaps, you’d like to tell us all exactly what it does mean and on what rational basis you are proposing that such an “emergency” actually exists?
John Tulloch
Looks like we’re not going to learn what “climate emergency” means; at least, not from Debra and the Greens?
Shame, people are unlikely to vote for something if those proposing it won’t – or can’t – tell them what it means.
Peter Hamilton
The latest research debunks mans of the claims of climate emergency deniers, as the BBC reported yesterday : Climate change: Current warning ‘unparalleled’ in 2,000 years” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49086783
Where is John getting his information?
ian tinkler
Wow, the almighty BBC claims Climate change: Current warning ‘unparalleled’ in 2,000 years. Whatever happened 2010 years ago plus? O yes Global Warming ended several Ice Ages. It must have been CO2 from those pesky neanderthal’s fires. Your scientific views Peter. As far as I am aware Debra Nicolson has absolutely no scientific training or advanced education but her views may be interesting if she has any!