Audit Scotland’s new report echoes many of the shortcomings we identified with the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round. But more can be done to ensure the wealth generated by Scotland's offshore wind is widely shared. Read our full response: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/447-re...
Hanna Wheatley
@hannawheatley.bsky.social
Senior Economist at Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social
Scotland’s new Programme for Government offers the clearest picture yet of the Scottish Government’s plans for the next five years. While there was much to welcome, Scotland’s looming fiscal gap was the elephant in the room.
Drilling in Rosebank and Jackdaw will not deliver energy security or an economic boost for UK households. Our latest @futureeconscot.bsky.social blog argues the North Sea is in long-term decline and only a rapid transition to green energy can deliver a prosperous, resilient future.
Four reasons more drilling won't save the North Sea
Sustained economic prosperity and energy security will only come from a green transition.
futureeconomy.scot
The North Sea is in long-term decline - and climate policy isn’t the reason. New licenses won’t reverse that trend. Like it or not, Scotland must plan for life beyond fossil fuels. Great read from @jujupepe.bsky.social👇
Four reasons more drilling won't save the North Sea
Sustained economic prosperity and energy security will only come from a green transition.
futureeconomy.scot
Scotland’s short-term funding boost masks a looming fiscal crunch. Public service reform alone won’t close the gap – tax rises are needed to protect services. Read our full response to the latest @scotfisccomm.bsky.social update: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/381-re...
Income per head grew faster in Scotland in 2024 than in the rest of the UK 🏴 GDHI per head grew 7.2% to £24,283 – now 93.5% of the UK average, up from a low of 91.3% in 2018. Scotland grew faster than every UK region except Northern Ireland. 🧵
Rising costs, weak wage growth, stretched public services, and visible climate change impacts. In this challenging context, what should the priorities for the new Parliament be? This is the question we have addressed in our latest blog. Read it here: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/520-wh...
What should be the priorities for the new Parliament?
Scotland must move from long-term ambition to credible implementation.
futureeconomy.scot
As the new Scottish Parliament prepares to break for summer recess this weekend, my latest blog highlights what its key priorities should be during this parliamentary term. @futureeconscot.bsky.social looks forward to working with any MSPs who want to turn that vision into reality.
For Scotland's new Parliament to succeed, it must move from long-term ambition to credible implementation. What should its priorities be? Read our new blog by @hannawheatley.bsky.social: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/520-wh...
NEW: May’s election reaffirmed Scotland's commitment to delivering a just transition. What must the new Parliament do to deliver this in practice? Our new briefing identifies the key policy priorities for the new parliamentary term 🧵
Disappointing emissions data out today for Scotland. Even Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, acknowledged that a 1% reduction is not what it should be. Thread from us below on key priorities for the new Parliament ⬇️
📉 Scotland's latest greenhouse gas statistics are out today. Emissions fell by just 1% in 2024 - one of the smallest annual reductions on record. Scotland is still reducing emissions, but progress has slowed sharply just as the hardest part of the net zero transition begins.
Scotland is about to go to the polls to decide who will lead the next government in Holyrood. This week we explore the economic backdrop to the Scottish election and examine the policy platforms of the major parties contesting it: neweconomybrief.net/the-digest/s...
Today, with just over a week before the Scottish election, we set out our @futureeconscot.bsky.social analysis of party manifestos. We focus on 4 areas key to unlocking a just transition: climate & nature, poverty & inequality, funding the transition, and labour market & the economy.
£17,000 - roughly how much more the average full-time worker in Scotland would be earning today if pre-2008 wage trends had continued. Instead, weak pay growth has coincided with steep rises in essential costs. Read our latest Election Spotlight for more: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/488-el...
Excellent thread from @lmacfarlane.bsky.social unpacking our latest analysis on Scotland's cost of living crisis - featured in the Daily Record today with a pretty intense picture ⬇️ www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...
Scotland's food costs soar as sugar and beef prices rise twice as fast as wages
EXCLUSIVE: Some everyday food items have risen in price nearly four times as fast as wages since the last Holyrood election in 2021.
dailyrecord.co.uk
NEW: What’s driving Scotland’s cost-of-living crisis? Households have been squeezed by a pincer movement of weak wage growth + rising prices. Our new @futureeconscot.bsky.social deep dive on the cost of living 🧵 www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/488-el...
🏴🌱 It's time to accept reality - private finance isn't going to fix Scotland's nature crisis. It's time for a reset in Scotland’s approach to nature restoration. New blog by @hannawheatley.bsky.social www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/460-ti...
Surely this week's news about the breakdown of Scottish Government's nature finance pilot means its time for a reset in Scotland's approach to restoration? My latest blog for @futureeconscot.bsky.social ⬇️ www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/460-ti...
Time for a Reset in Scotland’s Approach to Nature Restoration
It's time to accept reality: private finance isn't going to fund the investment Scotland needs.
futureeconomy.scot
It's hard to square the economics of private finance + nature restoration, which don't stack up, with the hype from the sector and Scottish Govt (who really want this to work). That's why this guest blog from Tom, who has been on the other side of these attempted deals, provides crucial insight ⬇️
NEW: Private finance won’t fix Scotland’s nature crisis - only public investment can. As featured exclusively in today's @theguardian.com, private investment isn’t going to deliver the nature restoration Scotland needs. Read our new guest blog by Tom Gegg: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/459-pr...
EXCLUSIVE in @theguardian.com: a £100m nature finance deal collapsed - & MSPs weren’t told. Featuring our work on nature restoration and a new guest blog, it’s clear: private investment isn’t going to deliver the nature restoration Scotland needs. Read coverage: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
📣 Kicking off our pre-election spotlight series with a look back over the last Parliament's track record on net zero targets, and what the new Climate Change Plan means for the next Scottish Parliament ⬇️
💡 Election spotlight: Scotland's Net Zero Challenge Our new blog examines the gap between climate ambition and delivery – and the challenge facing the next Parliament to close it 🧵
We welcome the @scottishgreens.org pledge to replace Scotland’s Air Departure Tax with a Frequent Flyer Levy, as our recent paper set out. Here’s why it makes sense 🧵⬇️
Funding Scotland’s Future: Tax Reform for a Just Transition
Our plan for using devolved fiscal powers to create a fairer, greener Scotland.
futureeconomy.scot
📣 TOMORROW: Sharing our wealth to fund Scotland’s future 💰 What does the Scottish public think about wealth inequality & wealth taxation? 🌱 How could tax reforms support a just transition? Join us & @weallscotland.bsky.social to find out! 🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/wellb...
Select tickets – Sharing our wealth to fund Scotland’s future: what are the options and will the public support them? – Zoom
Sharing our wealth to fund Scotland’s future: what are the options and will the public support them? – Zoom, Tue 24 Mar 2026 - Join the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland and Future Economy Scotland ...
tickettailor.com
Interested in how we can most effectively fund Scotland’s future? Come to our free event in the Scottish Parliament next week. Find out more and register to attend below ⬇️
EVENT: Funding Scotland's Future – Tax Reform for a Just Transition. Join us for a timely discussion in the Scottish Parliament with a fantastic panel of speakers. 🗓️ 5 March, 17:30, Committee Room 3. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/funding-sc...
NEW: Scotland can raise £2.3bn a year to protect its social contract and reach net zero, according to our new report released today. Watch👇 Read on for more 🧵
EVENT: Funding Scotland's Future – Tax Reform for a Just Transition. Join us for a timely discussion in the Scottish Parliament with a fantastic panel of speakers. 🗓️ 5 March, 17:30, Committee Room 3. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/funding-sc...
NEW: Scotland’s political leaders are under new pressure to replace the unfair council tax system. New polling from Tax Justice Scotland shows five times as many Scots back reform in the next Parliament as oppose it. 🧵
NEW: Scotland’s Budget has delayed tough choices — not avoided them. With an election in May, caution was to be expected. But while some welcome measures were announced, the long-term challenges haven’t gone away. 🧵
Scotland’s Budget: Tough Choices Delayed, Not Avoided
Our analysis of Scotland's Budget for 2026/27.
futureeconomy.scot
A few days ago, our senior economist, @hannawheatley.bsky.social, gave evidence to the @scotparl.bsky.social Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on the Climate Change Plan's proposals on peatland restoration. 🎥 In this clip, Hanna argues that the government doesn’t have a workable funding model.
"Rather than thinking how do we bring private finance in? We're thinking how do we fund peatland restoration?" @hannawheatley.bsky.social gives evidence to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in @scotparl.bsky.social on the Climate Change Plan's proposals on peatland restoration. 🎥 Watch 👇
📣 What next for community wealth building in Scotland? Our new report asks what it’ll take to turn ambition into action. By our Co-Director @miriambrett.bsky.social, and @neilmcinroy.bsky.social, Global Lead for Community Wealth Building at @democracycollab.bsky.social. 1/13 🧵👇
After weeks of speculation, Rachel Reeves finally delivered her Budget. But how will it impact Scotland? Highlights in 🧵 Read our full analysis 👉 www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/358-ho...