Vicky Allan
@vickyallan.bsky.social
Journalist and author, writing about climate, green energy, environment for Herald. Books about wild swimming, trees and more...
Have you seen the monopiles turbine parts being imported at Leith this past week? Why aren't they made in Scotland? find out why from @vickyallan.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2624...
Leith's yellow structures. Why Scotland is still missing out on wind revolution jobs
It's great to see Leith's port buzzing with yellow windfarm parts and workers finishing them off. But why aren't they actually made…
heraldscotland.com
How data centre land grab came from nowhere - and with shockingly little debate. My @heraldscotland.bsky.social newsletter from earlier this week about how the rush hit Scotland, and why it has to be slowed www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2625...
Data centres headed for 'Wild West' landgrab in Scotland as moratorium beckons
The extraordinary speed of data centre development and its energy consumption mean that we are failing to keep up with how planning should cope with…
heraldscotland.com
'AI hyperscale data centres are like nothing you have ever seen before. They use vast amounts of energy, vast amounts of water. They create a lot of pollution. They heat up the land around them' www.heraldscotland.com/news... @vickyallan.bsky.social
Iona residents oppose 91-turbine wind farm plan for seas near Staffa. They describe it as an important 'test case' for the West Coast. My piece for @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2618870...
Iona residents oppose 91-turbine wind farm plan for seas near Staffa
Residents of Iona and the National Trust for Scotland oppose a proposed 91-turbine offshore wind farm, warning it could set a precedent for…
heraldscotland.com
My latest piece for @heraldscotland.bsky.social on the John Muir Trust's continuing crisis. Founder of embattled Trust felt he was treated like 'the enemy' from day one www.heraldscotland.com/news/2618624...
Founder of embattled John Muir Trust expelled 'for trying to help solve crises'
Treated "like a pariah" and "the enemy", a founder of the John Muir Trust tells how he was ousted from the charity he created
heraldscotland.com
Impacts greater than 'for any other offshore wind farm application'. In 2023, NatureScot said Berwick Bank offshore wind site, could be classified as an SPA. So, why asks @rspbscotland.bsky.social was it consented? And were there better options? www.heraldscotland.com/news/2616638...
Impacts 'greater than we have seen for any other offshore wind farm application'
Scotland's biggest offshore windfarm is on a site that a consultation submission said would classify as a specially protected area 'in its…
heraldscotland.com
Bathing waters season just started in Scotland. But is it safe to go in the water? 🏊♀️ Here's how to find out, what SEPA says, and my own reflections on looking at the water quality data over the years and swimming a lot. Happy dipping and stay safe. www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2616...
Bathing waters season starts. But is it safe to go in the water?
Scotland's bathing waters have long been monitored by SEPA. Are they getting better, or remaining stubbornly dirty?
heraldscotland.com
Is 'Vegan but would be happy to eat wild meat' the new Scottish venison market? I've done a couple of articles in the last week looking into venison and wild deer management, this is just one... https//www.heralds...
Vegans eating wild deer. The changing shape of the Scottish venison market
The venison market is changing. Vegans are eating it - so are the health-conscious. The problem is how to handle its seasonality
heraldscotland.com
Environment Correspondent Vicky Allan hired an electric car for a family mini-break in the Highlands. Would it be cheaper? Relaxing? Hassle-free? Read 'What I learned when we hired an EV for a Highlands mini-break': www.heraldscotland.com/life... @vickyallan.bsky.social
Blackdog is just the latest. So many data centres seem positioned to use offshore wind. Is this really what the big clean energy roll out is for? www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2604...
Blackdog development raises energy, environment and AI data centre questions
Another month, another multi-billion pound giant data centre announcement. And where is the energy coming from? Is this what offshore wind is for?
heraldscotland.com
Collapse of the AMOC was one of the most chilling tipping points in a recent talk by Tim Lenton at Edinburgh Science. He pecifically addressed impact on Scotland (-30C winter)❄️ New research suggests Atlantic current more likely to collapse than thought 😱 www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought
Scientists say finding is ‘very concerning’ as collapse would be catastrophic for Europe, Africa and the Americas
theguardian.com
Pump prices for diesel at nearly £2 per litre? Just one of the reasons now could be the right time to get an electric car. Check others out here in my @heraldscotland.bsky.social newsletter⚡️🚗https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/26000655.pump-prices-nearly-2-per-litre-time-get-electric-car/?ref=li
Could £2 diesel finally push drivers to go electric? ⚡️🚗
Oil prices are swinging wildly as tension rises in the Middle East. Could now be the right time to ditch petrol and shift to an EV?
heraldscotland.com
Was great to get along to the launch of the Our Power campaign and hear big idea-sharing around public ownership. Shout out to some of the orgs involved @foescot.bsky.social @futureeconscot.bsky.social @sccscot.bsky.social @platform1983.bsky.social @scottishtuc.bsky.social @cescotland.bsky.social
Vicky Allan @vickyallan.bsky.social · 4mo ago'Renewables are the future of Scotland’s energy but we’re at risk of repeating the mistakes of the past. We let the profits from oil and gas disappear into the pockets of corporations. We need to see more ambition from government so it doesn't happen again.' www.heraldscotland.com/news/2599203...
'Renewables are the future of Scotland’s energy but we’re at risk of repeating the mistakes of the past. We let the profits from oil and gas disappear into the pockets of corporations. We need to see more ambition from government so it doesn't happen again.' www.heraldscotland.com/news/2599203...
Could public ownership of energy be the answer to soaring bills?
In the midst of an energy price crisis, in which oil and gas companies are seeing huge profits, a new campaign is calling for more public ownership
heraldscotland.com
🤣 but also 😠 Loving this approach by APRS to raising the serious issue of what we put up into space
Action to Protect Rural Scotland@aprscotland.bsky.social · 4mo agoAs Artemis II heads to the moon, we are delighted to launch our new campaign ... into ORBIT! Elon Musk wants to put a million data centres into space but that's not happening on our watch. From the Scotland's countryside to the Final Frontier, join us at www.serversinspace.com
Berwick Bank looks set to kill thousands of birds. But climate change, which is why we are building offshore wind, also threatens them. The difficult question posed by one of the world's largest windfarms www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2594...
The difficult question posed by one of the world’s largest Scottish windfarms
12,000 people have signed a petition to stop the development of Berwick Bank offshore wind farm, because of its impact on seabirds. Are they right?
heraldscotland.com
Good piece from @vickyallan.bsky.social on important research from @aprscotland.bsky.social showing that jobs claims made for data centres in Scotland are unrealistically high. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2593164...
UK data centre job claims slammed as ‘ludicrously inflated’ amid AI expansion
Charity report claims UK Government job projections for hyperscale data centres are hugely inflated, warning they deliver far fewer long-term jobs.
heraldscotland.com
Now here's another issue over data centres. Jobs. Or lack of them. UK data centre job claims slammed as ‘ludicrously inflated’ amid AI expansion - following analysis by @aprscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2593164...
UK data centre job claims slammed as ‘ludicrously inflated’ amid AI expansion
Charity report claims UK Government job projections for hyperscale data centres are hugely inflated, warning they deliver far fewer long-term jobs.
heraldscotland.com
Looking forward to chairing this hustings on April 8th - your chance to ask the big questions of political parties about what you would like to see change in Scotland's food system
Scottish Food Coalition@foodcoalition.scot · 6mo ago🥕 Let’s make food policy a defining issue at this year’s election! Join us for Scotland’s flagship National Food Debate and hear directly from political parties on how they plan to deliver meaningful change to our food system. Sign up here ➡️ bit.ly/49E4CWI
The US-Israel war on Iran is already impacting petrol forecourt prices and heating oil... but if protracted more will be to come. www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2592...
The price of petrol is a problem - but here's what's going to kill your food bill
We can tell from oil and gas prices that we are going to feel this war in our pockets. Here's what it looks set to do to our food bills
heraldscotland.com
It's the UK's biggest export, but, with parliamentary scrutiny about to turn on it again, how is the salmon farming industry going on other measures? Find links to the full @heraldscotland.bsky.social series, The Future of Scotland's salmon industry here 1/7 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2585247...
The Future of Scotland's salmon industry: Why we're looking at the sector now
The Herald launches a new series examining Scotland’s salmon industry, from expansion and exports to welfare, regulation and mortalities.
heraldscotland.com
For day three of the @heraldscotland.bsky.social New Highland Clearances Revisited series, I'm looking at where climate and net zero meets community and social issues... For instance, could this idea solve the housing crisis 🏠 and save nature 🌿? www.heraldscotland.com/news/2583712...
Could this idea solve the housing crisis and save nature?
A green entrepreneur has come up with a big idea, he calls “nature prosperity pump”, using woodland creation to drive a new wave of timber…
heraldscotland.com
Following in the footsteps of @heraldscotland.bsky.social's Caroline Wilson whose New Highland Clearances Revisited series has been a cracker this week. Here's my first contribution: Will the north of Scotland's energy job boom ever happen? www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2584...
Will the north of Scotland's energy job boom ever happen?
Where are the clean energy jobs in the Highlands? The boom might not yet have happened, but there are signs of promise at the freeport - just no rush
heraldscotland.com
How much renewables is too much? || Environment Correspondent @vickyallan.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/opin...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2577311... @vickyallan.bsky.social
Petition to stop gannet chick hunt becomes one of the most signed in Holyrood history
A petition to end the gannet chick hunt has become one of the most signed in Holyrood history, with more than 67,000 people backing the call.
heraldscotland.com
Thanks to Spokes for sharing thoughts on the tram consultation. If you're blocked by the paywall you might like to grab our great subscription deal, which ends on Monday www.heraldscotland.com/subscribe/?u...
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SpokesLothian@spokes.org.uk · 8mo ago#EdinburghTram @vickyallan.bsky.social @heraldscotland.bsky.social interviews us -> www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2564... @edi.bike @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @davidfkey.bsky.social @sannedd.bsky.social @edinburghtrams.bsky.social @edinpl.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social
Yesterday, @vickyallan.bsky.social wrote about the campaign to Clean Up Scotland's Sewage in @heraldscotland.bsky.social. Get up to speed on how sewage pollution has become an issue, why communities are struggling with it & what must be done: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2563820...
‘Toothless’ sewage enforcement sparks calls for national clean-water plan in Scotland
Experts warn Scotland’s sewage enforcement is “toothless”, urging a national plan to fix pollution, improve monitoring and protect communities.
heraldscotland.com
