THE Scottish Greens have called for a Just Transition Board to be set up for Mossmorran, to decarbonise operations at the site and support staff into new jobs in low carbon industries.

And local MSP Annabelle Ewing also feels that the local complex should have the same benefits.

It comes after the Scottish Government announced a Grangemouth Future Industry Board to support a Just Transition at that plant in the Scottish Government's 'Programme for Government'.

The Greens Co-leader in the Scottish Parliament Alison Johnstone asked the First Minister if the Scottish Government would also make a similar commitment to communities around Mossmorran.

Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell said: “The new board for Grangemouth will be welcomed by the local community and is a much needed recognition that the future of operations in the petrochemical industry will be very different from now.

"Fife must not be left behind though, the operations at Mossmorran are linked to the wider oil and gas sector in Scotland and a Just Transition board for that site too is much needed.

"The closure of Longannet in 2016 without a transition plan in place for the local community was an absolute farce. We must not let the same thing happen in Central Fife.

"A Just Transition board to look at how Mossmorran can either drastically reduce its emissions or begin to wind down operations, with investment and support for new, low carbon jobs for the workforce, is desperately needed.”

Meanwhile Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing has written to Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Energy, urging him to ensure that a similar transition arrangement to that offered to the Grangemouth cluster will be put in place with regard to the Mossmorran petrochemical complex in her constituency.

Ms Ewing said: “We have seen, with flooding in communities across my constituency in recent weeks, the urgent need for serious steps to be taken to tackle both the causes and the impact of climate change and the global climate emergency, so I am very pleased at the commitment within the Programme for Government to make further progress towards Scotland becoming, by 2045, a net-zero emitter, ending forever our contribution to climate change.

“The undertaking to establish a Grangemouth Future Industry Board to support a ‘Just Transition’ in that cluster is an important indicator of the Scottish Government’s intentions and I have written to Paul Wheelhouse urging him to ensure that a similar transition arrangement will be put in place with regard to the Mossmorran petrochemical complex.”