Skills ecosystem for subsurface Net Zero technologies

Skills ecosystem for subsurface Net Zero technologies
  • Funder: Royal Society of Edinburgh SAPHIRE
  • Status: Ongoing (June 2022 - ) 
  • Project lead: Dr Jen Roberts (University of Strathclyde)
  • Project team: Prof Tavis Potts, Prof Clare Bond (University of Aberdeen); Dr Pauline Anderson, Dr Gareth Johnson, Rachel Bray (University of Strathclyde).
  • Project summary: The Royal Society of Edinburgh SAPHIRE-funded partnership will focus on understanding the skills ecosystem for ‘subsurface Net Zero technologies’ (SNZTs) and principles of a just transition in NE Scotland (Aberdeen region) and W Australia (Perth region). Through research scoping activities, collaborative workshops, and researcher engagement, the project will bring together geoscientists with specialist knowledge of SNZTs and social scientists with specialist knowledge of skills ecosystems, strategy, economics, social acceptance and just transitions to:
    • 1.    Develop and share understanding of the ‘map’ of:
      • a.    the current skills ecosystem in Scotland and Australia - with a focus on NE Scotland (Aberdeen region) and W Australia (Perth region), and current challenges.
      • b.    the future skills ecosystem.
    • 2.    Explore pathways for transition, and identify key issues of justice, and key research needs to understand future skills ecosystem and strategies for a Just Transition. 
    • 3.    Identify current and future funding routes and horizon  scanning, and develop targeted collaborative research proposals.
  • Outputs:
    • Three workshops over the 2nd half of 2022
    • Report forthcoming