Smith calls for Renewable's Investment from Europe

Speaking in the Strasbourg Parliament chamber Mr Smith called for countries including Scotland to begin by looking at themselves

"Scotland, could lead the world in clean, green renewable energy. We have waves, a long coastline, windswept hills, biomass and geothermal power, and the raw material for hydroelectric power falls from the sky on a regular basis, and yet we are not nearly investing sufficiently in renewable technologies in Scotland or in Europe.

"In the case of Scotland, this is because the United Kingdom controls energy policy and remains wedded to a nuclear agenda, which I believe offers no long-term solution. "

We in this House can play our part in this step change on renewable energy and the debate on climate change.... The Commission can play its part by prioritising renewable energy in the FP7 Programmes.