Extreme weather exposes the climate vandalism of new oil and gas
As Scotland’s communities deal with the devastation caused by Storm Boelo, the Scottish Greens have challenged the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to rule out further climate-wrecking oil and gas fields, warning that approving new drilling will only make the climate crisis worse.
The flooding and destruction seen in recent days are a stark reminder of the growing risks posed by climate change. Rather than doubling down on oil and gas, the focus must be on cutting emissions, accelerating the transition to renewables and protecting communities from the extreme weather already putting lives, homes and infrastructure at risk.
Burnham has already warned that the UK faces “a winter of greater flooding.”
Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay said:
“Storm Boelo has caused serious damage across Scotland. We’ve seen flooding, trains brought to a standstill and, with winds reaching 85 mph, thousands of homes left without power.
“My thanks and gratitude go to everyone involved in the response, including emergency services, council workers and charities and neighbors, who have worked tirelessly to support affected communities.
“The reality is that our climate is changing around us, and extreme weather events are becoming more common and more severe. Whether it’s wildfires in the summer or flooding in the winter, the risks to our communities are growing.
“It is utterly staggering that the Prime Minister has given the green light to the Jackdaw gas field and that he is even considering approval for Rosebank.
“These climate-wrecking projects will only make things worse and lock us into fossil fuels when we should be doing everything possible to cut emissions and tackle the climate crisis.
“The Prime Minister cannot claim to be serious about tackling climate change while opening the door to more oil and gas. Every new field takes us in the wrong direction, putting our climate and our future at greater risk.
“If we want to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, we must stop new drilling, double down on renewables and build a future where extreme weather does not bring repeated chaos and destruction to our communities.”
Gillian added:
“We must learn from the terrible experiences of Storm Boelo and ensure our communities are as well prepared as possible for the extreme weather we know is coming.
“That means investing in long-term flood defences, strengthening our infrastructure and climate-proofing our homes, transport networks and essential services. It means acting now to protect the people and places most at risk, rather than waiting until the next storm hits.”