First Minister urged to oppose climate-wrecking oil and gas projects
With the climate crisis only getting worse, it’s time for the Scottish Government to take a stand against the proposed drilling in Jackdaw and Rosebank, say the Scottish Greens.
Speaking at FMQs today, Scottish Greens’ co-leader Gillian Mackay urged the First Minister to oppose the destructive developments.
In her first question to the First Minister, Gillian said:
“Over the coming weeks the Prime Minister is expected to travel to Aberdeen to publicly announce the licence for the Jackdaw gas field.
“After a summer of climate breakdown, here in Scotland and across the globe, this is an act of sheer climate vandalism.
“We have had 72 separate wildfires here in the UK this year, with over 700 households evacuated.
“Over 1,400 people have died in Nepal and Tibet after the recent glacier collapse, with over 5,000 still missing. And across Europe this summer, over 35,000 excess deaths are linked to the back-to-back heatwaves.
“Every license we grant to drill more oil and gas in the North Sea will contribute to more wildfires, more heatwaves, and more loss of life - for generations to come.
“So will the First Minister join me in condemning the climate-wrecking behaviour of the UK government, and say no to drilling at Jackdaw and Rosebank?”
In her second question Gillian turned her attention to the Scottish Government’s draft energy strategy, which was published three years ago and included a presumption against new drilling.
Gillian said:
“The Scottish Government used to have a clear position on this - a presumption against all new licenses for oil and gas fields in the North Sea. That would have clearly ruled out support for both Jackdaw and Rosebank.
“But the draft energy strategy has lain in a drawer for over three years now, never published or finalised. That’s despite a majority of people responding to the consultation supporting the presumption against new licenses. And polling from earlier this year shows that’s still the case.
“Last week’s Programme for Government promises a ‘refreshed’ energy strategy., at some point down the line, but it also says new licenses should be treated on a ‘case-by-case’ basis.
“First Minister, people who have had their homes destroyed by wildfires and floods, people who have lost loved ones in the recent heat waves, want to know what the Government is going to do to not make this worse.
“Does the First Minister think new oil and gas fields in the North Sea will make the climate crisis better or worse?"
In her third question Gillian highlighted the government’s inaction on climate change and the watering down of the Heat in Buildings plan.
Gillian said:
“This is a departure from the previous energy strategy, which had that presumption in there, and I’d be keen to know from the First Minister what has changed to move away from the presumption that was in the draft energy strategy.
“Jackdaw is a gas field, which will contribute just 2% to our current gas supply. Any argument that this will somehow contribute to energy security, or making our homes cheaper to heat this winter is simply wrong.
“What would make a real and immediate difference, is the rapid rollout of clean, green heating for homes in Scotland.
“Replacing gas boilers with electric heating, and insulating buildings, will make our homes warmer and cheaper to heat - and won’t contribute to rapid climate breakdown, like Jackdaw.
“When the Scottish Greens were in Government, we published a plan to roll out clean, cheap heating to 1 million homes. Last week’s Programme for Government cut that plan by 90%.
“Has the Scottish Government bought the lie that Jackdaw and Rosebank will solve the crisis of high energy bills, or do they intend to take real action to ensure every home in Scotland has clean, green and affordable heating?”