Greens challenge First Minister on oil and gas position
The Scottish Greens have challenged the First Minister over his shifting position on oil and gas after he announced last week that the SNP now backs further North Sea exploration.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer put to the First Minister that his position is now out of step with the United Nations, climate science, and members of his own party.
The First Minister was also challenged over a video published by the SNP ahead of the COP31 climate conference which claims credit for Green policies such as free bus travel for young people and the scrapping of peak rail fares.
In his first question, Ross said:
“Fossil fuel interests keep making a killing, while killing our planet,’ those were the words of the UN Secretary General at the COP climate conference yesterday.
“He also called for a windfall tax on oil companies, saying: ‘Polluters must pay.’
“The First Minister disagrees with that, he thinks that the dirty energy companies which crank up our fuel bills shouldn’t pay windfall taxes.
“He backed drilling the Jackdaw gas field, he’s pushing for Rosebank oil field to be opened up, and he announced last week that the SNP backs new oil and gas extraction.
“To top it all off, his Government has approved a new gas-fired power station at Peterhead.
“The leader of Reform said he was ‘delighted’ with all this, but many SNP members are not. Some have resigned, others are speaking out.
“Councillors on the Southside of Glasgow – who will be up for re-election in a few months in a constituency won by the Greens this year – immediately distanced themselves.
“When it comes to climate, the First Minister is out of step with the UN, out of step with the climate science, and out of step with many in his own party.
“Is he sure this sudden lurch to a pro oil and gas position actually has the support of all of his MSPs?”
The First Minister said there should be an assessment of whether oil and gas extracted from Scottish waters is more climate efficient than imported fossil fuels.
In his second question, Ross said:
“That wasn’t my characterisation of the SNP’s position, that was elected representatives of the SNP distancing themselves from the First Minister’s position.
“The difference between the SNP and Greens on this is we want a transition away from oil and gas as quickly as possible because that’s what the climate science demands. This Scottish Government seems to be doubling down on that dependence on oil and gas.
“But the First Minister mentioned his remarks to the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition; he’s talked up this Government’s achievements. In fact, he’s just published a video listing the Scottish Government’s climate achievements on the eve of COP.
“I found that video quite entertaining because every single measure listed in it was a measure brought forward by the Scottish Greens.
“Now I was proud to work with the SNP and First Minister to deliver those, but he and I both know where ideas came from in the first place. We both remember when Scotland was genuinely a world leader on the climate.
“Four years ago, the SNP condemned the UK Government for approving a new coal mine a week after hosting the COP climate conference. They said it was ‘climate vandalism on a scale difficult to believe’.
“But now a Scottish Government minister has jetted off to COP a week after it approved a new gas-fired power station at Peterhead.
“Can the First Minister explain why his government is now engaging in the same climate vandalism they condemned the Tories for just a few years ago?”
The First Minister claimed climate policies put forward by the Greens would not have passed without the leadership of an SNP Government.
In his third question, Ross asked:
“Fossil fuel companies are desperately pushing carbon capture as a false solution to the climate crisis.
“It’s one that conveniently lets them continue raking in billions while burning oil and gas, and as the First Minister has just confirmed, the Scottish Government’s climate plans rely on it.
“But there are no carbon capture and storage plants operating at a commercial scale in the UK.
“The technology is unproven, it basically doesn’t exist. The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee described it as a ‘high risk’ way to tackle the climate crisis.
“The operators at Peterhead claim they will capture 90% of its carbon emissions, but no existing project has consistently captured more than 80% of carbon.
“The First Minister is betting our future on risky technology, so he must have looked into it and be confident.
“Can he explain how carbon capture will work in Scotland when it hasn't anywhere else in the world?”
In response the First Minister avoided providing any explanation of carbon capture and storage technology.