MSPs urged to recognise Cambo contradicts climate goals
The Scottish Parliament is being challenged to recognise that the proposed Cambo oil field of the coast of Shetland would be incompatible with the UK and Scotland’s climate targets and international obligations.
A motion by Scottish Greens environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell has been laid before parliament raising the International Energy Agency (IEA) report on achieving net-zero targets which advised nations to halt investment in new oil and gas fields.
Despite this, the UK Government is expected to approve the Cambo oil field ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow this year.
If approved, Cambo will produce 150-170 million barrels on top of what the North Sea already produces. It will operate until 2050, years after Scotland aims to hit net-zero emissions and well past the point at which it will be too late to contain global warming.
Mark Ruskell said: “The North Sea already has more oil than we can afford to burn if we are to meet the Paris climate commitments and secure our survival, so approving new fields would be a catastrophic decision by the UK Government.
“It’s important that the Scottish Parliament is clear in the messages it sends ahead of COP26, and that starts with urging the UK Government to see sense on this. I urge MSPs of all parties to back my motion.”
Motion before parliament: ‘That the Parliament recognises the latest publication of the International Energy Agency (IEA) report on achieving net-zero targets; understands that the proposed Cambo oil field contradicts recommendations stated in the IEA report on halting investment in new oil and gas fields, which it considers would be in line with the Scottish Government and UK Government objectives to achieve net-zero by 2045 and 2050 respectively; considers that the UK Government's forthcoming climate compatibility checkpoint test does not apply to projects that were already given an initial license, such as the Cambo oil field, and further notes the call for the UK Government to ensure all oil and gas exploration and production is in line with the Paris Agreement's target of limiting temperature rises to 1.5 °C.’