Polluting Together: SNP united with UK parties on oil policy say Greens
The SNP is united with the three UK parties on a policy of “maximum oil extraction” Patrick Harvie MSP has claimed at the last session of First Minister’s Questions before the General Election.
The Scottish Greens’ co-convener pressed the First Minister to put on record exactly how much of Scotland’s fossil fuels must be “left unburned” so that the country can surpass the goals set by the Paris climate agreement in limiting the impact of climate change.
Harvie also expressed his “shock and dismay” at the London terror attacks and asked the First Minister to join him in condemning Donald Trump’s recent opportunistic political attacks on London mayor, Sadiq Khan on social media.
Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie said:
“The First Minister has already condemned Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement, but if that agreement is ever to be more than a piece of paper, it’s clear that far greater action is needed from all countries. It is undeniable that the world has far more coal, oil and gas than we can afford to burn, and the First Minister’s former climate change minister agreed, accepting that at least a proportion of what is still in the North Sea must be left there.
“It is clear that Scotland needs a Green voice at Westminster to challenge the policy that unites the SNP with all three parties which have played a role in the UK government – that of maximum oil and gas extraction. Their position is incompatible with any meaningful commitment to the Paris agreement. The First Minister refuses to say how much of Scotland’s fossil fuels must be left unburned to make a fair contribution to the Paris goal of limiting climate change, but we can be certain that the Scottish Greens will be the only party pushing the SNP for the answer.”