SNP urged to oppose new oil and gas
With the UK Government widely expected to give the green light to the Jackdaw gas field in the coming days, the Scottish Greens have urged the SNP to stand firm against new oil and gas exploration and defend Scotland’s climate commitments.
The call follows media reports that the SNP is set to drop its long-standing opposition to new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea.
The Scottish Government’s 2023 draft energy strategy, drafted when the Scottish Greens were in government, included a presumption against new oil and gas drilling, alongside a commitment to a just transition to clean, renewable energy as Scotland works towards net zero. The final strategy is expected to be published by next summer.
A decision on the Rosebank oil field is also expected in the coming weeks.
Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell said:
“Nicola Sturgeon’s opposition to new exploration was about delivering a liveable planet and honouring the Paris Agreement to keep devastating global heating under 2 degrees.
“The SNP must not ditch that important legacy in order to build their relationship with oil and gas giants when they know that our future has to lie with clean, green and affordable renewable energy.
“If Andy Burnham approves Jackdaw and Rosebank he will be playing fast and loose with our climate. It would do nothing to cut bills or boost energy security while locking Scotland into more fossil fuels for decades to come.
“It is a decision for Westminster, but it is absolutely right for Scotland to take a position. The whispers that the SNP is set to change course are becoming a foghorn. It would send a terrible message at the worst possible time.
“We are in a climate emergency, and both our governments need to act like it. The devastating wildfires we have seen in recent months are a stark reminder of what is at stake.
“The First Minister has seen the impact on the Cairngorms and local communities for himself. He must now show leadership by opposing new drilling, rather than giving Labour a blank cheque for more oil and gas extraction.
“Scotland has the skills and resources to lead the way in renewable energy, creating good green jobs, cutting bills and building a fairer, more secure future. The SNP must choose that future over more oil and gas fields that will only deepen the climate crisis.”