Scottish Government U-turn on policy against new oil would be climate betrayal
Any Scottish Government move away from a presumption against new oil and gas exploration would undermine years of progress and send a terrible signal to young people and future generations, say the Scottish Greens.
The warning from the party’s climate spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP, followed media reports in which the First Minister, John Swinney, appeared to distance himself from the current position of a presumption against new oil and gas licences saying that an “exploration” of the policy is underway.
The draft energy plan, published in 2023, reflected long-standing Scottish Green policies for an end to new oil and gas drilling licencing and a just transition to clean renewable energy in Scotland’s efforts to reach net zero.
Mr Ruskell said: “The science is clear. Any shift away from a presumption against new oil and gas exploration would be an act of climate betrayal. It would undermine years of progress we have made in Scotland and send a terrible message to young people and future generations.
“There is so much potential in our renewable sectors, and that is where we need our focus to be, not on trying to extract even more oil from our North Sea.
“When the previous First Minister committed to opposing new developments it represented a sea change in Scottish politics. Here was one of the first oil-rich states saying that enough was enough and that we have to stop new drilling. We need to hold to that commitment not just today but going forward.
“Over the last few months we have seen the SNP trying to face both ways on fossil fuels. It’s not good enough. We are in a climate emergency and people deserve clarity about what Scotland is doing to tackle it.
“Only a vote for the Scottish Greens on July 4 will help us to take the action that is needed.”
