Eco-protesters light flares on Westminster Bridge demanding a stop to Rosebank oil field
- Rosebank oil field in Scotland was the subject of the protest in London today
Activists who want the planet to survive without using gas or oil have invaded Westminster Bridge during rush hour to light flares and display a banner.
The protesters – whose identities are not known – are calling for a stop of the further development of the Rosebank oil field.
Despite activist calls, the current Government of First Minister Humza Yousaf has so far not opposed the much larger Rosebank oil field in the North Sea.
Asked if this is due to the substantial revenues generated by fossil fuels, Mr Gray said: ‘We recognise that oil and gas is going to be with us for some time to come.
‘But we want to see much more stringent climate compatibility checks to ensure oil and gas continues to be compatible with our net-zero objectives.’
The protesters – whose identities are not known – are calling for a stop of the further development of the Rosebank oil field
The minister added that ‘unlimited extraction’, which he claims would be the result of the 100 new oil and gas licences announced last month by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is not compatible with Scotland’s climate objectives.
But he added: ‘Neither can we see the shutdown of the oil and gas sector prematurely, as appears to be being suggested by the Labour Party.
‘We need to make sure that we have an accelerated just transition that involves those energy companies, their investment potential, but also their skilled workforce to make sure that we fully realise the opportunities both from an economic and a net-zero perspective from the renewables sector.’
Asked if he supports Rosebank, Mr Gray said it is ‘not a decision that I am going to have to take’, given those issues are reserved to Westminster.
Surfers Against Sewage in Aberdeen took part in the Wave of Resistance protest in June also against Rosebank
Pressed on the matter, he added: ‘I want to see much more stringent climate compatibility checkpoints for projects like Rosebank and others that are coming forward to ensure that those projects are consistent with our net-zero climate objectives.
‘We haven’t seen that from the UK Government.’
The Scottish Government has consistently said it will work towards a ‘just transition’ away from oil and gas, but Mr Gray was unable to say when the revenue generated from renewables would match the £9.4 billion value to the Scottish purse of fossil fuels – claiming Scottish ministers are being ‘held back’.
He added: ‘We need to work with the UK Government to ensure they recognise the opportunity from a net-zero, but also from an economic, perspective, of continuing to invest in the renewables sector in the same way that they invest in the nuclear sector, which is huge.’
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