SCOTLAND’S First Minister has written to Boris Johnson urging him to “reassess” plans for the new Cambo oil field off the coast of Shetland due to the climate emergency.

READ MORE: Cambo oil field: Nicola Sturgeon challenged by climate activists

Nicola Sturgeon told the Tory leader that licenses like the one Cambo holds – where “field development” is yet to begin – should be “reassessed in light of the climate emergency we now face”. 

While the final decision lies with Westminster, there has been increasing pressure on the Scottish Government to publicly oppose the Cambo oil field development, particularly following Monday’s publication of the UN’s IPCC report warning of a “code red for humanity”.

READ MORE: Cambo: Activist who challenged Nicola Sturgeon criticises letter to Boris Johnson

The IPCC warned global warming will continue into at least the middle of this century, and that failure to take action to limit CO2 emissions now would mean the target set by governments – of remaining below 1.5C of warming – will be missed.

The report also claimed global warming could even exceed 2C in this century without urgent action.

Up to 132 million tonnes of carbon could be released if the Cambo field is given the green light and require a land mass 1.5 times the size of Scotland to counter.

READ MORE: Cambo oil field: Greens warn plans incompatible with climate targets

In her letter to the UK Government, the First Minister writes: “We are both well aware of the importance of oil and gas over many decades – not least in terms of jobs – to the Scottish and UK economies.

“We also understand that reducing reliance on domestic production of oil and gas, which we must do, without increasing imports – which would potentially increase emissions – depends on the development of alternatives.

“However, the answer to these challenges – given the urgency of the climate emergency – cannot be business as usual. Instead, we must take decisions and make investments now to support – and accelerate -the development of these alternatives and thereby secure a just, but appropriately rapid, transition for the oil and gas industry, and the workers and communities currently reliant on it.”

She added: “Indeed, I am asking that the UK Government now commits to significantly enhancing the climate conditionality associated with offshore oil and gas production.

“Additionally, however, I am also asking that the UK Government agrees to reassess licences already issued but where field development has not yet commenced.

“That would include the proposed Cambo development.”

READ MORE: Cambo oil field: Boris Johnson 'not aware' of Shetland project

She continues: “Such licences, some of them issued many years ago, should be reassessed in light of the severity of the climate emergency we now face, and against a compatibility checkpoint that is fully aligned with our climate change targets and obligations.”

In her letter, Sturgeon also called for a four-nations meeting on the climate ahead of COP26.

At the weekend Sturgeon was asked if she would oppose the development while attending the Govanhill Carnival in her Glasgow Southside constituency.

She told activists: "It's not an issue for the Scottish Government. We are thinking about all of these things, we are trying to come to the right decision but there's no doubt we should be moving away [from oil drilling].

"So there are hard questions to ask about whether things like that are commensurate and I totally get that. There's some tough things for all of us to address and make decisions on."